Our Sustainability Engagement

At our Surf House, we understand the importance of the ocean to surfers and the wider community. As surfers, we are privileged to spend time in the ocean, but we also witness the impact of human activity on it every day.

 From garbage waste to micro-plastics, it is pretty clear that oceans need conservation and restoration. We emphasize that the joy provided by the hours spent in the water is very much relying on healthy oceans. So we want to do our part by becoming a positive impact business. By no means we pretend to be perfect but like a lot of companies we are trying our best, making it up as we go along, turning this challenge into an opportunity for innovation.

We have decided to uphold three fundamental values; contributing to protect the environment, serve our community and promote health & well-being.

This year, our strategy has been focusing on one particular point; transforming our food sourcing system. Redesigning this single practice has been the catalyst for realizing and achieving efficiently sustainable progress in our main three target areas.

Although being a predominately land based remedy it allows us to tackle ocean based impacts at the source more effectively rather than simply trying to mitigate the down stream side affects. We try to work smarter. 

LOCAL SOURCING

• The project : creating partnerships with local farms and like-minded producers

We have started to work closely with a local organic farm, Jardin Fleurs de Vie, who grow the bulk of the food that we use in our kitchen. Jardin Fleurs de Vie is an incredible project that Matthieu and Laura have been taking on for the last several years. They have rehabilitated a piece of land, hidden behind an industrial zone, and created hidden paradise where veggies, fruits, herbs and flowers thrive.  

We have started to create a dedicated patch of land, for our surf house, on which will flourish the ingredients selected by our chefs to make delicious meals. It is really exciting as it gives us the chance to see our food from seed to a beautiful veggie stage. Besides the farm, we also have long-standing friendships with other like-minded bakers, (if you want to discover their work : https://www.instagram.com/lepaindici/?hl=fr);  and brewers or kombucha makers (https://drinkmuchakombucha.com)  who share our commitment to healthy and sustainable food.

By sourcing locally and working closely with these producers, we have been able to redesign a whole food system that contributes to both benefiting the environment and human health, while also enhancing the local economy and creating a strong connected community.

• Aiming for net zero impact & positive environmental outcomes

In addition, we have been eliminating utilisation of single-use plastics and prioritising reusable packaging. 

When it comes to delivery, local sourcing has been amazing to reduce considerably  the amount of energy needed for transportation, contributing significantly to lower our carbon footprint and simply improve the supply chain. In addition, we have been eliminating utilisation of single-use plastics and prioritising reusable packaging. 

Once the veggies arrive in the kitchen, our chefs prepare the dishes in a way ensuring minimum waste and maximum deliciousness. 

The last step which we are working on now and should be in place for the 2023 season is the creation of an effective composting system to achieve zero waste and positive impact by turning the leftovers into fertilisers for our veggie garden. 

• Enhancing human health & well-being 

Originally, South West Surf House was about gathering a group of people to have fun surfing and sharing some good food. 

Over the years, we have witnessed the incredible positive effect it has on people to spend time in the water, with friends and enjoying great dishes in a relaxed environment. From being physically active, socially connected and fueled in the right way; it ticks a lot of boxes to enhance health and well-being. 

In addition, since we have been focused on very high quality in term of sourcing we ensure that the food consumed by our guests is fresh and seasonal which means  highly dense in all kinds of nutrients. Eating nutritious food helps us to both be better prepared and improve the recovery after surfing. Above these aspects, our guests love to discover that the food is coming from a local farm which they are more than welcomed to come and visit.

People usually leave the house with great memories, a full belly and some healthy tips to implement in their daily lives.

• A stronger community, abundance for the local economy 

These practices on the top of improving the health of the environment and of our guests, have an amazing impact on the local community, both socially and economically wise. By supporting local producers, we are able to create a smart system, with minimal waste and maximum benefits. 

Integrating ourselves and building long-term and meaningful relationships simply helps to foster a sense of community and belonging. It creates trust by promoting transparency and communication which results into a more effective collaboration. Working together towards similar goals enables us to reach our targets smoothly and within a shorter time frame.

Additionally, providing a platform for local farmers, producers, and other artisans, means helping them to grow and scale their business, which in turn helps to create job opportunities and boost the local economy.  By focusing on building and maintaining these local systems we also lower the risks that can be involved with extended supply chains.

In the end we aim for a more sustainable community into a more sustainable environment ! 

• Tackling adversities from the source to find back the benefits in the ocean

Our sustainable land based efforts, to both reduce our carbon footprint and encourage people to engage & protect nature, are very much focused on the root  cause of an unhealthy ocean. The strategy we have adopted is centered on taking action at the source to have a positive result on preserving our seas. We believe that the health of the ocean is closely tied to the health of the land. 

This is where we started and within one year we have seen some incredible changes have been happening. 2023 will be about remaining consistent, finalising and implementing the coming steps.  Watch this space.