M&S to spend £200m on green strategy

The Coles Myer and Woolworths giants have been looking for something that distinguishes themselves for the other. Being Australian companies they also are unable to pioneer anything for themselves. NOW Marks and Spencer in Great Britain have presented the answer to them - go as green as possible. Hopefully they'll take note. I'm sure US people could say the same about their giants (mmm, I think read somewhere that Walmart is going super-green also - excellent, more of a reason for Coles Myer / Woolworths to do so also.

I also need to add that I write this blog entry with the realisation that what Marks & Spencer are doing will most likely not be the solution, though it will be a step in the right direction that will encourage change in the shopping industry (just like Dell are doing in the electronics industry). Things do have to happen in small steps (unfortunately if George Monbiot is correct then these small steps had better come quickly and successively after one-another if we are to achieve 90% reduction in Greenhouse Gases by 2030. A other hope it that what M & S (and the others are doing) isn't just Greenwashing which will get us nowhere at any time.

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by Sarah Butler

Marks & Spencer plans to spend £200 million over the next five years on going green as the battle to become the most environmentally friendly retailer steps up.

The high street giant, which launches its strategy with an advertising campaign in March, has set some challenging targets, including a pledge to stop sending all waste to landfill and to reduce CO2 emissions by 80 per cent.

However, the aspirations will be closely scrutinised by non-governmental organisations, which will want to see if M&S will be able to maintain its commitment to them in future years as the deadline to meet its targets near. Stuart Rose, the chief executive, said that he hoped that the cost of the programme would be offset by increased sales.

Last year the retailer launched a Behind the Label campaign, which highlighted Marks & Spencer’s environmental and ethical business practices and was one of the retailer’s most successful advertising schemes.

Mr Rose said: “We think this is the right thing to do because our customers, employees and, increasingly, shareholders are asking us to. We believe those people will embrace a responsible business.”

M&S has worked on the project for six months, taking advice from Jonathon Porritt, the former director of Friends of the Earth, who said: “This plan raises the bar for everyone else — not just retailers but businesses in every sector.”

M&S’s detailed 100-point plan covers climate change, waste, raw materials, fair trade and healthy living.

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