Climate Change Data

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Environmental
• Social
• Governance

Environmental Achievements

• Completed investment in a new kiln which is 10% more energy efficient than its current equivalent.
• Commissioned a small scale energy generation project using solar panels in 2019.
• Initiatives to reduce levels of waste product and capital investment to generate green energy and recover waste heat.

Social Achievements

• Maintained a safe working environment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Continued investment in training and development to provide more fulfilling roles for staff and improve workforce effectiveness and productivity.
• Operates a Profit Improvement scheme in which all employees with over one year’s service share in a bonus scheme linked to Group profitability.

Governance Achievements

• Complies with the Quoted Companies Alliance’s ‘Corporate Governance’ Code.
• Established a formal succession planning process covering the Company’s Board and the Board of its principal subsidiary.
• Regularly reviews and controls transactional foreign currency exposure and takes appropriate action to manage net exposures.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted sales to the hospitality sector, resulting in a 46% reduction in total revenues.
• Reduced revenue levels and operational gearing effect of fixed costs impacted overall margins.
• Currency exposure due to international operations.

Mitigation Strategies

• Reduced output levels to balance employee safety with efficient production.
• Carefully managed overhead cost levels to balance short-term profitability and maintain ability to recover quickly.
• Developed contingency plans to respond to further effects of COVID-19, including maintaining significant liquid cash balances and assets that could be used to raise additional finance.

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement

• Ethical trading policy
• Factory visits and audits to ensure standards are implemented within supply chain and local legislation and regulations are complied with.

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Environment
• Social
• Governance

Environmental Achievements

• Investment of over £1.2m in generating solar power at the Stoke-on-Trent site, substantially reducing net electricity demand.
• Research into and development of a ceramic body to reduce waste.

Social Achievements

• High levels of recruitment and training
• Investment in Health and Safety function and employee alignment
• Improved employee on-boarding
• Expansion of graduate and apprentice schemes
• Upgraded employee communication process
• Renewal and increase in continuous improvement and workplace training

Governance Achievements

• ESG strategic process established
• Initial level setting process completed
• Initial materiality assessment completed
• Benchmarking of processes against best practice
• Board effectiveness review
• Succession planning process
• Recruitment of new Non-Executive Director

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Inefficiencies within operations due to quickly scaling output to meet sharply rising demand.
• Productivity issues due to increased manufacturing staff numbers and a difficult labor market.
• Inflationary pressures impacting material and energy costs.
• Supply chain disruptions due to global economic and geopolitical factors (Russia-Ukraine war).

Mitigation Strategies

• Intensive work to increase training and improve output levels and efficiency.
• Increased prices to reflect higher input costs.
• Energy price hedging strategies.
• Investment in projects to support the forward development of operations (factory extension, added-value product capacity, additional kiln).
• Re-invigorated Continuous Improvement ‘Masterclass’ programme and other skills development initiatives.
• Forward energy strategy to reduce carbon intensity.

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement

• Ethical trading policy
• Factory visits and audits to ensure standards are implemented within the supply chain

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Transition Risks

• Progressive legislation in relation to energy usage and carbon footprint reduction

Sustainable Products & Innovation

• Development of a ceramic body to reduce waste

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Sustainability
• Waste Reduction
• Provenance of Ingredients

Environmental Achievements

• Not disclosed

Social Achievements

• Not disclosed

Governance Achievements

• Not disclosed

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Continued cost of living crisis impacting cash flow
• Urgent need to halt climate-damaging practices in the hospitality industry

Mitigation Strategies

• Promoting more vegetable options and cheaper meat cuts on menus
• Highlighting cheaper eateries on social media
• Focusing on nose-to-tail cooking to reduce waste
• Embracing technological advancements and AI in food production

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Not disclosed

Responsible Procurement

• Using responsibly sourced, local clay materials for UK-made plates

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks

• Not disclosed

Transition Risks

• Not disclosed

Opportunities

• Development of energy-efficient products and practices

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: Null

Certifications: Null

Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• Not disclosed

Not disclosed

Sustainable Products & Innovation

• Not disclosed

Awards & Recognition

• Not disclosed