our sustainability
There are some amazing things going on behind the scenes...
Striving for a more sustainable environment...
When Eliza Jane started making clotted cream in her kitchen over 130 years ago, little did she know that her family recipe would someday become a much-loved Cornish delicacy all over the world. And whilst we love to talk about our delicious products, there are also some amazing things happening behind the scenes at our Creamery that not many people know about…
"Cornwall’s environment is not just land and seascapes
but its people who make up the rich tapestry of the county..."
Nicholas Rodda
From the early 1900s, Rodda’s was a pioneer in sustainability, using local supply chains to deliver milk in reusable glass bottles and ship our clotted cream nationwide in tins via train. When times changed, we had to adopt plastic packaging and road transport to meet supply, demand and stay competitive, but our commitment to sustainability remains strong in several ways.
As a family-owned business, Rodda’s is deeply committed to creating a better future for the next generation. That’s why we’ve set clear targets for reducing emissions, cutting food waste, and achieving other key sustainability goals. To help us reach these objectives and play our part in combating global warming, we’ve embraced the 3P Strategy—focusing on Planet, People, and Products.
We focus on sustainability to stay true to our core values of quality, community, and caring for the environment. By cutting carbon emissions, reducing waste, and embracing a circular economy, we’re not only safeguarding our local environment but also strengthening the local economy as more than 80% of our suppliers are located within 50 miles of us.
“Rodda’s are constantly researching & trialling numerous packaging alternatives to plastic, which have included cardboard with thin plastic liners, aluminium, glass, and compostables. However our process puts restrictions on suitability of materials, and many have been discounted. Glass portioned jars were produced for a limited period in 2020 for a one off project with Wimbledon, but the additional cost and negative effects on our packaging carbon footprint made it prohibitive to roll out to our wider customer portfolio.”
Paul Morriss – Fifth generation Rodda family
At the Creamery
We’re committed to making sustainable changes, with set targets and environmental goals laid out for the next 5 years. That’s why we have developed our own Sustainability Roadmap which not only speaks of our intent but also publicises our commitments for the people, planet and products. Keeping in mind our goal to reduce the carbon footprint of milk by 42% from a baseline of 2022 by the end of 2030.
- Reduce Scope 1 and 2 Carbon Emissions by 42% before 2030 from baseline of 2022 backed by Science Based Targets initiative. Science-based targets provide a clearly-defined pathway for companies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, helping prevent the worst impacts of climate change and future-proof business growth.
- Reduce Carbon Footprint of milk by 30% by 2030 from a baseline of 2021.
- Ensure food waste is reduced by 50% from base year of 2021 as per WRAP UK standards by 2030.
- Ensure at least 50% of milk comes from farmers who have signed up to a robust sustainability initiative.
- Enable a shift towards plastic-alternative materials for packaging by 2030.
Sustainability at Rodda's is currently divided into 6 sections
Packaging
We are currently working to explore plastic alternatives and replacements for our packaging, whilst reducing virgin plastic where possible across our ranges. We plan to successfully introduce plastic alternatives by the end of 2026.
Decarbonisation
We use Dairy UK Certified methods enabling us to track our carbon emissions with a high accuracy level from the farm, down to every litre of milk that enters the organisation. Through the TEVI project we aim to reduce the carbon footprint of all our products by implementing on farm techniques to enable reduction of carbon emissions of raw milk.
Energy
We’re constantly looking at how to source our electricity responsibly. Currently, more than 45% of the electricity we use comes from renewable sources, including our new solar panels, which generate approximately 1 million KWH of power annually.
Foodwaste
We are currently implementing a strategy to halve our total food waste by 2030. We have also partnered with organizations that take surplus cream and repurpose it into products. We also donate our excess safe for consumption food to charity.
Transport
Rodda’s is currently purchasing a truck powered by biogas. as part of a pilot project. The biogas is produced from cow waste, as well as other by-products from our factory and the farms that supply our milk. This helps to close the loop on materials that would otherwise contribute to methane emissions.
Farm Emissions
We launched the TEVI project to track carbon emissions and support our farmers in making sustainable choices. We’re working with them to ensure reducing climate impact, deforestation-free cattle feed, increasing animal welfare, and improving soil and water management.
"Farmers are at the forefront of the Cornish dairy industry and are valuable stakeholders for the organisation."
Helen Griffen
We are incredibly thrilled to announce that we recertified in December 2024 and achieved our highest score and the highest score in the UK dairy industry (based on publicised B Corp information) of 112.6!
Certified B Corp™ companies are committed to supporting the environment and the wider community in the way they do business. By becoming B Corp™ certified it helps us show everyone all the fantastic work that is already going on here at Rodda’s. It’s a constant reminder to hold ourselves to the highest standards when it comes to our teams, the planet, and the people within it.