Six retailers have been recognised for their carbon reduction efforts at a British Retail Consortium (BRC) event.
Experts from environmental charity WWF, waste prevention group Wrap, and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership judged retailers’ carbon reduction efforts in supply chains, transport and logistics, properties, reducing waste, and changing consumer behaviour. The winning half a dozen companies were announced at the BRC Climate Action Roadmap Showcase, last week.
Winning entries
Changing consumer behaviour
Currys ‘Long Live Your Tech’, which resulted in 1.7 million items being brought in for repair, and away from landfill.
Reducing waste
Tesco’s partnership with food-sharing social enterprise, Olio, has helped redistribute 4,500 tonnes of unsold food.
Radley, took a fresh look at its entire operations, from tanning the leather, to cutting it, to packaging it, in order to reduce waste.
Transport and logistics
Asda’s new biogas trucks have helped remove 50,000 tonnes of CO2e from operations
Supply chains
Morrisons, which worked with its farmers to find ways of lowering emissions in the production of beef, pork, lamb and eggs.
Properties
Screwfix, said it almost halved the carbon intensity of hundreds of stores through installing heat pumps, insulation and LED lighting.
British businesses have the opportunity to lead the world on decarbonisation, according to comments made at the event by shadow minister for climate change, Kerry McCarthy MP.
The BRC carbon reduction showcase took place during the BRC’s Climate Action Week, which aimed to promote and support the Climate Action Roadmap, a pledge by more than 80 major retailers to get the industry and its supply chains to net zero by 2040.
This is viewed as an important part of the wider goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial levels, in line with the Paris Agreement climate change goals.
Helen Dickinson, CEO of the BRC, said: “The showcase has given us greater insight into the amazing work being done by the retail industry to cut carbon emissions.
“But, we still have a long way to go. The Climate Action Roadmap brings together the entire industry, fostering and sharing best practice for the benefit of everyone. While I wish to congratulate all our winning entries, this is only the beginning of what is needed.”
She added: “With retail responsible for 30% of all household greenhouse gas emissions, the responsibility on the industry, and our opportunity to make a difference are enormous. Unless we act quickly and decisively, the climate crisis will not be averted.”
McCarthy added: “British businesses and industries have the opportunity to lead the world on decarbonisation and benefit from the low-cost green technologies of the future.
“The BRC’s Climate Action Roadmap is a great example of ambitious climate leadership and I hope it will inspire other industries to create and follow their own carbon reduction roadmaps.”
Read more about the BRC’s Climate Action Roadmap on Green Retail World
[Image credit: Currys]
