Marks & Spencer says sustainability works
24/05/2011
On announcing the results, chief executive, Marc Bolland, said: “Marks & Spencer had a good year with sales and profits ahead of last year. We traded well in a challenging environment, growing our market share in both clothing and food. We did this by offering customers great quality and value, and more choice through innovation.”
The emphasis on quality ties in with the company’s famous sustainability programme, Plan A. In contrast to the throw-away culture of fast fashion, Mr Bolland told the BBC that Marks & Spencer instead wanted consumers “to buy once and buy well, keeping a garment and wearing it for a long time”.
Marks & Spencer said 2010–11 had been “another year of good progress for Plan A” as it moves towards its goal of
becoming “the world’s most sustainable major retailer”. Total waste for the year was down by 33% compared to the year before and on average 94% of waste from stores, offices and warehouses is now being recycled. The company has strengthened the governance of Plan A at board level and established an external advisory board that includes independent sustainability experts from academia, industry and leading NGOs “to help challenge us, maintain our leadership and think beyond 2015”, the original limit of the plan.
A comprehensive annual update on Plan A progress will be issued in June.
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