Sustainability

Aspire Bakeries, owner of Oakrun Farm Bakery, is committed to sourcing and preparing our food in a responsible and sustainable manner with world-class quality and food safety, minimizing our use of natural resources, giving back to the communities in which we work and do business, and engaging our employees in all aspects of our efforts.

We aspire to improve ethical, environmental and economic outcomes. Working in partnership with our customers and suppliers, we strive every day to move our values and strategies into actions that will make meaningful difference to our business success and communities in which we operate.

Oakrun Farm Bakery Sustainability Highlights
  • Our Bakery is zero waste to landfill and diverted 6.8M lbs of waste from landfill; Which is equivalent to 513 adult-sized elephants
  • We’ve reduced annual energy consumption by 247,082 kWh compared to the previous year; Which is equivalent to powering 23 homes for a year
  • We’ve completed the Annual Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and 2030 Science-Based Targets for Carbon Footprint Reduction
  • We’ve had a reduction of 2,146 metric tons of CO2 compared to our 2019 baseline year
  • We’ve completed the Achievement of Energy Star Challenge for Industry in 2017
  • LED lighting was implemented within the bakery and office areas
  • We’ve also implemented a battery project with large-scale battery storage to target peak demand and assist utility with reduced electricity load. This project also includes:
    • A battery storage system that pulls electricity from the grid at night (when energy costs are the lowest), then distributes the electricity to the bakeries during peak demand hours (when energy costs are the highest).
    • This solution uses peak shifting, where the battery charges and stores electricity during off-peak hours, allowing us to go off-grid during peak hours by switching over to battery use. These batteries utilize a patented technology to predict peak usage periods at the bakeries and switch to battery use, reducing our carbon footprint and helping the local utility by easing peak-time production.
Aspire Bakeries Five Focus Areas of Our Sustainability Strategy

Following our core values, Aspire Bakeries vision is to be a socially responsible organization and to leverage our global resources to improve environmental, economic and social outcomes.

ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES
  • Annual Reporting to Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) on Aspire Bakeries carbon emissions and what we’re doing to reduce emissions
  • 10 out of 15 bakeries in North America are Zero Waste to Landfill with an overall diversion rate of 92%
  • 3 out of 15 bakeries achieved EPA Energy Star Challenge. This is achieved when a facility reduces its energy intensity by 10% over 5 years or less
  • Green Champions are chosen at each bakery to work on energy, water and waste reduction projects
  • Over 27 million kWh of energy has reduced in 2019 vs 2018. This is equivalent to powering 2,492 homes a year
  • Water usage was reduced by over 10 million gallons in 2019 vs 2018. This is equivalent to filling 490 average inground swimming pools
  • Carbon Emissions were reduced by 9,900 Mtons in 2019 vs 2018, this is equivalent to taking 2,152 passenger vehicles off the road in one year.
FOOD & MARKETPLACE
  • All bakeries are Global Food Safety Initiative (CFSI) Certified
  • By adhering to these world-class standards we ensure the highest level of quality and safety in our food, providing an industry-standard assurance for our customers
  • At Aspire Bakeries, we are committed to providing choices to our customers. We have continued to expand our food platforms to meet current and emerging trends
PEOPLE & WORKPLACE
  • Intensive strategy in place for COVID-19 infection prevention
  • Recordable injury rate is 49% below industry average
  • In the last year, employees have completed 43,000 training hours
  • Over 2,000 Aspire Bakeries employees have 5 or more years of service
  • Aspire Bakeries recently announced the forming of a Diversity and Inclusion Council to employ company-wide efforts and initiatives in favour of an all-inclusive culture
  • Aspire Bakeries Benefits Include: Industry-leading health and welfare benefits, parental leave benefits, employee professional development programs, service recognition programs, employee referral programs, tuition reimbursement, and various other programs.
SUSTAINABLE SOURCING
  • All bakeries are RSPO Mass Balance Certified
  • Aspire Bakeries is committed to transitioning all eggs to cage-free by 2025
  • All Vendors sign and agree to comply with Aspire Bakeries Vendor Code of Conduct. These expectations include expectations around human rights, employee safety, the environmental management system in their facilities, and business practices.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
  • Over 1 million pounds of food has been donated to local food banks and community organizations to provide COVID-19 relief
  • Aspire Bakeries has been a Feeding America partner since 2018. We have donated over 400,000 pounds of food
Our Initiatives

We have made a lot of significant progress these past few years, which has set a course of action for our future. Learn more about the initiatives we are focused on to ensure we are making an impact.