About decent packaging
What is decent packaging?
decent packaging is a sustainable food-service packaging company creating compostable, plant-based alternatives to petrochemical packaging. The homepage hero says it succinctly: "Compostable Hot Cups. Taste the Rainbow." The full product range covers hot cups, clear cups, cup lids and sleeves, straws, coffee stirrers, paper bags, plates, bowls, containers, cutlery, napkins, greaseproof paper, and fibre dishes — all made primarily from plants.
The origin story is verbatim from the careers JD: "We're decent packaging, we make packaging from plants — yep, plants. We've sprung from the antipodes of New Zealand, where over the past five years, just like our products we've worked from the ground up. We want to provide the UK with sustainable plant-based solutions and alternatives to petrochemical-based packaging so we made the decision to open shop here. Same ethos, same sustainable ethical packaging made from plants." The company runs three regional storefronts (UK 🇬🇧, NZ 🇳🇿, EU 🇪🇺) and is registered at Companies House as company number 11709102.
decent is B Corp Certified, framed in their own words: "We couldn't be more proud to join a contingent of like-minded B Corp businesses. Achieving our B Corp certification is just another step in our sustainability journey, and we know the hard work doesn't end here. This is our commitment to our people, our community and our planet because after all — they are what makes us decent." Operational policies that customers value: free express shipping on orders over £150 and next-business-day delivery on orders placed before 11am.
Where will I work?
The company is headquartered in London. DB lists remote_level=hybrid — consistent with a sales-and-distribution operation that benefits from both office and customer-site time. The original (and continuing) New Zealand operation continues with its own team.
What is the decent packaging team like?
Leadership names appear in the company's own 4-day-week journal post: Sam (Global CEO) and Fraser (NZ General Manager). The wider DB profile lists the team at ~11 people. The careers operating principles, from the live JD: customer obsession ("starting with the customer and working backwards"), simplicity ("the magic is in simplicity and simplicity should be echoed in every part of the business"), design as a priority ("making the ordinary extraordinary"), leadership at all levels ("act as leaders not waiting to be told what to do"), and hire-for-attitude-train-for-skill.
Work-Life Balance
decent packaging implemented a permanent four-day workweek in August 2021. Verbatim from the company's own /blogs/journal/decents-four-day-work-week journal post: "In August 2021, decent implemented a four-day working week for our team. Working 36 hours Monday-Thursday, rather than the standard 40 hours Monday-Friday. But don't worry — we can guarantee there is always someone from the decent team available to help our customers on a Friday!"
The motivation, in Sam's own words: "Coming out of a tough time with Covid we wanted to create a positive environment for people to come back to work. We started writing a whole load of policies around wellness and to be honest, it felt like we were prescribing what wellness is to our team, and that didn't feel right. So what we decided was to give everyone a day a week to do whatever it is for you that's helpful — whether that's physical or mental, going for a walk, playing with the kids — whatever it is, that's yours. No approvals needed."
Results: "Happier, rested, enriched and therefore more efficient and productive team members." Sam adds: "We're 2 years in and that's not going anywhere."
Perks and Benefits
The company's headline benefit is one paid day per week for personal wellness — physical or mental, your choice, no approvals needed (verbatim from the journal post). Live careers JD does not publish further benefits specifics (salary, healthcare, pension). The current vacancy is a Business Development Manager. Speculative applications welcome via [email protected] or text JOIN to +44 7860 042205.