M&S is a British retailer with 32 million customers across the world. We’re known for our award-winning food, clothing and homeware
5 years ago - Going “circular” refers to the change from our current take-make-waste linear economy to a borrow-use-return circular economy, also known under the banners of ‘zero-waste’ and ‘cradle-to-cradle.’ The concept has sparked a movement among companies, governments, NGOs, and
5 years ago - Increasingly, businesses are using their clout to influence governments to advance a fair, inclusive and sustainable society and position their business for success. They recognize that government leadership is essential to develop progressive economic, social and environmental public policy to realize a future in which business and society can prosper.
5 years ago - Amidst a flurry of corporate activity around World Water Day (March 22), the growing issues of demand, availability and quality of water have been front-and-center this week. According to UN projections, global demand for fresh water will exceed supply by 40 percent in 2030.
5 years ago - Over 25 major UK retailers — including Asda, The Co-operative, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s — have signed up to a series of commitments to tackle some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges
5 years ago - Bloomberg New Energy Finance has released a new report that reveals that signatories of the RE100 initiative have a long way to go to achieve their 100 percent renewable energy targets by 2030. For the initiative’s 128 members to meet their goal, they will need to spend an estimated $94 billion. According to Bloomberg, this is enough to procure 172 TWh of renewable power and add 87 gigawatts of new wind and solar power capacity.
5 years ago - “We want all of our three billion products we sell every year to be well on the path to being truly sustainable by 2025.”
5 years ago - A shift in consumer awareness around sustainability is causing a surge in demand for plant-based proteins — an emerging market opportunity that global food companies won’t want to miss.
5 years ago - As an issue putting nearly a trillion dollars at risk, deforestation has quickly become a front-of-mind concern for businesses dependent on forest-risk commodities, such as timber, palm oil and cocoa. However, new data released by the Forest 500 shows that the 250 companies with the greatest influence over forests are failing to adequately address deforestation risks, and will not meet 2020 goals to eliminate deforestation from their supply chains.
5 years ago - The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative has published a statement calling for a ban on oxo-degradable plastic packaging, as evidence emerges linking the material to the mounting microplastics problem.
5 years ago - Soy and beef production have played significant roles in the exploitation of the Amazonian rainforest, but the rollout of regulations to protect these precious natural resources have had unexpected consequences, driving these activities into regions that have largely been left untouched, such as Brazil’s Cerrado, a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of 2 million square kilometers.
5 years ago - Big news has been rolling out of the Textile Exchange 2017 Textile Sustainability Conference near Washington, D.C. this week, providing evidence of the major paradigm shift taking place in the apparel and textile industry.
5 years ago - For many retailers, circular thinking involves redefining products – and the raw materials contained within them – as assets that need to be kept in circulation for as long as possible. During each use phase, these assets may need to be reintroduced into different markets, requiring new customer relationships to be built.
5 years ago - With 8 million tonnes of plastic entering the ocean each year, we urgently need to change the way we make and use plastics, so that they don’t become waste in the first place. A host of announcements from major CPG companies and NGOs today from the Our Ocean 2017 conference in Malta signal the ongoing momentum behind the issue.
5 years ago - Despite growing investor demand for information surrounding businesses’ social and environmental performance, a new report from Carbon Clear has revealed that 61 FTSE 100 companies are not assessing or not disclosing climate risk in their annual reports.
6 years ago - Following through on the commitments outlined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals is one of the best shots companies have to maintain a competitive advantage and future-proof their businesses, but progress has thus far been lacking.
6 years ago - Ahead of Climate Week NYC 2017, which runs from September 18–24, a surge of global companies announced their commitment to the Science Based Targets Initiative, driving the number of businesses committed to setting science-based emissions reductions targets upwards of 300. This year, more than 90 new companies have joined, demonstrating the private sector's commitment to aligning its efforts to tackle climate change with the Paris Agreement’s goal to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius.
6 years ago - The fashion and textile industries continue to make strides towards a more circular future with the emergence of new resources and technologies that make a sustainable shift easier than ever before.
6 years ago - Jeans are a sartorial staple for consumers around the world, but denim is a ‘dirty’ business. The production process generates a considerable amount of waste water, which is often released — untreated — back into the environment, contaminating water sources and soil with chemicals and heavy metals. Poor practices and lack of regulation are having a negative impact on the health of local populations, with communities near denim manufacturing hubs demonstrating significantly higher instances of reproductive and fertility problems, as well as chemical poisoning.
6 years ago - Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, which dates back to World War II radar systems, is increasingly being used to track goods throughout complex global supply chains.
6 years ago - Neighbourly, a social network connecting local projects and community needs with companies ready to help with funds and volunteers, has announced the expansion of its food surplus program to include non-food product donations. UK retail giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) is the first to sign onto the donation scheme.