Sustainability & ESG

Last updated: 3 September 2026

1. Our Approach

At Soché, sustainability is considered as part of how we source, develop, quality-control, package and supply ingredients.

We recognise that the food and agricultural supply chain has environmental, social and economic impacts extending from farms and origin communities through processing, logistics, packaging and ultimately to customers.

Our approach is therefore built around three interconnected areas:

Environmental stewardship
Reducing avoidable environmental impact and supporting responsible use of natural resources.

Social responsibility
Promoting responsible labour practices, respect for human rights and stronger relationships throughout our supply chain.

Governance and traceability
Building greater visibility, accountability and documentation into how products move through the supply chain.

We view sustainability as an ongoing process of improvement rather than a fixed claim or certification.

2. Responsible Sourcing

Many of the ingredients we supply originate from agricultural systems involving farmers, producer groups, aggregators and processors.

We seek to develop sourcing relationships that support:

Responsible agricultural practices;
Product integrity;
Supply-chain transparency;
Traceability;
Respect for workers;
Compliance with applicable requirements;
Long-term supplier relationships; and
Resilient supply chains.

Where appropriate, we seek information about the origin of products and the organisations involved in their production and processing.

Our sourcing approach may vary according to the product, country, supplier and structure of the relevant supply chain.

3. Supporting Origin Communities

Agricultural supply chains are closely connected to the communities in which products are grown and processed.

Where our supply relationships involve farmer groups or organised producer networks, we seek to support relationships that promote:

Fair and lawful working conditions;
Respect for fundamental worker rights;
Community standards;
Responsible agricultural practices;
Product quality;
Traceability; and
Long-term supply-chain resilience.

We recognise that responsible sourcing must consider the people and communities behind the ingredients, not simply the product itself.

Our approach is guided by the principle that sustainable supply requires viable and responsible relationships across the value chain.

4. Environmental Stewardship

Agriculture and ingredient production depend on natural resources and can be affected by environmental pressures including:

Water availability;
Soil health;
Climate variability;
Biodiversity;
Land-use pressures;
Agricultural inputs;
Waste; and
Energy consumption.

We seek to work with suppliers and partners that recognise these considerations and, where appropriate, incorporate responsible environmental practices into their operations.

We also recognise that environmental performance varies substantially by crop, geography, farming system and processing method.

For this reason, we do not apply a single sustainability standard to every ingredient.

5. Agricultural Resilience

Climate and environmental pressures can affect agricultural production, availability, quality and pricing.

A resilient supply chain therefore requires more than simply securing short-term supply.

Where appropriate, we seek to develop supply relationships that support:

Diversified sourcing;
Greater origin visibility;
Long-term supplier relationships;
Appropriate quality controls;
Responsible agricultural practices; and
Continuity of supply.

Our sourcing network is designed to provide greater visibility and flexibility across different origins and supply relationships where commercially and operationally appropriate.

6. Supply-Chain Traceability

Traceability is a central part of our approach to responsible sourcing and product integrity.

Depending on the product and supply-chain structure, our systems and documentation may provide visibility across stages including:

Origin → processing → quality control → warehousing → dispatch

Relevant records may include:

Origin information;
Supplier information;
Batch or lot identification;
Quality checks;
Certificates of Analysis;
Certificates of Origin;
Warehouse information;
Shipping information; and
Other relevant documentation.

For B2B customers, available traceability and compliance information may be incorporated into the commercial supply process.

7. Quality and Sustainability

We consider quality and sustainability to be connected.

A transparent and well-controlled supply chain can help reduce avoidable:

Product loss;
Rejection;
Waste;
Inefficient transportation;
Reprocessing; and
Unnecessary resource use.

Our quality and compliance processes therefore form an important part of our broader responsible-supply approach.

Depending on the product, this may include controls from origin through processing, final quality assessment, warehousing and dispatch.

