Sustainability

 

Brompton's purpose is to create urban freedom for happier lives

It was our founder's forward thinking nearly 50 years ago that got us here. He believed there had to be a better way to move around the city. And today, over a million Brompton owners agree. Riding a Brompton is good for you and the planet. But it's only part of the equation.

A good company is more than the product it sells - the culture, the sustainability policies, and who you do business with are equally important. At Brompton, we challenge ourselves with difficult questions. Can you make bikes with recycled metals? How do we make sure our suppliers pay their workers fairly? What does a city that puts people before cars look like?

There is no direct route to answering these questions. It's a process of discovery and exploration. One question often spurs a hundred more. What we know today is the start of something better tomorrow.

Download the sustainability reports

2024 | 2023

Brompton is now B Corp certified

That means we've joined a community of like-minded organisations that aim to balance profit with doing the right thing for people and the planet.

We created a new type of movement when we invented the Brompton bike in 1975. Setting the bar for folding bikes and transforming the way people move around cities across the world. We’ve moved a million since and it’s just the start.

We believe in happier, healthier cities for all – our bike is not the answer but it is part of the solution. Create collective impact, challenge what is, have vision for the future and act on it. Be part of the movement.

A folded Brompton P Line getting carried onto the subway of NYC A folded Brompton P Line getting carried onto the subway of NYC

B Corp is a useful tool, just like our bike

Riding a Brompton is good for you and the planet. But it's only part of the equation.

People, planet and activism, are at the heart of our business.

Being B Corp Certified helps embed these values into our culture.

It's a useful tool that helps us deliver our purpose by providing checks and balances. It means we're part of a global community with a shared framework and goal - to use our business as a force for good.

our B Corp score

We officially received our B Corp certification in July 2023. This marked a huge milestone for us. 

To become B Corp Certified, we completed a B Impact Assessment — answering 300 questions across five impact topics. It works according to a point scoring system where you must achieve at least 80 points to qualify for the certification. It’s a robust process.

We scored 85 against a business average of 50.

Learn more about B Corp here

A graphic of the number 85.1, Brompton's B Corp score

our score breakdown

Planet Planet

Planet

We collect environmental and manufacturing data from every part of our business. By crunching these numbers, we gain a clear picture of where we are and what we need to do to improve.

Although, we remain committed to reaching net zero by 2050, we’re aiming to get there even sooner.

Climate change

The Climate Crisis is the defining issue of our times.  As a global manufacturer, we have a duty and a  responsibility to respond with ambitious leadership in our sector. Our carbon reduction plan involves changes to both our operations and supply chains.

An image of pallets outside of the Brompton Bicycle factory

Our London Factory cut its waste in half over the last five years.

Building on this success, we are rolling out new recycling processes and reducing packaging.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

The waste management system at our London factory covers everything from metal scrap to coats of paint.

In 2023 we reduced our metal scrap rate, continued to operate a powder-coating paint process that reuses paint from one frame to another and recycled 62% of waste at Greenford.

An image of Brompton mainframes

 

A new approach to water management

 

To achieve high-quality brazing and painting results, we must carefully wash the steel tubes used to make our bikes. Naturally, this is water intensive. By investing in a new water recycling washing system, we have reduced this waste and pollution.

The system continuously recovers and re-uses wash water, offering a more efficient process and reducing usage. Once the system is full, it is sent to specialists who recover and clean even more water.

Steel tubes used to craft Brompton Bikes

Packaging is an essential part of our business. We need it to ensure parts and components are transported safely and without damage.

However, despite its importance, we recognise we must reduce the overall volume. That’s why we’ve started using returnable packaging with several suppliers to reduce our overall waste.

The Schwalbe recycling system bin. Brompton Bicycle carefully extracts and separates our inner tubes and tyres, then sets them aside for future use in new Schwalbe products

Packing and shipping bikes generates too much waste. We need to make significant reductions through efficiencies and improving the materials we use.

We are now working to reduce the volume of plastic in consumer packaging and use more sustainable materials. In 2023 we started using plastic inserts inside our bicycle box to protect our bikes during shipping. In 2024 we’re redesigning the bike box to protect our bikes without using plastic.

An image of the Brompton bikes

Built to last

The ethos of our first ever bike informs everything we do - a useful product that stands up to everyday use. There's no in-built obsolescence, just continuous improvement.

Every Brompton bike is handmade, tested and quality assured with a 7-year frame warranty.

brompton people brompton people

People

It takes more than our 800-strong Brompton team to bring each bike to life. It takes people from all over the world and close to home to make the magic happen.

We take great pride in our working relationships. The welfare of our colleagues and our wider community is a huge priority.

our Ethical Trade Programme

Our Ethical Trade Programme holds suppliers across our supply chain to the same high standards we expect of ourselves. To ensure the program is more than just words on paper (or screen), we carefully audit suppliers, big and small. 

Colleagues across our business have modern slavery and ethical code of conduct training, so they have the skills and knowledge to act if they ever see our policies being violated.

Smiling Brompton factory worker

Brompton’s Ethical Code of Conduct

Brompton is committed to operating a responsible business that respects suppliers, workers and the environment. This Code of Conduct strives to keep workers safe and free from exploitation and reduce the environmental impacts associated with our supply chain operations.

We partner with suppliers who share our values and therefore require all suppliers, regardless of size or manufacturing process, to comply with these minimum standards. This Code of Conduct is based on the fundamental conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and is aligned with other industry social standards, including the World Federation of Sporting Goods Industries (WFSGI) Code of Conduct.

Read more

the Real Living Wage

Brompton is an accredited member of the Living Wage Foundation (LWF) - an independent movement of employers who believe a fair day's work should mean a fair day's pay. This means everyone at Brompton (UK) gets paid the Real Living wage or more. The hourly rate, which is higher than the government minimum wage, is independently calculated to meet the cost of living. 

The LWF are extending their brilliant work beyond the UK and we're in full support. Until then, we will continue to benchmark wages regularly to make sure colleagues in other countries are paid fairly.

The real living wage employer logo

founding member of the Good Business Charter

The Good Business Charter recognise, champion and encourage responsible business behaviour for the benefit of people and planet.

GBC has over 1000 members and growing, all contributing to make a difference.

Good business charter logo

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