Source: Marks and Spencer
Marks & Spencer (M&S) has today announced that it will expand its Plan A programme to cover all of its 2.7 billion individual M&S food, clothing and home items, in a bid to be the world’s most sustainable retailer by 2015*.
The eight-year extension of the retailer’s eco and ethical programme will see each of the products in its 36,000 product lines carry at least one sustainable or ethical quality, and fully embed sustainability into the way they do business.
Ambitious goals extended
Marks & Spencer launched Plan A in January 2007 with ambitious goals to
- make M&S carbon neutral;
- send no waste to landfill;
- extend sustainable sourcing;
- be a fair partner, set new standards in ethical trading and help customers and employees live healthier lifestyles.
By extending the original 100 Plan A commitments to 180, M&S hopes it will enable its 2,000 suppliers to adopt Plan A best practice and encourage M&S customers and employees to live ‘greener’ lifestyles.
The new Plan A commitments are divided into seven areas with and include:
1. Customers and Plan A – to help customers to live more sustainable lives
2. Make Plan A part of how we do business – to accelerate our moves to make Plan A ‘how we do business’
3. Tackling climate change – make operations in UK and Republic of Ireland carbon neutral
4. Packaging and waste – stop sending waste to landfill from stores, offices and warehouses, reduce use of packaging and carrier bags, and find new ways to recycle and reuse the materials used
5. Being a fair partner – improve the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the supply chain and local communities
6. Natural resources – to ensure that key raw materials come from the most sustainable source possible, in order to protect the environment and the world’s natural resources
7. Health and wellbeing – helping thousands of customers and employees choose a healthier lifestyle
Taking responsibilities seriously
Stephen Howard, chief executive of Business in the Community, said: “This is great news for M&S and for the responsible business agenda as a whole. By expanding its Plan A commitments to incorporate wider stakeholder groups, such as supply chains and customers, as well as its employees, M&S is taking its responsibilities to people and planet seriously.”
“Every organisation, whatever its size, can do something to improve their impact on society and the environment. Whether through energy efficiency measures, educating consumers, up-skilling employees, or developing innovative, low carbon technologies, businesses can play a major role in leading the UK into a more sustainable economy.”
Social issues important to consumers
The results of a ComRes survey** commissioned by M&S, found that environmental and social issues remain important to UK consumers: 72% of people surveyed are worried about environmental issues, with 73% saying that the recession had not changed their level of concern.
Sir Stuart Rose, Chairman of Marks & Spencer said: “Our extended Plan A will reach further and move us faster – covering every part of our business and reaching out to forests, farms, factories, lorries, warehouses and into our customers’ and employees’ homes. We believe sustainability is a key ingredient of business success and that Plan A will continue to make us more efficient, develop new markets and build customer loyalty. It’s therefore not just the right thing to do morally but also makes strong commercial sense.”
Customer competition
To engage its 21million customers with the new commitments, the retailer has launched a competition offering them the chance to win £100,000 to spend on ‘greening’ an organisation of their choice. ‘Your Green Idea’ will invite customers to submit ideas for new positive ‘green actions’ that M&S could implement. The top three ideas chosen by a panel of experts will go to a public vote later this year, with the winning idea implemented by M&S and rolled out across its UK stores.
Evidence of positive impact
Plan A has already had a significant positive impact across the business, and on society and the environment. In 2009/10 alone, Plan A has delivered:
- Cost savings of around £50m for M&S;
- New products and services, including 250,000 customers from M&S Energy;
- Cut CO2 emissions by 40,000t;
- Recycled 2 million used garments via Oxfam;
- Reduced 10,000 tonnes of packaging;
- Diverted 20,000 tonnes of waste from landfill;
- Saved 387 million food carrier bags;
- Used 1,500 tonnes of recycled polyester (equivalent to 37 million bottles);
- Saved 100 million litres of water;
- Recycled or re-used over 130 million clothing hangers;
- £15m for charities.
For further details about Plan A and the new commitments visit www.marksandspencer.com/corporate.
*Refers to major retailers with national coverage and a worldwide supply chain.
**ComRes interviewed 2021 GB adults online between 19th and 20th February 2010. Data were weighted to be representative demographically of all GB adults. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. Full data tables available at www.comres.co.uk.
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