M&S Says Sustainability ‘Plan A’ Cash Positive

June 5, 2009

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

In its latest sustainability report, How We Do Business, Marks & Spencer says that in January 2007 it was prepared to invest £200m over five years in its sustainability plan, Plan A, but cost savings made on climate change and waste initiatives have already made it cash positive.

M&S says that 39 of the 100 commitments under Plan A have been completed and that, of these, 24 of the targets have been raised.

The new report puts the environment front and center. Retailers, according to recent research from Covalence, have entered a new age of corporate citizenship in which not only working conditions but environmental impacts of production and products are playing a large role on reputation. M&S ranked at number one as the most reputable company in the eyes of British consumers in the UK rankings of the Global Reputation Pulse Study 2009 published by the Reputation Institute.

Some highlights of the M&S report:

After 12 months, the decision to charge 5p for single use food carrier bags has cut the use of the bags by 83% from 464 million to 77 million bags – the £1.2m profit generated from the charge has gone to the environmental charity Groundwork.

The company, which aims to make its operations in the UK and Republic of Ireland carbon neutral, only using offsetting as a last resort, has reduced CO2 emissions in its stores, offices, warehouses and delivery vehicles by nearly 100,000 tonnes, an 18% decrease on our 2006/7 baseline. At the same time, M&S has increased store space by 10%.

The company and npower have signed the UK retail sector’s biggest renewable energy contract. The six year deal will see npower provide M&S with 2.6 TWh of renewable electricity from April 2009 – enough to ultimately power all of the retailer’s stores and offices in England and Wales.

The company says that last year it used around 37million two-litre bottles to make polyester, which is used in its homeware and bedding as well as in polyester garments and re-usable shopping bags.

It also helped one of its Chinese suppliers open the latest green factory in its supply chain (that makes four). The factory uses around 40% less water and power than a standard comparable garment factory. It also features a grass roof as well as solar light pipes.

click to enlarge

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Enhance Sustainability. Improve Profitability.

Learn how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Survey Results: Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader