Pret A Manger: Pioneering Natural Food Since 1986

            {Wanderlust: a strong desire to travel}

            If you know me, you know that I love a good adventure. I am consumed by both wanderlust and curiosity. An appreciation for travel is in my blood, as my mom is a travel agent. Consequently, studying abroad has always been a dream of mine. So, after one year of preparation and planning, I headed off to the hustle and bustle of one of the largest cities in the world.

            Finally, I arrived in London. I immediately inhaled the smells of Costa Coffee, double decker bus smog and, my personal favorite, scones and clotted cream. Although this city was unfamiliar to me, I felt at home amongst the many newfangled sights and opportunities. I had an itch for adventure, and I was ready to explore.

            In my traveler vs. tourist assignment, I talked about the importance of leaving time for impromptu experiences and making sure to immerse oneself in newfound culture. Thus, this was my goal for my first week in London. 

            Being the foodie I am, I instantly scoped out potential food hotspots. I began seeing a myriad of restaurants called “Pret A Manger.” These caught my eye, because one of the signs said, “We offer our food to charity at the end of each day rather than keeping it over to sell the next day.” I thought the idea behind their shops was unique and impactful. 

            So, I ventured inside a Pret A Manger. I was instantly enveloped with the smells of freshly made paninis, crisp salads and organic coffee. After much debate, I decided on a chipotle chicken salad and a hazelnut latte, which did not disappoint. The salad was flavorful, and the latte was creamy. It was wonderful cure for what the British call a “blustery” day. 

            After much research, I learned that Pret A Manger opened its first shop in 1986. However, they now have over 350 eateries worldwide. This astounded me. With an extremely accessible website and easy-to-find links, I effortlessly discovered their mission statement. Their mission is simple: “To create, handmade, natural food, avoiding the obscure chemicals, additives and preservatives common to so much of the ‘prepared’ and ‘fast’ food on the market today.”  Most importantly, their dedication to healthy and sustainable foods extends throughout all sects of their company.

            This week in class, we learned a great deal about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). According to our book, “The European Commission (EC) defines CSR as follows: ‘a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis.”’

            CSR is now something that many businesses are not simply choosing to do, but are strongly encouraged to do. Countless companies either have their own CSR department or incorporate CSR initiatives into their brand. Personally, I believe CSR is important, because it provides businesses the opportunity to do good deeds, rather than simply observe good deeds.  CSR puts social responsibility into capable hands that can make a noticeable difference in society. 

            To illustrate, one of Pret A Manger’s CSR initiatives, donating food to homeless charities, helps enhance their reputation, because it echoes the points in their mission statement.  Creating fresh food each day benefits customers, while donating the food at the end of each day benefits society. This is also an effective example of integrating both profit and social concerns. 

            Additionally, the chain engages in sustainability through the creation of their sustainability strategy and the utilization of natural farming. According to their website, they are currently “working on 68 sustainability targets globally, including the expansion of the Pret Coffee Fund, achieving 100% diversion from landfill in the UK, reducing [their] energy consumption, improving animal welfare and raising over £1.6 million for homeless.” These efforts also reflect their mission statement by creating natural food that is not only tasty, but also sustainable. 

            Because social needs are constantly fluctuating, it is important for companies to pay attention to varying CSR concerns. This is why scanning and monitoring these affairs is so imperative to CSR campaigns. I believe Pret A Manger has successfully scanned and monitored their environment, as well as incorporated their efforts with their mission and values. 

            Pret A Manger’s vision is succinct, transparent and unified, which has improved my overall opinion of the company. It has not only become one of my favorite places to eat, but has also made me feel good about where I am spending my money. Because the shop has a strong CSR commitment, I am more prone to shop there. Consequently, as a stakeholder, I identify more with their brand.   

            Throughout my adventures, I have applied what I have learned in the classroom, which has made my experience abroad even more fruitful. CSR is a prominent component of London’s culture, which has helped me become witness to class material, as it comes to life. 

            As I think back on my past week in the UK, I realize that the word, “wanderlust” has now taken on a new meaning for me. I believe that it not only means, “a strong desire to travel,” but it also means, “a strong desire to travel with a purpose.” My purpose is to be a traveler, not a tourist, and to become a more active stakeholder in my surroundings.

            My goal for this trip is to keep in mind the importance of traveling with a purpose and to never forget that social responsibility is omnipresent. The TCU study abroad website states that their mission is “to empower students to face global realities by providing quality international learning experiences.” 

            CSR is my current global reality, and I intend to let it empower me and enable me to be better able to strategically communicate to those around me. But for now, I am signing off and saying “cheers” to this week and the future weeks ahead, as I embark on the journey of a lifetime. 

Citations:

"Center for International Studies: Study Abroad." Center for International Studies Study Abroad. 
            N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2015.

Coombs, W. Timothy., and Sherry J. Holladay. Managing Corporate Social Responsibility: A
            Communication Approach. Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012. Print.

"Organic Coffee, Natural Food." Organic Coffee, Natural Food. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 June 2015.