When we started A Natural Undertaking it was really important to us that better environmental choices were not considered a luxury or premium purchase, but were embedded into everything we do – and affordable.
Last year we embarked on the process of reviewing and improving our green credentials – not just in the products and services we offer, but in the way we run our business too.
And just 12 Months after starting on our greener journey, we were awarded the Platinum Award Greener Globes Funeral Standard
What is the Greener Globes Funeral Standard?
The Standard is a sustainability audit scheme designed to make the funeral sector more aware of the environment and to measure a company’s contribution and efforts towards operating in a more sustainable manner.
What have we done to be awarded the platinum standard?
Achieving the award is no easy task – we had to find and submit evidence across a whole range of categories laid out by the Greener Globe Funeral Standards.
So we were delighted when Brendan and Carolyn Day came to present us with our gorgeous slate award recently.
But of course it was the work we had already started to improve our business that also helped us to achieve the award.
Following on from our investment in our 2nd electric hearse in 2022 – more on the hearses here, we completed an independent environmental audit of our premises in 2023 and identified both short and long term ways to reduce our carbon emissions.
We reviewed our supply chain to find suppliers of products that are also trying to be more environmentally aware.
We introduced a new Paulownia coffin to our simple funeral package – building on our existing commitment to try to replace as much unnecessary plastic in coffins.
And we have used the Bloemenband to create beauty and ritual using flowers, in an exciting and innovative way – at no cost to families.
We supported the launch of the Farewell Flowers directory , a national directory of florists committed to making funeral flowers seasonal, local and plastic free.
And we always encourage families to consider the environmental impact of the crematoria locally.
At Waseley Hills Crematorium they have a modern computer controlled cremator which is connected to a sophisticated filtration system which removes any toxins harmful to the environment together with any waste combustion gases.
At Redditch Crematorium the system they have recovers excess energy from the cremation process to heat the neighbouring leisure centre, including the swimming pool.
In addition we have been members since our start in 2014, of the Association of Green Funeral Directors , an organisation which has a commitment to bring natural funerals into the mainstream.
These are just a few of the things we’ve been doing to reduce our impact on the planet and our commitment is to keep getting better at this. And to encourage others throughout the funeral world to do the same.
