COOKUT, A COMPANY WITH A MISSION
REDUCING THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF EVERYDAY LIFE
As a company with a mission, COOKUT's aim is to promote a happy everyday life for as many people as possible with a low environmental impact. This ambitious goal includes drastically reducing the production of plastic, waste and ending product obsolescence.
Every day we strive to do our best to achieve this goal, transparently and without taking ourselves too seriously.
We have formalised our commitments by acquiring the status of a company with a mission. This allows us to define our future eco-responsible commitments, which will be monitored and controlled by an independent body.
In this spirit, we have been selected to join the Coq Vert community managed by BPI France in partnership with ADEME and the Ministry of Ecological Transition.
COOKUT IS A COMPANY WITH A MISSION
COOKUT is an activist and proactive in providing solutions to environmental and societal problems and has defined 10 commitments:
- REDUCTION OF PLASTIC IN EVERYDAY LIFE
- REDUCTION OF WASTE IN EVERYDAY LIFE
- NATURAL RAW MATERIALS AND ECO-DESIGN
- REDUCTION OF OUR CO2 EMISSIONS
- RESPONSIBLE AND TRANSPARENT PRODUCTION
- DEFENCE OF LOCAL TRADE
- FIGHT AGAINST INDUSTRIAL FOOD
- FIGHTING AGAINST PRODUCT OBSOLESCENCE
- FINANCING THE PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES
- FINANCING THIRD PARTY PROJECTS WITH SOCIAL IMPACT
The COOKUT project is very different from a traditional company. Without financial investors, our mission is to participate in the creation of a new world, more human and with a very low impact on the environment.
Our 10 commitments, which we detail below, are monitored annually to update our action plan.
COOKUT IS A COMPANY WITH A SOCIAL MISSION
COOKUT is an activist and proactive in providing solutions to environmental and societal problems and has defined 10 commitments:
- REDUCTION OF PLASTIC IN EVERYDAY LIFE
- REDUCTION OF WASTE IN EVERYDAY LIFE
- NATURAL RAW MATERIALS AND ECO-DESIGN
- REDUCTION OF OUR CO2 EMISSIONS
- RESPONSIBLE AND TRANSPARENT PRODUCTION
- DEFENCE OF LOCAL TRADE
- FIGHT AGAINST INDUSTRIAL FOOD
- FIGHTING AGAINST PRODUCT OBSOLESCENCE
- FINANCING THE PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES
- FINANCING THIRD PARTY PROJECTS WITH SOCIAL IMPACT
The COOKUT project is very different from a traditional company. Without financial investors, our mission is to participate in the creation of a new world, more human and with a very low impact on the environment.
Our 10 commitments, which we detail below, are monitored annually to update our action plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES GO BEYOND CLIMATE CHANGE
It is now proven that human activity has a major influence on the eco-systems of the entire planet.
Climate change, due to the greenhouse effect amplified by our CO2 emissions, is a major problem for humanity, the very serious consequences of which will be felt for the most part in decades.
Other human activities are already having consequences today: pollution of natural areas, massive disappearance of species, health risks.
The causes of these current catastrophes are mainly :
the production of plastic
the production of waste
livestock breeding and industrial agriculture
In the short term, COOKUT wants to fight against these 3 plagues by proposing alternatives.
WHY PLASTIC MUST DISAPPEAR FROM EVERYDAY LIFE, WHETHER IT IS DISPOSABLE OR NOT, RECYCLABLE OR NOT
Cheap and practical, plastic is everywhere in our daily lives. Yet it is a disaster for our environment.
For several years, manufacturers have been practising continuous "green washing" to defend plastic by talking about recycling and "eco-plastic". Behind these words, the reality is quite different, as demonstrated by the association ZEROWASTE FRANCE (see its report here):
- Plastic is made from oil, a fossil resource. 17 million barrels of oil per year are used to manufacture it.
- Plastic is responsible for the emission of 400 million tons of CO2 per year in the world
- Actual recycling is very low: less than 6% of recovered plastics are used to produce other plastics, with a significant energy expenditure.
- Plastic cannot be recycled infinitely like glass or metal: it will always end up as polluting waste
- Plastic degrades into micro-particles that reach the oceans where they cause the death of 100,000 marine animals per year
- Plastic is dangerous to human health. With or without BPA, studies show that close contact with plastic (especially for food) increases the risk of cancer and other diseases (see study here).
