M&S says sustainability “good for business”

Marks & Spencer has claimed that its Plan A eco programme is “good for business” as it reveals that it has achieved 70 of the 180 environmental and ethical commitments set out.

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Sir Stuart Rose, M&S chairman, says: “By making Plan A profitable, we’ve proved that doing the right thing can be good for business as well as being good for the environment, suppliers, employees and customers. Because of this, sustainability has to be right at the top of the corporate agenda.”

In an update, M&S claims it now recycles 92% of its operational waste and is trialling ways to recycle the remaining 8% of waste to achieve its target of sending nothing to landfill by 2012.

It has also invested £3m in the Plan A Innovation Fund launched in June to finance R&D projects for new Plan A products and services.

Sir Stuart adds that the business still faces “enormous challenges” to become a sustainable business and it will encourage more of its customers to get involved with the programme.

A further 20 of its Plan A commitments will be achieved by April next year, M&S adds.

Marc Bolland, M&S chief executive, says that Plan A is integral to the business and the M&S brand and fits under the “Only at M&S” brand positioning revealed last week at the retailer’s half year results.