Sector: Retail
No.of Employees:  1-20
Region: South East

Summary
Cooks Delight is a small organic retail shop located in the South East. Their mission statement sets the underlying social responsibility agenda. The triple bottom line with ethics was the template they used and the positive impact this micro business has on its community is exemplary.

Background
Cooks Delight Ltd was established in 1981 and is located in a market town in the foothills of the Chilterns. It is an organic retail shop which is an incorporated company owned by its management. The Cooks Delight Ltd team is made up of 5 people, 3 full-time and 2 part-time. The company has won many awards, including Investor in People (2000), Dacorum Green Business of the Year (2000), Queen's Award for Enterprise (Sustainable Development) (2001), Business in the Community Impact Award for SMEs (2001) and National Training Award (2001), thus benchmarking their business' quality management and making them trailblazers in their sector.

Responsible business objectives 

Cooks Delight Ltd includes the triple bottom line in all of their business planning. Their vision statement reflects this commitment:

• To be a business based on true compassion, integrity and care for the inhabitants of this planet and for the local and global environment
• To be a company with empathy and care for our employees who are working with us to make our Mission Statement a reality
• To be a profitable business with strong moral ethics.
• To be a business that offers quality products and service second to none

How they do it

• Voluntary Responsible Business Accreditation. Cooks Delight have sought accreditation from Investors in People and achieved this in October 2000. They are now in the process of formalising systems on Environmental Improvement to achieve ISO 14001 for small businesses.

• Staff training. Staff are trained to understand the triple bottom line and the importance of providing excellent customer service while also maintaining the strong ethics of the company.

• Environmental planning and policy. Although they are a small business, Cooks Delight has an established environmental policy and social responsibility policy. These policies help to guide the everyday activities of the business.

Business Benefits

• Customer loyalty.

• Staff motivation. 'Cooks' Delight systems have allowed their team to manage and run the business efficiently and in a relaxed manner. Fire-fighting is reduced to a minimum. It is with pride that the team can claim that it is working to its Mission Statement and moving closer to its Vision Statement. Work-life balance is being implemented. The customers are happy, the team is happy and the suppliers are happy.' Khai Eng Tyler, Company Secretary