Oakland International has been shortlisted for Sustainable Cold Chain Operator 2026 in the Cold Chain Federation Awards, recognising a business that isn’t just talking about sustainability, but actively reshaping what a low carbon cold chain looks like.

A family business with farming roots, Oakland set a bold net zero target for 2040 and has been measuring its full carbon footprint across Scopes 1, 2 and 3 since 2021. Despite rapid expansion, the business continues to drive its carbon intensity down by nearly 20%, dropping from 348 to 291 tCO₂e per £m revenue, proof that smarter growth can also be cleaner growth.

Sustainability Officer Elinor Smith said: “Being shortlisted is fantastic recognition, but for us sustainability isn’t an initiative, it’s the backbone of how we operate. Every site, every team and every partner plays their part, and that collective effort is what drives real change.

“From solar powered depots to food waste rescue and packaging innovation, sustainability runs through every inch of our network. We work with customers, charities and industry partners who share our determination to build a cleaner, fairer cold chain. This nomination reflects their ambition as much as ours, and it shows how powerful collaboration can be when you design sustainability into every decision.”

In one of the cold chain’s most emissions intensive areas, Oakland International is proving that growth and decarbonisation can, and must, go hand in hand. The business has cut Scope 2 emissions by 98% through a complete switch to certified renewable electricity, supported by significant on site solar investment. Across Redditch, Corby and Bardon, solar arrays now generate 2.24MWp, enough to power around 450 homes, and its new 2025 Knottingley depot has become a model for energy efficient cold storage, with A rated insulation, smart temperature controls and low energy refrigeration.

The fleet is undergoing an equally ambitious transformation. Eco Drive technology on 88% of trucks now saves around 200,000 litres of diesel each year by powering refrigeration units electrically. Four new 150kW eHGV chargers at Redditch mark the start of Oakland’s national charging network, enabling partnerships such as electric last mile deliveries into London with HIVED.

Oakland is also pushing circular economy innovation. Its reusable OakRA packaging system is cutting single use cardboard at scale, with plans from 2026 to introduce a closed loop food waste scheme converting returned food scraps into renewable energy. The company’s £1.8m high care processing facility, built to support the food redistribution charity The Felix Project & FareShare, has already transformed surplus produce into 200,000 meals and avoided 250 tonnes of CO₂e. In total, 72.9 million surplus meals were redistributed in 2025 through FareShare, preventing around 59,000 tonnes of CO₂e.

Added Elinor: “Internally, sustainability is becoming part of the culture. We’ve launched our Green Champions programme, introduced employee led recycling zones, strengthened multilingual workplace support and grown our EV salary sacrifice scheme, and our children’s charity Oakland Foundation supported around 5,000 disadvantaged children across England and Wales last year.”

Collaboration remains central to Oakland’s strategy. Reducing void space and preventing damage related food waste is already cutting emissions at source. Its B Corp certification and partnership with SDG Ltd ensure independent verification of progress, transparent reporting and alignment with global best practice.

Being shortlisted for Cold Storage Operator of the Year 2026 marks an important milestone, but for Oakland International, it’s simply evidence that its long term strategy is delivering cleaner operations, smarter logistics, stronger communities and a cold chain built for a net zero future.