For nearly 75 years, CEF has been laying the foundations for a stronger, more sustainable future. Our FY25 Sustainability & Social Value Impact Report – Our Pathway to a Brighter Future brings that journey to life.
This year’s report highlights the real progress we’ve made, the actions we’re taking today, and the ambitious goals guiding us forward. It reflects our long-standing commitment to people, planet, and communities – and how every step we take helps create a brighter future for everyone we work with and serve.
Our strategic themes
Our Impact Report tracks progress across four key areas, each playing a vital role in shaping our pathway:
Protecting our world: Building a healthier planet
Driving emissions reduction – Achieved an 82% reduction in Scope 2 emissions from our FY23 baseline, with 80% of our electricity now from renewable sources (up from 2%).
Greening our fleet – 74% of CEF cars are now hybrid or electric, accelerating our move towards cleaner transport.
Sustainable supply chain – 71% of supplier spend is with EcoVadis-rated companies, demonstrating our commitment to responsible sourcing.
Net-zero commitment – Targeting net-zero by 2040, with a 63% reduction in Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by 2033.
Nurturing our people: Investing in our future
Developing talent – Supported 31 apprentices, with an impressive 93% moving into permanent roles at CEF.
Empowering teams – 69 team members completed our Focus sales training programme, fostering growth and expertise.
Wellbeing & safety – Launched MySavings for employee financial wellbeing (with 52% engagement) and introduced a new Health & Safety management system, supporting our journey towards ISO 45001 certification.
Enhancing communities: Creating social impact and stronger connections
Charitable impact – More than £340K raised for our charity partners, including Macmillan and Electrical Industries Charity (EIC)
Local engagement – Continued support for food banks, schools, youth centres and community projects across the UK.
Strategic partnerships – Expanded collaborations with organisations like YMCA and Stride Yorkshire, providing valuable work placements for young people.
Good governance: Guiding our way with integrity
Robust frameworks – Updated our Sustainability & Social Value Policy to define leadership responsibilities and revised 45 policies to improve governance across the business.
Transparent reporting – Centralised sustainability reporting across all CEF divisions for improved visibility and accountability.
Recognised leadership – Awarded an EcoVadis Silver Medal and disclosed our progress to CDP with a B score, reflecting our responsible business practices.
Looking ahead: Our FY26 goals
Our pathway continues, with clear and ambitious targets for the year ahead:
Increase supplier spend with EcoVadis-rated suppliers to 80%
Validate our net-zero targets with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
Achieve ISO 45001 certification for health and safety
Raise £1 million for Macmillan Cancer Support
Achieve EcoVadis Gold and maintain our CDP B score
Our continued journey
CEF is deeply committed to creating opportunities and improving lives. Our Impact Report highlights significant progress in reducing emissions, supporting team members, and engaging with communities, all while setting ambitious goals for the future. We invite you to explore how "Our Pathway to a Brighter Future" aligns with your own values and objectives, as we continue to build a more sustainable and prosperous future, together.