M&S is first major retailer to become carbon neutral

Publishing its 2012 How We Do Business Report the retailer has updated on its progress in the first five years of its Plan A programme, in which the retailer has made 180 eco and ethical commitments.

The report confirms Marks & Spencer has achieved 138 commitments while a further 30 are on track, the retailer now recycles 100% of its waste, with nothing going to landfill.

Marks & Spencer also now uses fewer carrier bags - saving 1.7bn bags across five years - and less packaging, reducing weight by 26%.

It has also made its sourcing operations and products more sustainable, such as sourcing all the wild fish sold at Marks & Spencer from the most sustainable sources available. And 257 M&S products are now made using certified sustainable palm oil.

Marks & Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland said: “I am proud of what we’ve achieved. We now have a better, greener and more ethical Marks & Spencer.

“Moving forward we will continue to engage customers in sustainable consumption, as we have with our Shwopping initiative, the first cradle to cradle clothes retailing business model. We remain as committed to Plan A as we have ever been. It is an essential part of our DNA and fundamental to our plans to become an international, multi-channel retailer.”

According to Marks & Spencer over five million customers have taken part in Plan A activities.

Marks & Spencer has raised over £17 million for Breakthrough Breast Cancer since 2001, collected 147 million clothes hangers for re-use and recycle last year and it has also become 28% more energy efficient per square foot and 100 per cent of the energy. Marks & Spencer buys directly is now from a ‘green’ tariff, including 15 per cent from small scale generators