8. Packaging

Packaging serves important functions including:

Product protection;
Food safety;
Shelf-life preservation;
Transportation;
Traceability;
Information provision; and
Product integrity.

We recognise that packaging also creates environmental considerations.

Where appropriate, we seek to consider:

Material selection;
Packaging efficiency;
Product-to-packaging ratios;
Protection against product loss;
Transportation efficiency;
Recyclability and end-of-life considerations; and
Customer-specific packaging requirements.

Packaging requirements can vary considerably between bulk ingredients, industrial supply, foodservice and retail-ready products.

Accordingly, packaging decisions are considered in the context of the product's intended use and applicable food-safety and regulatory requirements.

9. Food Waste and Product Loss

Preventing unnecessary product loss is an important part of responsible supply-chain management.

Our quality, traceability and inventory processes are intended to support appropriate handling of products throughout the supply chain.

This may help reduce avoidable losses arising from:

Incorrect handling;
Poor storage;
Quality failures;
Packaging failures;
Incorrect fulfilment; and
Other operational issues.

Where products cannot appropriately be supplied or used, disposal and other outcomes will be handled in accordance with applicable requirements.

10. Logistics and Supply-Chain Efficiency

Transportation contributes to the environmental footprint of physical products.

We therefore seek, where commercially and operationally practical, to improve supply-chain efficiency through considerations such as:

Appropriate shipment planning;
Consolidation where practical;
Efficient packaging;
Appropriate warehouse management;
Supplier and origin planning; and
Selection of suitable logistics arrangements.

For B2B customers, shipment planning may take account of:

Order volumes;
Packaging formats;
Delivery destinations;
Freight modes;
Lead times; and
Commercial requirements.

We do not claim that every shipment or supply route has the same environmental impact.

11. Social Responsibility

Our sustainability approach includes social considerations throughout our relevant operations and supply chain.

We seek to uphold principles concerning:

Human dignity;
Fundamental labour rights;
Safe working conditions;
Lawful employment;
Fair treatment;
Freedom from forced labour; and
Protection from exploitation.

Our Modern Slavery Statement provides further information about our approach to modern slavery, forced labour, child labour and responsible supply-chain management.

12. Modern Slavery and Human Rights

We have a zero-tolerance approach to slavery, servitude, forced labour, human trafficking and unlawful child labour.

We expect relevant suppliers and commercial partners to comply with applicable laws and to maintain appropriate controls.

Depending on the nature and risk profile of a supply relationship, our due-diligence approach may include:

Supplier onboarding;
Business verification;
Origin information;
Compliance documentation;
Social-audit information where available;
Certification information;
Supplier engagement;
Risk assessment; and
Corrective-action processes.

Further information is provided in our Modern Slavery Statement.

13. Supplier Relationships

We believe long-term and transparent supplier relationships can contribute to more resilient supply chains.

Where appropriate, we seek to work with suppliers who demonstrate:

Product integrity;
Regulatory compliance;
Responsible business practices;
Appropriate quality systems;
Traceability;
Respect for workers; and
Willingness to engage on supply-chain risks.

We may review supplier performance and documentation according to the nature and risk profile of the relationship.

14. Governance and Accountability

Sustainability commitments must be supported by appropriate governance.

Relevant areas of our business may include:

Procurement;
Supplier management;
Quality;
Compliance;
Traceability;
Commercial operations;
Logistics;
Finance;
Risk management; and
Management oversight.

We seek to maintain appropriate records and documentation relating to our products and supply relationships.

Where sustainability or ESG information is communicated publicly, we aim to ensure that material claims are capable of being appropriately supported.

15. Responsible Business Conduct

We expect our employees, suppliers, contractors and commercial partners to conduct business responsibly.

This includes expectations relating to:

Compliance with applicable law;
Ethical business conduct;
Human rights;
Labour standards;
Product integrity;
Anti-fraud practices;
Responsible sourcing;
Confidentiality;
Protection of intellectual property; and
Appropriate record keeping.

