A decade of doing business for good
Published on: November 10, 2025
The belief that good food can do good has always been central to what we do. We were delighted to have that formally recognised last year, when we attained B Corp certification.
This year marks 10 years since B Corp began. In honour of the occasion, we’re reflecting on the people, partnerships and progress that have shaped our story as a force for good and 10 defining moments for Social Pantry:
1. Employed our first prison leaver
In 2015, just a year after Alex Head founded Social Pantry, we took on our first prison leaver. Alex had been working with charity Key4Life as a mentor and through their scheme, began offering prison leavers employment. It was the beginning of a decade-long commitment to providing opportunities for those who need them.
2. Learned from some of Europe’s first zero-waste restaurants
In 2020, our Head of Development Sarah took on a stage at Silo, London’s first zero-waste restaurant. Here, she learned about the innovation and creativity needed to minimise waste and redefine high-end dining.
Read more about Sarah’s stage at Silo on our blog
In 2025, it was chef Paddy’s turn to head out into the world and gather up inspiration to bring back to our kitchens, with a stage at Nolla in Helsinki. The restaurant is a masterclass in embedding circular economy principles, without ever compromising on taste – something Social Pantry is always striving to improve on.
Read more about Team Social Pantry’s trip to Nolla
3. Teamed up with Redemption Roasters
Redemption Roasters and Social Pantry are kindred spirits, both in supporting prison leavers into meaningful employment and serving up delicious food and drink. A social enterprise, Redemption Roasters runs a roastery inside HMP The Mount, where they teach people about speciality coffee and how to make it. They also support graduates from the programme to find a job within the coffee industry. They’ve been our go-to coffee providers since 2021.
4. Opened our first cafe behind bars
Later that year, we opened our first behind-bars cafe at HMP Feltham, creating more employment pathways for young offenders. By the end of 2023, 12.5% of our workforce were prison leavers – something we celebrate as one of our proudest achievements.
5. Achieved London Living Wage employer accreditation
Paying the London Living Wage (LLW) as a minimum ensures anyone who works for Social Pantry earns enough to meet the real cost of living in the capital. Becoming LLW accredited is a commitment to valuing every member of our team and ensuring that good work is rewarded fairly. It’s another step in our ongoing journey to build a business where people and purpose come first.
6. Became exclusive caterers at Tower Bridge Events
March 2024 was a major moment, as we were awarded the exclusive catering contract at Tower Bridge Events, meaning we now look after all events and catering at this iconic London landmark. We were delighted that the team there cited our commitment to sustainability and social good as a key reason behind the win.
7. Achieved B Corp certification
In September 2024, we reached a defining milestone: Social Pantry became a certified B Corp. This certification is only achieved through meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. As a B Corp, we’re required to consider the impact of every decision on workers, customers, suppliers, communities and the planet, not just profit.
Discover what being a B Corp means to us
8. Awarded a King’s Award for Enterprise for Promoting Opportunity
In May 2025, we received one of the highest honours in British business: the King’s Award for Enterprise for Promoting Opportunity, a mark of exceptional achievement, innovation and impact. It recognised our ongoing work with prison leavers and our belief in creating fair employment opportunities for all.
9. Welcomed our sustainability manager, Rosie, to the team
We were thrilled to welcome Rosie Rayner-Law to the team this year. Her sustainability expertise is helping us strengthen our environmental and social impact – from how we source ingredients to what happens to leftovers after an event. We know we’re not perfect, but we’re always striving to do better: staying curious, making thoughtful choices, and creating outcomes that feel good for our team, our guests, and the planet.
10. Hosted an anniversary dinner at Mansion House
To bring it full circle, in October 2025 we hosted a very special dinner at Mansion House, celebrating 10 years of working with prison leavers. Complete with ceremonial pikemen, speeches, fizz, feasting and a giant tiramisu, it was a night filled with gratitude – for our incredible team, for our partners, and for everyone who has believed in our mission.
Looking forward
While we’ve come a long way, there’s still so much more to be done. Which is why we’re kicking off what we hope will be an even more impactful decade of supporting prison leavers with the launch of The Opportunity Network: a new community for companies to come together and create real change.
At Social Pantry, we’ve seen firsthand how transformative a job opportunity can be. Through shared knowledge, collaboration and commitment, we can open more doors and change more people’s futures.
Find out more and register your interest in The Opportunity Network.
