North East entrepreneur makes sustainability an easy option for local businesses

As part of Bdaily’s latest feature, Entrepreneurship Week, we hear from Callum Mather, who launched his business with sustainability at heart as a graduate from Northumbria University.

Callum, who graduated in 2020 with a degree in Marketing Management, first launched Everdurance with the idea to bring planet-conscience cartons to companies across the UK. This was inspired by the mass amount of plastic water bottles, found at the finishing line of a marathon.

As a self-confessed eco-enthusiast, Callum was determined to do his bit to tackle the single use plastic problem in the UK and in doing so, give the same opportunities to companies who were looking for new ways to meet their sustainability goals.

Everdurance supplies spring water and flavoured drinks in cartons that are 100 per cent recyclable and sourced from FSC certified forests. It has also recently expanded its offerings to include recycled material products such as bags made from rPET, canvas, and recycled cotton which can also be personalised to suit company branding.

All products available through Everdurance use blockchain technology from AWARE, a third party organisation which tracks and validates the impact of sustainable textiles from origin to consumer, so customers can be confident with the supply chain.

Callum said of his commitment to sustainability: “Managing our carbon footprint was a priority for us as we wanted to ensure the whole business operated in an environmentally friendly way. We have extensively reviewed our supply chain to cut down any unnecessary stops and have agreed larger but less frequent deliveries with our stockists.

“We truly want to help organisations meet their sustainability goals in the easiest way possible. And making the switch from plastic water bottles to cartons, seemed like the perfect first step. There are options out there for businesses which are better for the environment and we want to be the one-stop-shop for them.”

(L - R): Lee Longstaff, enterprise advisor with Callum Mather, founder of Everdurance.

Everdurance is working with businesses across the North East to provide them with sustainable alternatives. They recently partnered with the Great North Museum: Hancock and Discovery Museum who have switched to water cartons as part of their commitment to sustainability.

Keith Merrin, director of Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums, the organisation that manages the Great North Museum: Hancock and Discovery Museum, commented: “We’re committed to reducing the carbon footprint of the museums and raising awareness amongst our visitors about environmental issues.

“Stocking Everdurance drinks in our cafes is one small step we have taken to being more environmentally responsible.”

Callum has been a user of the Incubator Hub since its inception. He continued: “I’m the biggest cheerleader of the Incubator. We are a community of entrepreneurs who have a similar mindset and drive to succeed. You often find yourself in deep conversations with people who encourage you to push boundaries of what you think is possible.

“The Incubator has been great for us as an environment-conscious business, as we share energy consumption with many other businesses who operate from the office. It’s a really supportive, collaborative environment full of entrepreneurs who are there to help each other navigate the business world.”

Lee Longstaff, enterprise advisor at Northumbria University added: “Callum is passionate about sustainability, and it’s been fascinating to watch how Everdurance has evolved from his original concept to where it is today, selling to the likes of Beamish Museum.

“A regular user of our Incubator space, Callum always shows an interest in his peers’ businesses and a willingness to share his knowledge and experience as an entrepreneur.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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