Building a sustainable homegrown sugar industry

At British Sugar, we have a long and proud history in the world of food and agriculture. For over 110 years, we have helped cultivate sustainable agriculture and rural economies within the sugar supply chain.

We want to be around for the next 100 years, so ensuring we continue to build a sustainable future for our industry, our communities, and our people is paramount.

We believe our impact can be most powerful by focussing on the areas that matter most to our business and stakeholders.

Our approach to sustainability...

At the heart of our approach is the ambition to ensure a sustainable future, for our business, for our communities and for the planet
To deliver this in our day-to-day operations, we have four focus areas which guide our actions every year. Take a look and explore what we're up to.

For us sustainability is also about being a responsible business for consumers of our ingredient. For over 10 years, our campaign Making Sense of Sugar has been providing information based on robust science about sugar and the role it can play in a healthy and balanced diet. We support and work with the British Nutrition Foundation and draw upon the UK Government’s Eatwell Guide to aid consumer understanding. Guidance includes practical suggestions for estimating portion sizes that are easy to follow at home.

Click here to find out about the Making Sense of Sugar campaign

Our journey so far...

Innovation runs through the DNA of British Sugar, and it's no different when we talk about sustainability. We have made huge strides over many decades to reduce our impact on the environment and the world around us.

In 2018 we set our 2030 commitments alongside ABF Sugar, and since our baseline year of 2017/18, we have reduced our direct (scope 1 and 2) emissions by 21%, our energy usage by 8%, and our water usage by 11%; all whilst investing heavily in our factories and increasing sugar yields.

As part of ABF Sugar, we are committed to contributing towards the achievement of their near-term decarbonisation targets for 2030 and net-zero targets for 2050 which have now been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).



Accreditations

In 2025, we’re extremely proud to have earned a Gold Medal for our sustainability performance with EcoVadis, the global leader in business sustainability ratings. This rating places us in the top 5% of companies surveyed.

 

EcoVadis Gold Medal

Where we are heading...

Our ambition is to be net zero by 2050.

We know it won't be easy, but we are confident in our plans and our people's ability to deliver. We have identifed several key components across our supply chain, from our factories to the fields to our fleet, that need to adapt and transform to allow us to achieve this ambition.

Our roadmap details a selection of these areas where we will focus our efforts over the coming decades.

Our ambition is to be net zero by 2050
Our ambition is to be net zero by 2050

Sustainability Alerts

Stay up to date on our latest sustainability activities and considerations.

Adjust the filter below to show alerts for your focus area(s) of choice.

Responsible Consumption

Sustainabile Agriculture

Responsible Sourcing

Our People

Macmillan coffee morning

1st October 2025


Our Peterborough head office got involved in the Macmillan coffee morning with a bake sale. In total an amazing £541.69 was raised! Thank you to everyone who baked and to everyone who donated!

BBRO nitrogen trials underway

22nd August 2025


The BBRO (British Beet Research Organisation) is actively researching ways to reduce the environmental impact of sugar beet production while maintaining crop performance.

Current projects include identifying low-carbon nitrogen fertilisers that are compatible with the specific nutritional demands of sugar beet. BBRO is also working to optimise nitrogen use efficiency by exploring placement and banding techniques that deliver fertiliser more precisely to the root zone, reducing waste and emissions. In addition, they are investigating sustainable soil management practices that support soil health, structure, and resilience.

These include strategies to minimise compaction, improve organic matter retention, and enhance microbial activity—all of which contribute to long-term soil productivity and environmental sustainability. Together, these initiatives support the sugar beet sector’s goal of reducing its carbon footprint and improving sustainability without compromising yield or crop quality.

BBRO nitrogen trials underway

Bury Pre-Silo employees support local primary school

13th August 2025


Nine employees from our Bury sugar factory volunteered at a local primary school to help with some maintenance, including putting up posts for hammocks, laying slabs, painting fences plus other general repairs and cleaning.

The primary school commented: 'Thank you so much to British Sugar who sent volunteers to help us create a calm place for the children. We are very pleased with our calm and stillness garden and love our pond and hammocks. Thank you so much'

Cantley's new CHP plant starts exporting power!

12th August 2025


Exciting times are afoot at our Cantley site, with its new modular, gas-fired Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant exporting power for the first time last week! 

This achievement marks a significant milestone in the project following weeks of electrical testing. With more commissioning activities to follow ahead of being fully-functional and integrated into the factory operations ready for the 25/26 campaign. This project will help to reduce Cantley's site emissions by 16,000 tonnes of carbon a year, and is set up for fuel flexibility too. 

Wissington steam drying project

22nd July 2025


The foundations are being laid for our biggest decarbonisation project in the company’s history at Wissington sugar factory!

The equipment will be installed and connected to the factory systems over the course of the next year, ready for the start of the 2026/27 sugar beet campaign.

Wissington steam drying

Bury decarbonisation project

22nd July 2025


The project team are gearing up for commissioning ahead of the 2025/26 sugar beet campaign – this project sees the installation of new evaporators which are expected to reduce site emissions by around 20,000 tonnes of carbon a year.

Bury decarbonisation project

Food bank support

15th July 2025


It's been a pleasure to be involved with Nourishing Norfolk, a local food bank that focuses on supplying affordable food to communities across Norfolk. So far, they have 26 food hubs that have supplied over 38,000 customers, which equates to over15,000 households.

Food bank support

Understanding the buzz amongst the beet

24th June 2025


We're excited to have partnered with AgriSound for a two-year project to monitor pollinator activity.

The collaboration sees the installation of 27 acoustic sensors at a large farming estate in North Norfolk. The sensors will remain in place for a two-year period, recording real-time biodiversity data, and providing critical insights into the health of vital pollinator populations.

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