The evidence is clear: the only sensible course of action is not to use plastic whenever an alternative exists, whether the product is disposable or not. Plastic recycling is a dead end.
COOKUT HAS MADE THE CHOICE TO REMOVE PLASTIC FROM ALL ITS PRODUCTS WHEN AN ALTERNATIVE EXISTS. WE ALSO INVENT PRODUCTS MADE OF NATURAL MATERIALS TO REPLACE PRODUCTS USUALLY MADE OF PLASTIC.
WHY PLASTIC MUST DISAPPEAR FROM EVERYDAY LIFE, WHETHER IT IS DISPOSABLE OR NOT, RECYCLABLE OR NOT
Cheap and practical, plastic is everywhere in our daily lives. Yet it is a disaster for our environment.
For several years, manufacturers have been practising continuous "green washing" to defend plastic by talking about recycling and "eco-plastic". Behind these words, the reality is quite different, as demonstrated by the association ZEROWASTE FRANCE (see its report here):
- Plastic is made from oil, a fossil resource. 17 million barrels of oil per year are used to manufacture it.
- Plastic is responsible for the emission of 400 million tons of CO2 per year in the world
- Actual recycling is very low: less than 6% of recovered plastics are used to produce other plastics, with a significant energy expenditure.
- Plastic cannot be recycled infinitely like glass or metal: it will always end up as polluting waste
- Plastic degrades into micro-particles that reach the oceans where they cause the death of 100,000 marine animals per year
- Plastic is dangerous to human health. With or without BPA, studies show that close contact with plastic (especially for food) increases the risk of cancer and other diseases (see study here).
The evidence is clear: the only sensible course of action is not to use plastic whenever an alternative exists, whether the product is disposable or not. Plastic recycling is a dead end.
COOKUT HAS MADE THE CHOICE TO REMOVE PLASTIC FROM ALL ITS PRODUCTS WHEN AN ALTERNATIVE EXISTS. WE ALSO INVENT PRODUCTS MADE OF NATURAL MATERIALS TO REPLACE PRODUCTS USUALLY MADE OF PLASTIC.
REDUCING WASTE AND ENDING THE THROWAWAY SOCIETY
If there is one concrete and effective action that everyone can take right now, it is to act to reduce waste. Choosing items with little polluting packaging, favouring bulk, repairing products... all actions that are within everyone's reach.
The easiest waste to recycle is the waste that is not produced.
COOKUT invents everyday products to offer alternatives to disposable products and polluting packaging.
We also work to limit our packaging, which is made of recycled and recyclable materials.
FRUGAL INNOVATION AND NATURAL RAW MATERIALS: DOING BETTER WITH LESS
The most important step in reducing the environmental impact of a product is the design and choice of raw materials: this is ECO-CONCEPTION. As an example, 90% of CO2 emissions will be defined by the raw materials, only 10% by the transport of the product.
COOKUT applies the principles of frugal innovation, conceptualised by NAVI RADJOU in the book "Frugal innovation". This consists of minimising the use of resources and materials to meet a need. In concrete terms, COOKUT products are generally lighter and simpler while fulfilling the same function as complex electrical appliances offered by manufacturers.
A light product made of natural materials will always be less polluting than a heavy product made of plastic or electronic components.
COOKUT is a "slow life" supporter and does not seek to introduce screens and electronics that require the use of highly polluting raw materials into every moment of daily life.
On the contrary, we seek to make the simplest and lightest product possible by choosing renewable and ecological natural raw materials as a priority:
- Wood, fabrics and vegetable matter produced in a sustainable or organic way
- Infinitely recyclable glass
- Infinitely recyclable metal
FRUGAL INNOVATION AND NATURAL RAW MATERIALS: DOING BETTER WITH LESS
The most important step in reducing the environmental impact of a product is the design and choice of raw materials: this is ECO-CONCEPTION. As an example, 90% of CO2 emissions will be defined by the raw materials, only 10% by the transport of the product.
COOKUT applies the principles of frugal innovation, conceptualised by NAVI RADJOU in the book "Frugal innovation". This consists of minimising the use of resources and materials to meet a need. In concrete terms, COOKUT products are generally lighter and simpler while fulfilling the same function as complex electrical appliances offered by manufacturers.
