Sustainability Policy

At The Workplace our philosophy has always been to provide the highest quality workspaces for the fairest price. Our principles regarding sustainability go hand-in-hand with this: furnishings are made to last and we always buy local and fair trade.

In December 2024 we became the first B Corp certified flexible workspace in Gloucestershire.

Our B Corp Certification

What does being B Corp certified mean to us?

As a proud B Corp, The Workplace is part of a global movement that believes business can – and should – make a positive difference.

For us, that starts right here in Cheltenham. We’re passionate about backing local suppliers, building a thriving community, and making thoughtful, sustainable choices in how we operate.

Community

Our community is at the heart of what we do here at The Workplace – we host regular monthly socials, weekly social lunches, and Cake Wednesdays for members in order to support others’ wellbeing and to facilitate networking.

Supporting local businesses

We use local or sustainable businesses wherever we can, from Ritual Roasters for our coffee to The Suffolk Arms for our monthly socials.

Sustainable transport

Our central Cheltenham locations mean that public transport is easily accessible, with the train station located 15 minutes away and bus stops located close by. We also have bike racks at our Star Lodge location, encouraging members to cycle to work.

Waste and recycling

We operate on a zero-plastic policy wherever possible, and recycle when external products are brought in to the workplace, i.e., plastics, glass, paper, card and tins are all recycled. We have several food waste bins that are easily accessible for the members to use in the communal kitchen.

Employee wellbeing

We offer a living wage to all employees and encourage a healthy work-life balance through staff socials and

Plastic-free award

In January 2025, we achieved our Plastic Free Award from Surfers Against Sewage (SAS). This means that we’ve replaced several forms of single-use plastics in The Workplace at both locations. We instead use:

Handmade ceramic mugs and plates produced by Surrey Ceramics.
Drinking glasses and a communal water cooler in order to reduce water bottles in the workplace.
Plastic free, biodegradable teabags from Clipper Teas, a Fairtrade company that uses only natural ingredients in their products.

And more!

Fit-out Sustainability

– The table tops are compressed bamboo which is far more sustainable than wood, and twice as dense as oak, so will last a very long time unlike the melamine topped types. They are coated in oil, not plastic-based varnish, and will decompose after use.

– All other wood that is not visible but used in construction is FSC-certified.

– Some of the wooden sofas and tables are made by Ercol, and are either period pieces that have been upcycled, or were purchased at the factory in High Wycombe.

– The electric table legs have lengthy guarantees. Parts including the motor and controller are all replaceable. They are also made from steel which is recyclable.

– Carpets in our offices are made of at least 90% recycled or bio-based material. They are made by Interface, who are also able to recycle them after use.

– All of our desk chairs are Herman Miller (an eco-friendly company) with a 12-year guarantee. All of the individual parts are replaceable and almost all recyclable.

– The meeting room chairs are upcycled.

Sustainability in the kitchen

– Waste: rigid plastics, glass, paper, card and tins are all recycled.

– Food waste and coffee grounds are commercially composted.

– Our coffee beans are sourced from Ritual Coffee Roasters in Cheltenham. As well as being located just 1 mile away from our Star Lodge site, Ritual Coffee work with smaller producers and local co-operatives who focus on social responsibility.

– Tea bags are mainly from Clipper (who also supply our hot chocolate) and The London Tea Company, owned by Cafedirect.
The Chai Latte is from Zuma.

– We check that tea bags never contain any plastics and that they are produced using fair trade principles.

– The milk is all locally produced by Cotteswold milk.

– The crockery is all handmade in the UK for us.

– We would never use disposable cups etc. We have a piped water cooler and hope people will use it instead of bottled water.

– The kitchen units are handmade from bamboo and stainless steel (recyclable).

Sustainability Elsewhere

– The paper we use for printing is mainly Woodland paper.

– The heating/cooling mainly uses air source heat pumps through the aircon units – the gas heated radiators only provide a little heat and only at Star Lodge.

– Most of our lightbulbs are energy-saving and have motion-sensors to automatically switch off when no movement is detected.

– Sue Ryder collects our real Christmas tree for composting (we will never be having a plastic one)!

– There is a sedum roof on the new building at Star Lodge. This increases biodiversity and reduces the heating and cooling requirements in the building.

– We offer a charging point for electric cars and a bicycle rack to encourage an eco-friendly commute when possible.

At The Workplace our philosophy has always been to provide the highest quality workspaces for the fairest price. Our principles regarding sustainability go hand-in-hand with this: furnishings are made to last and we always buy local and fair trade.

Our B Corp Certification

Fit-out Sustainability

Sustainability in the kitchen

Sustainability Elsewhere

Arrange a

visit

Cheltenham, Montpellier

Cheltenham, Town Centre