Commitments to Our Planet

Before 2021, our collection was made entirely of solid brass. We used different production processes to achieve different colour finishes, e.g. Black, Satin Nickel.

But our first annual carbon audit in 2020 highlighted that some finishing processes had far greater carbon emissions than others, e.g. electroplating brass to achieve a Black finish.

In response we introduced new materials in aluminium and stainless steel. Products made from these materials offer the high-quality properties we expect of our hardware, but produce less carbon during manufacture.

Our materials will always be our main source of carbon emissions. Diversifying our material range is the first step in our reduction journey, but we’ll continue to seek more ways to improve.

1) Increase our share of aluminium hardware sold from 8% to 10%.

2) Launch a collection of wooden hardware, using sustainably sourced wood.

3) Change our best-selling Black KEPLER Pull Handle from a stainless steel base to aluminium.

4) Change remaining brass-based Satin Nickel products to be made of stainless steel.

Our first carbon audit revealed that our greatest impact comes from our raw materials and production, which is why we’re continually working with our suppliers to implement reduction strategies at the early stages of our product lifecycle.

For now, it’s production facilities in China and India that create our meticulously-made hardware. Each partner is a specialist in their field of engineering, meaning they’re attentive to the high level of detail that we demand of our products.

Ahead of collaborating, it’s our responsibility to ensure each partner meets our onboarding criteria, then continually abides by our strict Supplier Code of Conduct. We need all parties within our operation to commit to reducing our planetary impact, plus to protect the welfare of all workers within our ecosystem.

1) Plan a supplier visit for Q1 of 2025, either to China or India.

2) Utilising our demand planning software, reduce our dependency on air freighting. And be sure to stick to it.

3) Partnering with big retailers, like B&Q, has required us to conduct different supplier audits. We've onboarded with Sedex, a sustainable supply chain solution that requires us to implement unannounced, or semi-unannounced, third party supplier audits.

As of January 2023, 100% of new products have been sent from our suppliers plastic-free. This is an example of how we've collaborated with our supply chain to create new processes that align with our impact goals.

We’ve replaced individual plastic cases and bubble-wrap with protective layers of recyclable paper and card. We also created card envelopes for screw components, plus use water-based adhesive tape for sealing packages.

Our next challenge is to sustain this best-in-class practise.

1) Roll out our 'screws-in-packaging' project, to reduce picking errors and maintain customer satisfaction. 

2) Maintain plastic-free packaging solutions as we launch new categories that consist of more delicate products.

In 2023, our employee headcount increased by just 2. We did have a higher turnover of staff though, with a total of 7 new starters within the year.

In addition to meeting the London Living Wage and introducing some new employee perks (e.g. dental insurance), we also maintained a strong employee satisfaction score of 94%.

Despite our daily operations at Plank HQ being a small proportion of our overall carbon footprint, we still took measures to minimise it further. We switched our energy supply from EDF to Octopus Energy, so as to be on a sustainable green tariff.

The majority of our employees live close to our London HQ, meaning over 90% of us commute by foot, bike or public transport. We're also permitted to WFH two days a week, meaning we can optimise our work-life balance and not travel needlessly.

In 2023, we raised over £17,000 for charities including Crisis and Furnishing Futures.

1) Consider the impact of inflation on wages and review routinely. 

2) 'More fun, everyday' — We want to ensure we remain a fun and motivational place to work.

If you're yet to choose a design scheme, consider Black Aluminium for your hardware. The facts suggest it’s our lowest carbon material option.

Don’t always buy new. Save some money and emissions by considering upcycling, hacking or refreshing existing furniture, using our premium finishing touches.

Routine, non-abrasive cleaning with a cloth and warm, soapy water will keep your finishes looking spick-and-span for years to come, so you won’t need to re-buy anytime soon.

Use your order number and our free returns portal to send your old hardware to us, then we’ll dispose of it responsibly. Alternatively, take it to a local recycling depot or dealer — you may even get some money back.

All of our cardboard packaging and pamphlets can be recycled, plus our protective poly bags (the foamy ones) can be recycled in dry mixed recycling — just double check the terms of your local recycling facility.

If you’re fortunate enough to have a comfortable home, join us in supporting Crisis’ mission to combat homelessness in the UK. Read more here make a donation to Crisis and consider making a donation of your own?

Have ideas on how we can do better? Share your thoughts with us at planet@plankhardware.com