Doing Business the Right Way

Home / Doing Business the Right Way

At Hoyle’s, we believe that running a business comes with responsibility—not just to our customers, but to our team, our community, and the planet. From fair wages and ethical sourcing to sustainable deliveries and reducing waste, we’re always looking for ways to do better.

Fair Pay & Ethical Business

  • Oxford Living Wage – We pay at least the Oxford Living Wage to all employees. No ifs, no buts. It’s the right thing to do.
  • Inclusive Hiring – We use Applied’s Job Description Tool to reduce bias in our hiring and create a fairer process for all candidates. We also strive for flexible working hours to accommodate caregiving, travel needs, and other commitments.
  • The Better Business Act – We’re proud supporters of the Better Business Act, advocating for UK company law to require businesses to consider the interests of society and the environment alongside shareholders.

Sustainable Deliveries & Packaging

  • Bike Couriers – We use local bike courier Velocity for deliveries in OX1-4 postcodes to reduce emissions.
  • Plastic-Free Packaging – We’ve stopped buying single-use plastic bags, switching to recycled paper ones.
  • Reused & Repurposed Packaging – We reuse supplier boxes whenever possible. When they’re no longer fit for purpose, we shred them for protective packaging in our online orders, eliminating the need for bubble wrap.

Green Banking & Ethical Finance

  • Pensions & Banking – We’re transitioning to sustainable banking with Triodos and aligning our pensions with ethical investments through the Make My Money Matter campaign.

Renewable Energy & Waste Reduction

  • Switching to Renewable Energy – As soon as our contract allows, we’ll be moving to Octopus Energy or another sustainable provider.
  • A Paperless Office – With help from We Are Hived, we’re reducing unnecessary paper use. We also compost as much as possible using our in-house wormery.

Eco-Friendly Products & Supplies

  • Cleaning & Office Supplies – We shop with Goodclub for zero-waste bulk-buy supplies, Seep for plastic-free cleaning sponges, and Smol for dissolvable cleaning sachets.
  • Staff Wellbeing – We provide plastic-free period care products from Dame and Totm. We also recommend Wild for deodorant and The Oxford Soap Company for local, solid shampoo, conditioner, and soap.

Food & Drink – Supporting Local, Cutting Waste

  • Refillable Work Lunches – Our team brings reusable tiffin lunch boxes (from Objects of Use) to be filled at the excellent Alpha Bar in the Covered Market.
  • Sustainable Coffee – We get our caffeine fix from Jericho Coffee Traders and Missing Bean, both of whom happily fill our reusable coffee cups and Ocean Bottles.

Carbon Offsetting & Climate Action

  • Tree Planting with Ecologi – For every order over £10, we fund tree planting and carbon reduction projects via Ecologi. Their Gold Standard-certified projects are independently audited. You can track our impact here.
  • Carbon Offsetting at Checkout – Through CarbonClick, customers can add a small contribution at checkout to fund carbon reduction projects, including forest restoration and renewable energy initiatives.

Refill Station – Free Water for All

We’re proud to be a Refill station—anyone can refill their water bottle with us, no purchase necessary. Check out other refill stations via the Refill app.

Greening Our Space – Every Little Helps

We’ve transformed our small courtyard from an unloved space into a thriving garden, filled with pollinator-friendly plants and herbs. Inspired by Ron Finley, Knepp Wildland, The Queen’s Green Canopy, and the RHS Sustainability Strategy, we’re doing our bit to support urban biodiversity.

Learning & Staying Inspired

We’re always looking to improve our sustainability efforts. Some resources we’ve found particularly helpful:

Every action—big or small—makes a difference. Thanks for supporting a more sustainable future with us!