Reports are that Marks & Spencer has launched a new sustainability plan – Plan A 2025. It is a customer-focused plan that builds on the success of the first 10 years of Plan A. It will support 1,000 communities, help 10 million people live happier, healthier lives and convert M&S and its supply chains and products into a zero-waste business.
The eco and ethical Plan A 2025 is designed to help and inspire customers to be the best they can be and play a role in helping society deal with the wellbeing challenges. The three-pillar plan is designed to tackle the big issues facing retailers, consumer businesses and society. It spans customer and colleague wellbeing, transforming lives and communities and caring for the planet.
Each pillar includes pioneering new commitments, such as making all M&S packaging ‘widely recyclable’, raising £25 million for charities tackling cancer, heart disease, mental health problems, loneliness and dementia by 2025, at least half of food sales to come from healthier products by 2022, colleagues completing one million hours of work-time community volunteering, key raw materials used come from sustainable sources, a new 10 community pilot that will see M&S work with local councils and charity partners to support communities to deliver positive, measurable change, the results of which will be rolled out to 100 locations.
By 2025, 20% of all M&S clothing will have a Plan A health. By the year 2019 M&S will incentivise and reward customers for making healthy choices. By the end of 2018 all single portion snacks, confectionery and ice cream will be less than 250 calories, the company says.
Said the chief executive of M&S, Steve Rowe; “Marks & Spencer has been at the forefront of social change for 133 years and we’re determined to play a leading role in the years ahead.” “Plan A 2025 will help us build a sustainable future by helping our customers live healthier lives, supporting the communities they live in and we source from and looking after the planet we all share. We believe we can engage all of our 32 million customers, 85,000 colleagues and 200,000 shareholders in the plan that becomes a mass voice for sustainable change.” He further added.
According to the officials, the M&S will also enter into a new collaboration with Oxfam over three years focusing on the UK and India to develop a deeper understanding of the connection between sourcing practices and human rights impacts. Oxfam will report the findings independently, whilst M&S will develop a program of actions and report annually on progress from 2018.
