Buying and Selling

Through our café operators, we offer seasonal, locally sourced, sustainable and Fairtrade produce, while our shop sources sustainable merchandise and supports local makers – unique experiences reflecting a Whitworth visit.

We work hard with our suppliers to find good quality, and sustainable produce in our café, thinking carefully about what food is in season and buying from local growers, while our team are currently researching sustainable practice in relation to catering and events management with a view to reducing our environmental impact while still hosting a memorable occasion.

We are committed to working with local suppliers and have commissioned both local students, and Manchester companies to design furniture for our new building, and provide material for our landscaping.  Likewise, our shop supports local makers, as well as Fresh Made Trade, an educational sustainability project with local entrepreneurial school pupils who have created ranges of exciting products, from buttons to laptop cases for sale in our shop.

Behind the scenes, goods and services needed for the day-to-day running of all our activities are sourced through the University’s sustainable procurement scheme.  We look out for the most energy efficient electrical equipment, use 100% recycled paper, source wood for building our exhibition set from sustainable and managed forests, and eco friendly paint from our sponsors Little Greene Paint & Paper.  We provide staff with re-usable water bottles and travel mugs for hot drinks, as well as Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar in our staffroom.

We advocate ‘Reduce, Recycle and Re-use’, across gallery activities, and recycle paper, glass, plastics, cardboard, batteries, CDs/DVDs, and printer cartridges.  We make use of the University’s second-hand furniture store for the disposal or procurement of office furniture, reuse exhibition set and props, and pass on museum specific furniture and fittings to local cultural institutions via the Manchester Arts Sustainability Team.