Our Approach
As the company has grown, so has our commitment to reducing our environmental impact, and increasing our contributions to societal wellbeing in the local area. Inside the company, we constantly strive to improve the mental health and wellbeing of our employees wherever possible, whether it's through mental health charities such as BEN, or ongoing development of our employee resources to create a happier workplace.
BREEAM Certified Standards
Since planning permission was granted for the Rivervale House back in April 2015, our journey to becoming a more sustainable company kicked into gear. We agreed to adhere to and reach BREEAM certified standards for the new showroom, which allowed us to:
- Plan the build with reducing it's carbon emissions as one of the key factors
- Ensure materials were sourced responsibly
- Reduce our water and energy consumption, as well as providing better methods for waste reduction
Our vision for a more sustainable workplace did not stop there. Since then, we have continued to work on our initiatives throughout the workplace such as increased recycling, organic clothing for staff uniforms and future plans for utilising more renewable energy sources.
Continued Local Charity Support
Our contribution to a wider community entails ongoing support for a few of our chosen local charities: The Rockinghorse Children's Charity, Chestnut Tree House and the Love Local Jobs foundation. These charities main focus are on the younger generation in the Sussex area. From providing life-saving medical equipment to local hospitals, to raising the life and career aspirations of the youth in the area, the goals of these charities perfectly align with our core values here at Rivervale.
Follow the links below to check out some of the programmes the charities have in place, and to see what they have been achieving:
Rivervale and Chestnut Tree House
We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Chestnut Tree House, a children's hospice, as our charity of choice for 2024. We were moved by the hospice's impactful work in providing care for children with life-shortening conditions and their families. To raise funds and awareness, we have organised various fundraising events for 2024, including a Golf Day and participation in the Brighton Marathon Weekend. Additionally, the we have plans to engage in staff-led fundraisers and customer-involved initiatives. Rivervale's CEO, Vince Pemberton, expresses excitement over the partnership, aiming to make a significant difference in the community. Rivervale's ambitious goal is to cover the hospice's operational costs for a day, amounting to £7,500,to contribute towards Chestnut Tree House's need for over £5 million annually to provide its services. The partnership highlights Rivervale's commitment to community involvement and the creation of meaningful impacts in the lives of those cared for by Chestnut Tree House.
Employee Health and Wellbeing
As the lifeblood of Rivervale, our employees health and wellbeing is always a top priority. Working with the motor trade charity BEN, the Rivervale family always have support available to them if needed, to take control of their health and wellbeing so they can live their best lives both inside and out of Rivervale.
We're commited to offering personal and professional development to our employees wherever possible, to give them the oppertunity to reach their full potential and continue to reach higher levels in their careers.
84%
Of our current company cars are Electric Vehicles
Carbon Footprint
We encourage employees to adopt sustainable practices, such as using public transport, cycling or car sharing to work.
3 Chosen Charities
Chosen charities we provide ongoing support for through fundraisers and events
BREEAM
The Rivervale House adheres to BREEAM standards for a more sustainable workplace
5+ Annual Events
Hosted for our chosen charities, such as golf days and corporate dinners
Staff Wellbeing
Our employees are supported both in and out the workplace through the BEN charity
A word from our CEO
"We are delighted to be recognised as a forward thinking, environmentally conscious organisation however we all know that there is always more that can be done. We are exploring plans to further our renewable energy sources and continue to adapt to employee needs to ensure a healthy positive workforce and environment"
Vince Pemberton, Rivervale's Chief Executive Officer
What are we doing?
Electric Company Cars
There are massive environmental and economic benefits to electric vehicles, which is why we have started offering EVs as compnay cars to our staff! So far, 71% of Rivervale's company cars are electric vehicles.
