How we work
How the Market’s values guide the way we work
FOR COMMUNITY, THE LOVE OF FOOD AND A BETTER TOMORROW
Borough Market is a charity, run by a board of volunteer trustees. We have a responsibility to ensure that what we do here works for the benefit of the community: for our shoppers, our traders, our neighbours, and all the other people whose lives we might affect. Here are a few examples of what that means in practice.
Choosing our Traders
We select our traders not just on the quality of their food but on the way they go about their work, and anyone applying to trade at the Market must produce food in a way that is sustainable and traceable.
We expect them to keep food waste and packaging to a minimum, pay their suppliers and staff fairly, and demonstrate a commitment to equality and diversity.
Tackling Food Waste
We are committed to reducing food waste, and work with volunteers from Plan Zheroes to collect surplus food from our traders every day.
This food, still good to eat, is given to more than 20 charities to help feed vulnerable people across our community.
Since 2014, we’ve prevented more than 110 tonnes of food from being thrown away – enough for 263,000 meals and counting.
Working with Children
We want children of all ages to learn about produce, cooking and trading.
Through our partnership with School Food Matters, more than 200 schools have attended ‘trader training’, with some students growing their own fruit and veg to sell at the Market, and others making soup from surplus produce.
These sales have funded over 30,000 meals for families in need via The Felix Project.
Minimising our Impact
We work hard to minimise our environmental impact, and and, through our partnership with Recorra, receive valuable support in our pursuit of sustainable best practices for waste management.
Our waste is collected by an electric collection truck and transported to an Energy from Waste (EfW) facility, where it is converted into energy and used on the National Grid.
Over the last few years, we have taken major steps to install solar panels, water fountains and ensure we’re using bio-degradable bags to avoid the use of single-use plastic carrier bags.
Living Wage Employer
We’re proud to have been accredited as a Living Wage Employer since 2016, and have recently attained Living Hours accreditation.
The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living. It is voluntarily paid by over 15,000 UK businesses who believe their staff deserve a wage which meets everyday needs.
Our Team
Borough Market operates as a charitable trust, overseen by a board of volunteer trustees.
Our team of around 40 employees works to ensure the Market is a safe and welcoming place for everyone – whether by supporting our traders, keeping the market safe and clean for visitors, or creating opportunities for the wider community.