A light product made of natural materials will always be less polluting than a heavy product made of plastic or electronic components.
COOKUT is a "slow life" supporter and does not seek to introduce screens and electronics that require the use of highly polluting raw materials into every moment of daily life.
On the contrary, we seek to make the simplest and lightest product possible by choosing renewable and ecological natural raw materials as a priority:
- Wood, fabrics and vegetable matter produced in a sustainable or organic way
- Infinitely recyclable glass
- Infinitely recyclable metal
COOKUT MEASURES AND REDUCES ITS CO2 EMISSIONS
In addition to designing low CO2 emission products, the primary source of emission reduction, COOKUT assesses and reduces its impact in terms of CO2 emissions.
REDUCING TRANSPORT-RELATED CO2
- Selling its products in 22 countries, COOKUT cannot determine a central production location to limit transport. We produce in France, China and Bali.
- We choose the least polluting means of transport available. Transport represents less than 10% of our CO2 emissions.
- Sea and river transport: this is the least polluting mode of transport per tonne for greenhouse gases (10 g CO2 / tonne / km). We work with companies that have set themselves a target of reducing greenhouse gases by 50% and sulphur emissions by 85%. The ships used no longer run on heavy fuel oil and reduce their speed.
- Road transport: With 90 g CO2 / tonne / km, road transport is 9 times more polluting than maritime transport. As an example, transporting from Lille to Marseille by truck emits as much CO2 as a boat from China to Marseille. We therefore seek to reduce the use of road transport by grouping deliveries, using barge and train transport and using double-deck trucks which greatly reduce CO2 emissions per tonne transported.
- Alternative transport: we use environmentally friendly alternatives to road transport, such as rail and barge transport
- REDUCTION OF ENERGY-RELATED CO2
Our servers are eco-hosted in Canada with our partner PLANET HOSTER. The electrical energy used for the operation of the datacenters is 100% renewable and the cooling of the servers is done using the natural cold of the region.
For our electricity consumption, we buy from ENERCOOP, which offers 100% green and renewable energy. Discover their project here.
INDUSTRIAL FOOD: HOME COOKING CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
Cooking at home means saying no to the excesses of the agri-food industry by choosing healthy, natural and seasonal ingredients from sustainable agriculture.
Cooking is really a meaningful act for health, society and the planet.
Cooking at home means taking care of your body, the planet, social links and the agricultural world by choosing local and organic ingredients.
Cooking at home means fighting against industrial food and its harmful additives. It also means helping farmers to get out of a productionist logic that prevents them from making a decent living from their work.
Finally, cooking at home means taking pleasure in giving pleasure and encouraging moments of sharing.
By creating efficient, ecological and cheerful utensils, Cookut encourages as many people as possible to rediscover the pleasure of "home cooking", to get their hands dirty, without robots or complex and polluting utensils.
To change the world, start cooking!
INDUSTRIAL FOOD: HOME COOKING CAN CHANGE THE WORLD
Cooking at home means saying no to the excesses of the agri-food industry by choosing healthy, natural and seasonal ingredients from sustainable agriculture.
Cooking is really a meaningful act for health, society and the planet.
Cooking at home means taking care of your body, the planet, social links and the agricultural world by choosing local and organic ingredients.
Cooking at home means fighting against industrial food and its harmful additives. It also means helping farmers to get out of a productionist logic that prevents them from making a decent living from their work.
Finally, cooking at home means taking pleasure in giving pleasure and encouraging moments of sharing.
By creating efficient, ecological and cheerful utensils, Cookut encourages as many people as possible to rediscover the pleasure of "home cooking", to get their hands dirty, without robots or complex and polluting utensils.
To change the world, start cooking!
PRODUCT OBSOLESCENCE: THE LEAST POLLUTING PRODUCT IS THE ONE YOU DON'T BUY
Nowadays, we are continuously invited by manufacturers to consume new versions of products that are more and more complex and less and less repairable.
In contrast to this trend, COOKUT designs simple and reliable products, without electronics.
COOKUT OFFERS ALL THE SPARE PARTS TO REPAIR A PRODUCT RATHER THAN THROWING IT AWAY OR REPLACING IT.
