This year, we continued to deepen our commitment to sustainability, driven by better data, stronger partnerships, and a company-wide focus on reducing our environmental impact. Our efforts centred on clearer measurement, smarter processes, and meaningful engagement with the people who rely on us.

As we close out the year, we are delighted to share that Codex has been shortlisted for the Green Medium-Sized Organisation of the Year at the upcoming 2026 Green Awards. It’s a great note to finish on, and a reassuring sign that the improvements we’ve been making, from cleaner deliveries to more efficient energy use, are being recognised beyond our own walls.

With the awards now on the horizon, it feels like the right moment to look back at what we’ve achieved so far, especially throughout 2025, as we continue building momentum for what comes next.

Celebrating a Year of Measurable Sustainability

From cleaner, low-carbon deliveries to stronger carbon measurement, expanded circular initiatives, and deeper engagement across our value chain, 2025 was a year of meaningful progress across every area of our sustainability strategy.

We improved operational efficiency, strengthened our reporting through Planet Mark, broadened our support for the circular economy, and continued to grow the social impact of Codex Cares.

Alongside this, we enhanced employee training, provided clearer guidance to customers, and collaborated closely with suppliers to prepare for evolving ESG requirements. These collective efforts, supported by robust certifications and community programmes, underline the measurable steps we’ve taken to build a more responsible and resilient business. Let’s get into our 2025 sustainability wins.

Building a More Efficient and Low-Carbon Service

A portion of our environmental impact is attributed to the way we deliver to customers. Our hybrid sales model, which blends dedicated Key Account Managers with a powerful online ordering experience, continued to support more efficient operations in 2025. More than half of all orders (57%) were placed online, a 17% rise since 2020. This shift allows us to consolidate deliveries, reduce unnecessary journeys, and lower transport-related emissions while maintaining the trusted Codex service our customers expect.

Alongside these operational efficiencies, we also made a significant step toward cleaner transport in 2025 by replacing diesel in our fleet with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), further reducing emissions and accelerating our transition to lower-carbon logistics.

Strengthening Carbon Measurement Through Planet Mark

Codex has measured its carbon footprint annually with Planet Mark since 2020, consistently achieving the recommended 5% year-on-year emissions reduction.

This year, we celebrated two important Planet Mark achievements. In November, we were delighted to receive a milestone award, marking five years since we first began our Planet Mark Journey. We also expanded our reporting to include full Scope 3 emissions. With this complete baseline in place, we now have a clear pathway to achieving Net Zero by 2040.

Listening to Our Customers and the Market

Every September, we conduct a customer and industry stakeholder survey to gain a deeper understanding of their sustainability priorities and needs. In 2025, 95% told us that sustainability is a key focus for their organisation, up from 65% the previous year.

This insight directly influences our service model, our product ranges, and how we help organisations reduce waste and emissions across their own operations.

Supporting the Circular Economy and Greener Purchasing

Codex continues to grow its range of sustainable products, backed by clear filters on our website that make greener procurement transparent and straightforward.

We also continue to donate reusable materials to Charity Retail Ireland and the new local Habitat for Humanity shop.

Our employee-led Green Earthlings programme, launched in 2023, continues to be a driving force in internal environmental engagement, helping to embed sustainability into everyday actions throughout the company.

Driving Social and Community Impact

Through our Codex Cares programme, we’ve contributed more than €200,000 to charities since 2020, including Focus Ireland, Barretstown, and AsIAm. In 2025, our teams took part in:

• Earth Day litter pick events.
• Environment Week activities.
• Donation of over three tonnes of materials.
• Expansion of our low- and zero-emission delivery fleet.
• Deposit return contributions from over 1,000 bottles and cans.

Strengthening Relationships Across Our Value Chain

EMPLOYEES

Environmental updates and training were delivered through internal webinars, Environment Week content, and quarterly sustainability newsletters.

CUSTOMERS

We shared guidance and progress through our CSR report, blogs, social channels, and practical sustainability tips, particularly around fleet and delivery emissions.

SUPPLIERS & PARTNERS

Since most emissions come from our value chain, supplier engagement remains critical. In 2025, we:

• Established a baseline supplier data quality score of 46.9%.
• Added sustainability into tender scoring.
• Reviewed supplier carbon reduction plans.
• Supported partners preparing for new ESG regulations, such as EUDR.

Certifications, Partnerships, and Recognition

Maintaining high standards is a core part of our sustainability journey. In 2025, Codex upheld a strong portfolio of certifications and memberships, including:

• ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO45001, ISO27001 and FSC.
• Membership of Repak, WEEE Ireland and Guaranteed Irish.
• Partnerships with CloudForests and Charity Retail Ireland.
• Recognised as one of Ireland’s Best Managed Companies.
• Accredited as a Great Place to Work.
• Ecovadis Silver Medal, placing us 20 points above industry peers.

These achievements reflect both our operational excellence and our commitment to responsible business.

Environmental Initiatives That Made a Difference in 2025

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

We continued to modernise our headquarters with energy-saving technologies, including LED lighting, PIR sensors, and equipment timers. Our "Follow-me" printing process continues to reduce paper waste, while twice-yearly night-time audits help identify efficiency gains. Many of these improvements were first introduced in 2024 and continue to deliver meaningful energy savings throughout 2025 and into 2026.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

2025 marked another year of zero waste to landfill, supported by improved segregation stations and ongoing collaboration with Charity Retail Ireland. We also achieved an excellent score in our 2025 Repak audit.

In September, employees participated in a zero-waste focused Environment Week. Each of our previous Environment Weeks has left a lasting legacy, from the creation of our garden to introducing a battery recycling station and implementing streamlined waste management. This year, we added to that legacy with the launch of the Codex Cares Repair Stations: a permanent hub equipped with sewing kits, spare buttons, and easy-to-follow repair guides.

WATER USAGE

Water usage remained low at 172m³ for the year. Key improvements that have helped us maintain this low usage include replacing traditional urinals with waterless models in 2024 and ensuring fleet washing only occurs at bunded facilities.

2025 by the Numbers

In 2025, we made significant progress across our sustainability efforts. Our emissions per employee decreased by 5.6%, and business travel emissions dropped by a remarkable 46% as we continued to adopt more innovative working practices. Interestingly, employee commuting continues to represent less than 1% of our total footprint, a positive outcome of our hybrid working model.

Waste-related emissions also declined by more than half (62.5%), helping us maintain our goal of sending zero waste to landfill, with 99% of everything we generate being recycled or recovered, and the remaining 1% being composted. We were also able to pass useful materials back into the community by donating 11 pallets of paper, stationery, and furniture to local charities.

Our fleet also became cleaner, with 3,620 litres of diesel replaced by HVO, and our partnership with CloudForests supported the planting of 67,000 trees, potentially offsetting 22.3 tonnes of CO₂e. Inside the business, we recycled 55 kg of batteries since 2023, and we were delighted to see a 7% increase in employees who feel that “Codex is genuinely reducing its environmental impact”.

Taken together, these achievements place us ahead of many similar organisations, especially at a time when nearly two-thirds of medium-sized Irish businesses still don’t measure their carbon footprint, according to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

What Lies Ahead – Our Future Sustainability Goals

As we look toward the next decade, our sustainability roadmap sets out a clear and ambitious path for Codex. In 2026, we’ll focus on improving the quality of our Scope 3 data, aiming to achieve 50% accuracy, which will provide an even stronger foundation for long-term carbon reduction. We also plan to launch our new AI-powered “Green Hearts” rating system, designed to help customers understand the environmental impact of products throughout their lifecycle.

By 2028, we aim to further improve Scope 3 data quality to 55% and work closely with our top suppliers to help them reduce their emissions. These partnerships are essential, as most of our environmental impact sits within our broader value chain.

Looking ahead to 2030, we aim to achieve a 60% data quality score and a 50% reduction in Scope 3 emissions compared to our baseline year. By 2035, we anticipate that more than 80% of our product range will be supported by Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) or an equivalent standard, providing customers with clear and transparent information to inform their purchasing decisions.

Each of these milestones brings us closer to our ultimate goal to achieve Net Zero by 2040. While the journey is complex, the progress we’ve made and the commitment across our teams, customers, and suppliers give us real confidence in the road ahead.

Conclusion

Codex’s sustainability performance in 2025 reflects a business that is maturing in its environmental responsibility, moving from good intentions to measurable, strategic action. By strengthening data quality, investing in operational efficiencies, and working closely with customers and suppliers, we’re building the foundations needed to achieve our Net Zero 2040 target.

Most importantly, these efforts ensure that we continue to meet the expectations of our customers, our communities, and our people, while making a positive contribution to Ireland’s sustainability goals.

--- 

Our commitment to environmental sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at Codex. By implementing energy-efficient measures, practising waste reduction and recycling, nurturing a sustainable supply chain, and engaging our employees, we continue to lead by example and create a positive impact on the environment.

Learn more about our Sustainability initiatives at Codex. 

RELATED ARTICLES: 

Codex Celebrates Its Third Annual Environment Week

Driving Sustainable Business with Electric Vehicles