Jane Milne - British Retail Consortium

Question: What is 'A Better Retailing Climate' and why was it launched?

Jane Milne: A Better Retailing Climate is a groundbreaking voluntary climate change initiative for the retail sector that has been launched by the British Retail Consortium.  Comprising of 21 climate targets, the agreement is a response to retailers' recognition that we have an important role in helping to respond to the threats of climate change within our operations and by supporting our suppliers and customers to reduce their carbon emissions. 

Although we as retailers' believe that competition will deliver many environmental benefits, we are speaking out in this collective statement and taking action to deliver these goals so that we can give a strong signal of our intentions to our partners and customers.

Question: What does the retail sector hope to achieve through this voluntary agreement?

Jane Milne: In launching this sector initiative, we in the retail industry are setting out what we are going to do, collectively, over the next five years to make a difference. We also aim to send a clear message to our partners in government and those in local authorities, among our suppliers and downstream contractors and, closer to home, our customers and staff, that the retail sector is determined to tackle not just the easy things, but to make significant changes in the way we do things.

And sometimes that means changing some very entrenched behaviours or breaking through some apparently insurmountable barriers because we now need to do things differently. 

With the support of customers, we can turn climate change from a threat into an opportunity to do things so much better than we did before. With the support of legislators and the executive we can turn a 20th century 'extractive' economy into a 21st century sustainable society. With the help of our suppliers and staff we can develop a bright future for British retailing, leading the world in responsible, sustainable consumption and production.

Question: What goals does the initiative set?

Jane Milne: The voluntary agreement sets out 21 climate targets which focus not only on our own operations but also on those we do business with and those who influence our businesses. These goals aim to support government policy, with particular reference to those targets contained in the Climate Change Bill. 

By signing up to A Better Retailing Climate, as a sector we are working to:
1) Reduce the direct environmental impact of our businesses
2) Manage our climate risks
3) Help our customers, staff and suppliers to reduce their environmental impacts and vulnerabilities
4)  Engage in the public policy debate and support the government in meeting its climate change goals
5) Report our achievements transparently and consistently

Question: Can only members of the British Retail Consortium sign the agreement?

Jane Milne: The British Retail Consortium invites both members and non-members to sign up to the voluntary initiative. Current signatories account for 40 per cent of the UK retail market and represent a wide range of retail types and sizes of business, with different climate change impacts and histories of managing environmental issues. 

The targets are voluntary and each business will decide how to take them forward, in ways suited best to their own business.

Question: What difference can retailers really make to consumer behaviour?

Jane Milne: As retailers, we have a uniquely close relationship with our customers. Millions of them visit our stores every week – and judge us according to our service every day.  We have had to become very adept in talking – and listening – to them. 

So as around a third of customers are now saying that they want to enjoy the good things in life but without damaging the planet, and around half want to cut out waste, we are responding to these customer demands. 

We also recognise we must take all of our customers with us on this journey. We are looking at how we can engage customers who haven't yet identified climate change as something they need to act on and to provide a helping hand to those who feel their budget doesn't allow them to 'do the right thing'. 

And in doing so we will also bring on board all those who don't want to be seen as 'strange' by demonstrating just how normal environmentally-positive behaviours can be. 

Question: Do you think A Better Retailing Climate could have been more challenging?

Jane Milne: This agreement is the first collective statement from the retail sector outlining what steps we will take to address this key issue. Many retailers' have already committed to working toward even more demanding company aims while for others this is an early step in an important field. 

This important announcement is not an end in itself but it is a significant step along the path to tackling the damage that a carbon and resource-intensive economy has wrought.

Click here to view full details of the climate goals and the list of current signatories.

For further details on A Better Retailing Climate please contact Jane Milne, Director of Business Environment on 020 7854 8941.