Where serious concerns arise, we may investigate and take appropriate action within the relevant commercial relationship.

16. Transparency and Documentation

We believe credible sustainability requires evidence.

Where appropriate, we seek to maintain documentation supporting relevant aspects of our supply chain, which may include:

Supplier records;
Origin information;
Batch information;
Certificates;
Quality records;
Technical documentation;
Social or ethical assessments;
Traceability records; and
Commercial documentation.

The availability and depth of documentation will vary according to the product, supplier, country of origin and nature of the supply relationship.

We will not represent information as independently verified, certified or audited unless the relevant verification, certification or audit has actually taken place.

17. B2B Sustainability Support

For our wholesale and commercial customers, sustainability information may form part of the wider technical and compliance information provided during the supply process.

Depending on the product and commercial requirements, B2B customers may receive or request information relating to:

Origin;
Traceability;
Supplier information;
Product specifications;
Certificates of Analysis;
Certificates of Origin;
Quality controls;
Packaging;
Supply-chain documentation; and
Other relevant compliance information.

Where a customer has specific ESG, sourcing or regulatory requirements, these should be discussed with Soché before an order or supply agreement is finalised.

18. Private Label and Bespoke Supply

For private-label, bespoke packaging and custom-specification projects, sustainability considerations may be incorporated into the project where commercially and technically appropriate.

This may include discussions relating to:

Packaging formats;
Material selection;
Product sourcing;
Origin;
Documentation;
Traceability;
Supply-chain requirements; and
Customer-specific ESG requirements.

Any such requirement should be expressly agreed as part of the applicable commercial specification or agreement.

19. Data, Measurement and Improvement

We recognise that meaningful ESG management requires reliable information and measurable progress.

As our operations develop, we intend to strengthen our ability to:

Collect relevant supply-chain information;
Identify material ESG risks;
Improve traceability;
Assess supplier performance;
Monitor environmental considerations;
Improve documentation;
Establish appropriate targets where justified; and
Report progress responsibly.

We will avoid presenting unverified estimates or unsupported environmental claims as measured outcomes.

20. Avoiding Greenwashing

We believe sustainability communications should be accurate, specific and capable of being substantiated.

Accordingly, we aim to avoid:

Unsupported environmental claims;
Vague claims such as “eco-friendly” without appropriate qualification;
Claims of carbon neutrality without appropriate evidence;
Claims of universal recyclability where this depends on local infrastructure;
Claims of certification where certification does not exist; and
Presenting individual sustainability initiatives as evidence that an entire product or supply chain has no environmental impact.

Where a claim depends on a particular certification, audit, calculation or methodology, the relevant basis should be identified where appropriate.

21. Continuous Improvement

We recognise that sustainability challenges evolve and that there is no single action that addresses every environmental or social issue within a global ingredient supply chain.

Our approach will therefore continue to develop as:

Our sourcing network grows;
Our B2B operations expand;
Traceability capabilities improve;
Supplier relationships mature;
Better data becomes available;
Customer requirements evolve; and
Relevant legal and regulatory expectations develop.

We will seek to improve our practices while maintaining product quality, food safety, commercial viability and supply-chain resilience.

22. Our Principles

Our sustainability and ESG approach can be summarised through five principles:

Responsible Origin
Understand where our ingredients come from and the people and communities connected to them.

Traceable Supply
Build visibility through sourcing, quality, warehousing and dispatch.

Responsible Operations
Consider environmental and social impacts throughout our operations.

Evidence Over Claims
Use documentation, verification and measurable information wherever available.

Continuous Improvement
Treat sustainability as an ongoing operational discipline rather than a one-time commitment.

23. Contact

If you have questions about our sustainability and ESG approach, responsible sourcing or supply-chain practices, please contact:

Soché
Le Papillon Boutique Ltd
Email: info@soche.co.uk

For B2B customers with specific ESG, sourcing, traceability or compliance requirements, please raise these requirements with our commercial team as early as possible in the procurement process.