Our Environmental & Sustainability Journey (so far)
Since our inception in 2011, Cosy has put sustainability at the centre of its existence.
Built with the aim to incorporate more nature into ever increasing indoor childhoods, we sought to move away from the high carbon, single use plastics that dominate the industry, and instead focus on products that re-engage today’s children with nature.
From using local small and medium sized businesses to supply the majority of our products, to offering some of the most natural and low process goods in the world of educational equipment, we prioritise a greener approach to business and play.
We have chosen to align ourselves with the UN sustainability goals below. Making sure that all of our sustainability decisions are made with these in mind.
As a business, alongside the obvious measures of equal pay for equal work, and having female members of staff at some of the highest positions of management, we’ve prioritised flexible working to allow for parents to work without missing the most crucial parts of their children’s lives.
This aim remains at the heart of our product development mentality. Developing and supplying responsibly sourced products to encourage the kind of rich, creative and healthy play that helps with children’s educational and social development. We interact with educational professionals daily to assure we can provide quality products. Locally, we support a number of local charities who aim to give children better opportunities, including Derby Kids camp, who give some of Derby’s most materially disadvantaged children a yearly holiday to look forward to.
As part of our business model, we prioritise our working relations with SMEs. We strive to increase the access of small-scale enterprises into value chains and markets. 70% of our supply chain, whose products account for 78% of sales through 180 suppliers, consists of small, independent, often owner-operated or family-run companies, who are the backbone of our business.
Domestically, we aim to be as inclusive as possible in our hiring processes, hiring those who need flexible hours, or that may be seen as unemployable by other companies such as recently released convicts. 20% of our workforce are part time, most of these working parents who would otherwise struggle to balance childcare and work. As we continue to grow, we see this percentage rising, and look forward to aiding our staff in any way possible. For more information on our charitable endeavours please find a full break down on www.cosyfoundation.com
As our entire business ethos is built off the notion of open ended and natural play, it is this aim we most align ourselves with. All of our bespoke products are built with multiple uses in mind, to encourage active learning, problem solving and creative thinking. These are therefore designed to have a longer lifespan than traditional educational supplies. We similarly have designed a number of products made with recycled and upcycled products, such as barrels, and thusly saved these from the carbon intensive processes to convert them into other forms. In 2020 we moved to our new site in Rural Staffordshire, and capitalised on this fresh start to implement some systemic changes in the business, to heighten our sustainability.
Low Carbon Locally Made
Low process/ close to nature / upcycled
Supports Cosy Foundation