RESPONSIBLE PRODUCTION, LOCAL TRADE AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE
PRODUCTION ETHIQUE BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative)
COOKUT aims to offer products that are accessible to all in a responsible and transparent manner.
- How can we make ecological products at reasonable prices so that they are not reserved for the wealthy, while respecting ethical values?
- We have made a conscious, coherent and transparent choice:
- to create our own company in China to guarantee ethical production in accordance with BSCI standards
- resell in France mainly in partnership with hundreds of independent shops to support local trade and employment
ETHICAL PRODUCTION BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative)
In order to be able to offer acceptable prices to a large part of the population, we decided to create our own company in China and recruited a great local team of which we are proud. We have partnered with various workshops whose ethical working methods and conditions we know to be BSCI compliant.
We certify each workshop, which we know very well, to our own code of conduct in line with the BSCI ethical standards. These ethical standards cover working conditions, remuneration, no child or prison labour, respect for employees' rights, etc.
COOKUT, SOCIAL ENTERPRISE: 28-HOUR WEEK AND TELEWORKING
Without a financial investor, COOKUT has no strong constraints on profitability and growth.
One of the main objectives of COOKUT is to promote a happy life for everyone involved in the project.
COOKUT has implemented a 28-hour week, paid at 35 hours. Each person can choose his or her day off to pursue a passion, sport or community involvement.
Each employee can also freely choose to work in the office or telework, depending on the rhythm he or she chooses each week.
PROTECTING JOBS IN LOCAL COMMERCE
Employment in shops represents millions of jobs that are currently being destroyed by players who only sell on the internet.
At COOKUT we believe that buying from a local independent shop is a meaningful act: it protects local employment and promotes a happy life in towns and villages.
In order to encourage economic activity in the regions, Cookut has chosen to distribute its products in a privileged way through hundreds of independent shops. In particular, we practice total equality in our sales prices to retailers: whatever the size of the retailer, the price is the same for all, leaving no room for negotiation for the "biggest".
Similarly, for consumers we offer the right price directly all year round, without sales or Black Friday.
On a daily basis, we are proud to protect independent shops from the retail and internet giants.
REINTRODUCTION OF BEES AND PROTECTION OF THREATENED SPECIES
We are currently experiencing a silent catastrophe: the collapse of the number of species living on Earth. This extinction, known as the Holocene or sixth mass extinction, is happening right now.
Over the past century, thousands of endangered species have disappeared as a direct or indirect result of human activity, and this phenomenon continues to accelerate, as irreversible as it is inevitable. In the fragile balance of each ecosystem, the disappearance of a single species can lead to the collapse of those that depend on it, in a snowball effect over which we have lost all control. Nevertheless, it is still possible to act.
COOKUT finances actions to protect endangered wild or plant species.
For each product produced, COOKUT finances the reintroduction of a bee in France by supporting beekeepers throughout France. More than 1,000,000 bees are already housed in COOKUT hives. To learn more about our bees, click here.
For each COOKUT bottle, 20% of the profits are donated to a wildlife protection association. At the beginning of each year, COOKUT presents a report presenting the actions of the associations that have been financed.
FINANCING OF PROJECTS WITH A SOCIAL IMPACT
At COOKUT, we believe that many small things can lead to big things.
We have therefore decided to fund societal or environmental projects proposed to us from 2021 onwards.
Any project that relates to one of the following four areas can be considered for funding by COOKUT:
- Safeguarding endangered species
- Greenhouse gas reduction
- Waste reduction or recovery
- Responsible agriculture and food
- We have made the application process very simple. All you have to do is fill in the form and every six months, the COOKUT team collectively chooses the selected projects and defines the amounts allocated.
Applications for funding will be submitted from 1 January 2021
FINANCING OF PROJECTS WITH A SOCIAL IMPACT
At COOKUT, we believe that many small things can lead to big things.
We have therefore decided to fund societal or environmental projects proposed to us from 2021 onwards.
Any project that relates to one of the following four areas can be considered for funding by COOKUT:
- Safeguarding endangered species
- Greenhouse gas reduction
- Waste reduction or recovery
- Responsible agriculture and food
- We have made the application process very simple. All you have to do is fill in the form and every six months, the COOKUT team collectively chooses the selected projects and defines the amounts allocated.
Applications for funding will be submitted from 1 January 2021.