Case study
How Ellers Farm Distillery is changing the spirits industry for good
SME
Business Subscription
Reforestation
Ellers Farm is a Yorkshire-based distillery built on an ethos of responsibility, and the simple principle of balancing people, planet, and profit. The team is on a mission to build the most respected spirits business in the world, by creating the very best vodka in a way that gives back more than it takes. And they do it all with smiles on their faces and a glass in their hands!
Ellers Farm Distillery achieved B Corp certification in September 2023 and working with Ecologi has been key to them achieving that accolade.
At a glance
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About Ellers Farm Distillery
Location
UK
Company size
30 employees
Industry
Spirits
Use case
Calculated carbon footprint, set goals to reduce emissions, funded carbon avoidance credits and funded tree planting
Services used
Tree planting and Climate Action Workforce
The issue
The good people of Ellers Farm know that to future-proof their business they need to look after their most precious worker – and that’s the environment they rely on to produce their product.
Ellers Farm Distillery are members of the SME Climate Hub and signatories of The Climate Pledge. They’ve committed to reaching net-zero by 2040 and halving their carbon emissions by 2030 using a 2023 baseline. That’s a reduction trajectory that’s aligned with science-based targets, and the necessary path to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
They know that effective action starts with accurate measurements. So Ellers Farm Distillery used robust carbon accounting methods to calculate the carbon footprint of the business in 2023, updating their data from the previous year. Every corner of the value chain was fully mapped out, placing them in the perfect position to understand and tackle their emissions hotspots.
The team wants to lead by example and inspire their industry peers to do the same, because they know that protecting nature and developing circular infrastructure is the best investment their business can make. They’re a group of people very much after our own hearts, and by working with Ecologi they were able to catalyse these shared values and turn them to action.
The challenges
With such a firm commitment to responsibility, greenwashing was a pitfall that the team were determined to avoid. They believe that in the absence of robust ESG compliance requirements and regulations for small to medium-sized businesses like themselves, good intentions are simply not good enough. So they had no intention of making any unsubstantiated environmental claims.
In Ecologi they found a trusted organisation that shares their values and vision for the future. The transparency provided by Ecologi, as well as our approach to environmental protection through a wide variety of different projects, meant we were the perfect match.
The solution
Ellers Farm Distillery has been going from strength to strength on its climate journey, particularly from an operational perspective. Despite a 117% increase in production volume, they achieved a remarkable 24% reduction in their corporate carbon footprint from 2022 to 2023, largely thanks to better energy efficiency and purchasing practices.
One example of this is their iconic Dutch Barn Vodka bottles. They are crafted from 68% post-consumer recycled content and contain 40% less glass than the average spirit bottle, with raw materials travelling less than 60 miles from a Sheffield-based manufacturer. As a result, the carbon footprint of the bottle is 75% lower than conventional alternatives.
Working with Ecologi builds on this great work. In particular, part of their 2030 strategy is to contribute to a more sustainable future through the strategic funding of impactful projects outside their value chain. By facilitating their support of a variety of carbon reduction projects, Ecologi has really helped the team go above and beyond.
Ecologi also helps Ellers Farm Distillery fund the planting of one tree for every new subscriber to its email newsletters, offering an opportunity to engage and educate consumers around sustainability early in the relationship. Additionally, all employees benefit from an Ecologi Climate Action Workforce subscription, which contributes to climate projects on behalf of every member of the Ellers Farm team.
Finally, working with Ecologi is an important part of how Ellers Farm shares its impact with its stakeholders. They engage all employees around their work with Ecologi from the very beginning through the onboarding process, and share the results of the projects supported every month.
The results
Since October 2020, Ellers Farm Distillery has funded the planting of over 8,800 trees, and prevented the emission of 420 tonnes of CO2e through a range of certified carbon avoidance projects.
One amazing project that Ellers Farm has supported is a forest protection project in Mataven, Columbia, which is protecting 1,150,200 hectares of tropical forests from illegal logging and agricultural use, while providing education, infrastructure and sustainable economic growth for over 16,000 indigenous people.
Protecting our planet starts at home, so in addition to funding these incredible global projects, the team has restored 3 hectares of habitat around their distillery. Ellers Farm Distillery makes vodka from British apples, so by planting their own orchard next to their distillery, they have taken an important step towards reducing their land and water footprints, while restoring the ecosystems they rely on.
Ellers Farm’s commitment to using business as a force for good, as demonstrated through their work with Ecologi, has boosted an already strong brand reputation, attracting customers, staff and like-minded leaders to their community.
The true power of a brand backed by purpose was shown in November 2023, when global superstar Ricky Gervais joined the team as the new co-owner of Ellers Farm Distillery. Aside from his comedic talent, Gervais has long been a champion for environmental causes. His desire to come on board to work with this leading sustainable and ethical spirits business is testament to everything the team has achieved, and continues to achieve. His creativity and platform promises to take the brand to a whole new level.
"As a start up, our reach is still catching up with our global ambitions. That’s why, to make sure each penny we spend delivers maximum positive impact, we work with fellow B Corp, Ecologi, to choose the right projects."
Antonia Doncila, Sustainability Manager at Ellers Farm Distillery
