Unlock New Opportunities for Thought Leadership with SB Webinars

Kingfisher Highlights Progress Toward Net Positive Goals in 2015 Report

A collaborative approach to responsible sourcing, packaging and the circular economy has taken DIY giant Kingfisher to new heights in the second year of its Net Positive sustainability plan.On Wednesday, the parent company of B&Q, Screwfix and other European home-improvement brands released its annual Net Positive Report, updating stakeholders on its sustainability ambition to transform the business to have a restorative impact on the environment.

A collaborative approach to responsible sourcing, packaging and the circular economy has taken DIY giant Kingfisher to new heights in the second year of its Net Positive sustainability plan.

On Wednesday, the parent company of B&Q, Screwfix and other European home-improvement brands released its annual Net Positive Report, updating stakeholders on its sustainability ambition to transform the business to have a restorative impact on the environment.

Kingfisher’s group sustainability director Richard Gillies said the strategy – which incorporates 50 specific targets under for ‘priority areas’ — is already generating business value from efficiency, productivity gains and new revenue streams.

“This year has been one of practical action and we have taken important steps to further integrate sustainability into our processes and decision-making,” Gillies said in the report’s review. “We are taking a systematic approach, tackling issues in our operations and by working with external partners and suppliers.”

Circularity by Design: How to Influence Sustainable Consumer Behaviors

Join us Thursday, December 5, at 1pm ET for a free webinar on making circular behaviors the easy choice! Nudge & behavioral design expert Sille Krukow will explore the power of Consumer Behavior Design to drive circular decision-making and encourage behaviors including recycling and using take-back services. She will share key insights on consumer psychology, behavior design related to in-store and on-pack experiences, and how small changes in the environment can help make it easy for consumers to choose circularity.

For example, Kingfisher uses timber in roughly 40 percent of its products. The company updated its timber sourcing standards, introducing a global policy this year; worked with suppliers to increase the volume of responsibly sourced timber, and collaborated with businesses and NGOs to advocate for structural change beyond its business. This included a partnership with IKEA and Tetra Pak to assess the impact of certification on forests and biodiversity. This collaborative approach is having an impact: Gillies says Kingfisher has reached 92 percent responsibly sourced timber in its products — 2 percent ahead of its 2016 target and well on-track to hit its 100 percent target by 2020 — with B&Q UK at 100 percent.

Other highlights from the 2015 Net Positive Report include:

  • Customers are now saving an estimated £600m a year through energy-efficient products and services purchased from Kingfisher brands since 2011/12. Total sales of products with a lower environmental impact were worth £2.4bn to the business this year.
  • In its own operations, Kingfisher has reduced its energy intensity by 17 percent since 2011/12 and marginally increased its recycling rate to 70 percent — on track for its target of 75 percent by next year.
  • However, Kingfisher acknowledges it is not on track with its target to understand its water footprint, with water use decreasing by just 2 percent in the past five years.

The report also outlines Kingfisher’s increased focus on the circular economy and further opportunities for closed-loop innovation. The company has worked with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and Bioregional to develop a closed-loop calculator, which assesses the closed-loop credentials of each product; to date, Kingfisher says it has achieved 562 closed-loop products - with a target of 1,000 products and 10 closed-loop supply chains by 2020.

Upcoming Events

October 13-16, 2025
SB'25 San Diego
US Event
More Information

Thursday, December 5, 2024
Circularity by Design: How to Influence Sustainable Consumer Behaviors
Webinar
Sponsored by Sustainable Brands
More Information

December 11-12, 2024
SB Member Network: Shifting Customer Behavior and Demand December Member Meeting
Member Event
Sponsored by Amazon
More Information

Related Stories

AI: The Good, the Bad, the Sketchy and the Lifesaving ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR SUSTAINABILITY
AI: The Good, the Bad, the Sketchy and the Lifesaving
Redesigning the Food System for Resilience: Lessons from the Field REGENERATION & RESILIENCE
Redesigning the Food System for Resilience: Lessons from the Field
Bioengineering, Biomimicry Spawn Novel Solutions to Marine Plastic Pollution INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY
Bioengineering, Biomimicry Spawn Novel Solutions to Marine Plastic Pollution
Helios: An Out-of-This-World Solution for Decarbonizing Steelmaking INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY
Helios: An Out-of-This-World Solution for Decarbonizing Steelmaking
Unilever Refreshing Fragrance Formulas with Upcycled Flowers INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY
Unilever Refreshing Fragrance Formulas with Upcycled Flowers
Bioengineered Plants Offer Superior Indoor Air Purification INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY
Bioengineered Plants Offer Superior Indoor Air Purification