Mixing metals in your kitchen might sound like being asked to colour outside of the…
Davonport’s sustainability promise
Sustainability is one of the buzzwords that is currently being used everywhere, but what does it mean?
According to the site youmatter.world, “Sustainable is an adjective for something that is able to be sustained, i.e., something that is bearable and capable of being continued at a certain level. In the end, sustainability can perhaps be seen as the process(es) by which something is kept at a certain level.”
Principally it relates to the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources to maintain ecological balance.
Youmatter.world continues, “Nowadays, sustainability is usually defined as the process and actions through which humankind avoids the depletion of natural resources, in order to keep an ecological balance that doesn’t allow the quality of life of modern societies to decrease.”
Even for those who are not especially the most climate-conscious, it is hard to avoid the term. A recent survey conducted in March by professional services firm, Deloitte, suggests that the events of 2020 have shaped consumers behaviour and attitudes relating to sustainability.
The highlights of the survey suggest that 32% of consumers are highly engaged with adopting a more sustainable lifestyle in 2021 and 28% of consumers have stopped buying certain products due to ethical or environmental concerns.
At Davonport we are an environmentally conscious company and have been since we started several decades ago. After all, the environment is where it all begins for our products!
All our furniture is designed and manufactured in the UK using materials that are sourced from suppliers who match our commitment to the environment and local industries. We strive to minimise our environmental impact without compromising our high standards.
We are dedicated to minimising pollution, energy consumption and distribution overheads while also supporting local businesses. All the timber we use is sourced from suppliers certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and our eco-friendly attitude means that we do not use any timbers listed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. When timbers that do not meet our standards are specified, we will always suggest alternatives.
Furthermore, our hand painted furniture is finished with colour-matched, low-emission water-based paint which is kinder to the environment and better for the health of our staff who are using it too.
Environmental awareness continues through every aspect of a Davonport design and manufacture, including a sophisticated extraction system that collects wood shavings and recycles offcuts. These are then used to heat our factory, negating the need for fossil fuels. We are continually developing our packaging and warehousing procedures to increase the content of recycled and recyclable material.
Our commitment to the environment is something that will continue to evolve. In 2020 we invested in cavity wall insulation for our head office, this has helped to reduce our fuel consumption by almost 40%. We also installed boiling water taps instead of kettles in our staff kitchen areas because they are more energy efficient.
In addition to this, our newly installed, automated dust extraction system not only provides a healthier environment for our workshop staff but has also reduced our electrical consumption by two thirds.
Energy is the dominant contributor to climate change, accounting for around 60% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, so these are all positive steps in our efforts to reduce our usage.
Ultimately, when you buy a Davonport kitchen you can rest assured that you are dealing with an environmentally friendly company.
If you have any questions about any of the content in this blog, or if you would like to arrange a visit to our showroom and workshop, please contact us today.