b'Annual Report & Accounts 2022 Mercia Asset Management PLC 29Strategic reportIn this sectionDelivering growth Engaging with stakeholders Investing in peopleAn organic approach toHelping hungry customers responsible investmentResponsible investment is in Merciasto save the planet byDNA. In 2014, our foundation had a clear purpose: to address thefighting food wasteregional funding gap. This gap has, unfortunately, only widened in theOddboxBecause of this, to date subsequent years: London received 60%Oddbox has:of all investments into the UK in 2014The subscription box that and this increased to 75% by 2020. Thishelps save the planet byRescued 13,790 tonnes of disparity has only strengthened ourfighting food waste. Oddboxfruit and vegetablesresolve to lessen this gap and createrescues farm-fresh fruitSaved 1,519 million litres value in the communities we serve.and vegetables that couldof water (the amount that otherwise have gone to waste25,682 people drink inFirst, we made a commitment toand delivers it straight to a lifetime)responsibly address the UK fundingyour door. Prevented 15,365 tonnes of disparity and serve the UKs regions.carbon emissions (enough We have recently formalised thisNorthern VCTs investedenergy to power 3,513 foundational pledge which commitsc.3m in March 2020 houses for a year).to responsible investment and all ourA third of the food grown in efforts are based on and progress the world is wasted. In theSustainability is at the core from it. UK alone, over three millionof everything Oddbox does. tonnes of fruit and vegetablesIt makes deliveries in the Because we are a mission-led business,are wasted before they evenevening to reduce the impact we have organically gravitated towardleave the farm. And when theof emissions, provides businesses that make a differencefood is wasted, so is all of thezero-waste recipes and to the regions and the wider globalwater, energy and carbon thattips to customers and built community. went into growing it in thean environmental impact first place. Much of the freshcalculator so they can tell The exit from Faradion in Januaryfruit and vegetables grown iseach customer the difference 2022 demonstrates the efficacy ofdiscarded if it is too wonky.they have made. this approach in benefitting ourtoo small, or the wrong stakeholders, as well as people colour for supermarkets. Oddbox is continuing to grow and the planet. its customer base across Oddbox buys this type ofthe UK. And with each new fruit and vegetables directcustomer it signs up, its from farmers and delivers ithelping to tackle food waste to customers across the UK.and reduce our impact on the They are supply-driven andenvironment. only take what the farmers would otherwise discard.'