Sustainability Report for WSH
In 2024, Simply Sustainable supported Westbury Street Holdings (WSH) with the creation of its inaugural sustainability report. Our history with WSH spans several years, beginning with the development of its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy, Second Nature. We have since supported WSH in the development of its science-based targets (SBT) for emissions reductions and the submission of its SBT and FLAG targets to the Science Based Targets Initiative. We were therefore delighted to highlight the immense progress made to develop and deliver Second Nature within WSH’s 2023 Sustainability Report.
Impacts and benefits
- Developed an engaging narrative on WSH’s approach, achievements and challenges relating to its Second Nature ESG Strategy.
- Provided a platform to engage stakeholders within and outside of the business.
- Disclosed transparent and honest performance against key KPIs and targets aligned to best practice sustainability frameworks and industry standards.
Simply Sustainable has been fundamental in supporting WSH in developing both a holistic, ambitious ESG strategy and timely reporting of progress made to date. The team at Simply Sustainable bring that objective yet supportive perspective that allows us to reflect upon our progress in a structured and honest way.Annelie Selander Chief Sustainability Officer, WSH
The story
Between January and March 2024, Simply Sustainable supported WSH, the UK’s largest independent food service and hospitality company, to prepare its inaugural sustainability report. The report communicates its progress against its ESG strategy, Second Nature. WSH was founded on a simple principle of fresh, seasonal, local produce and an ethical supply chain with sustainability at the core of the business. Across WSH’s growing family of independent hospitality brands, Second Nature has provided a structured approach to sustainability, while still enabling independence among its businesses. Being transparent with stakeholders about the progress made and challenges encountered since the launch of Second Nature was a priority throughout the report’s development.
In collaboration with the WSH Second Nature pillar Leads and the Chief Sustainability Officer, we developed a report framework focused on priority topics. Using a bespoke data collection tool, we supported the collection of key data points conveying progress against WSH’s strategic targets.
We engaged with key stakeholders across its Group and subsidiary businesses to understand key successes and challenges across the four strategic pillars: inclusion by design, nurturing and growing talent, progressive partnerships and step up. Where challenges were encountered, we worked with WSH to communicate their impact and how WSH continued to strive for its ambitious targets.
Following the stakeholder engagement, we drafted the report following the best-practice reporting principles of the GRI Standards. This included demonstrating robust governance, transparent performance and a balanced narrative which disclosed plans for 2024. The approach taken provides a holistic overview of sustainability performance, demonstrating the impact of current initiatives whilst holding the relevant levels of management accountable for future commitments.
We are proud to support WSH in disclosing its ESG performance, providing a cohesive sustainability communication tool for its many independent businesses and external stakeholders. WSH’s sustainability report is published on its website at https://wshlimited.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/WSH-Second-Nature-Report-2023.pdf
At Simply Sustainable, we encourage all our clients to align with best-practice standards, such as GRI, to create sustainability reports which are based on integrity and transparency. Stakeholder expectations related to sustainability and non-financial reporting are evolving at speed, and as regulations become more stringent, it is increasingly important that sustainability reporting accurately reflects performance. We are proud to deliver long-term value to our clients and pride ourselves on creating lasting relationships to deliver a full suite of solutions to improve ESG performance and disclosure.
To find out how Simply Sustainable can help with your sustainability reporting, request a call-back from one of our team of experts.