Selfridges says, as part of its recognition of the need for radical transformation to address the climate emergency, it has set a new “ambitious” target for 45% of transactions across its four stores and online to come from circular products and services by 2030, and to only stock products that meet strict environmental and ethical standards.
In August 2020, Selfridges launched Project Earth, its “transformational sustainability strategy”. Selfridges’ 2020 commitments were underpinned by a target to achieve net zero carbon emissions across the business by 2050.
The Project Earth Report details the initiative’s progress and sets out the next steps in its plan to “reinvent retail” to imagine and create a sustainable future for people and the planet.
Last year, Selfridges says it accelerated its net-zero carbon commitment by 10 years, to be achieved by 2040, as a signatory to the Climate Pledge.
Our vision is to reinvent retail and create a more sustainable future, and Project Earth and our new targets underpin this.
To achieve this, the retailer says it will move from a period of experimentation and exploration into a phase of embedding and accelerating change, through new commitments. This includes addressing the materials used in products, launching and exploring new retail models such as repair and resell, and engaging with teams, partners and customers to inspire a shift in mindsets.
Selfridges Managing Director, Andrew Keith, says: “In creating our store of tomorrow we must commit to a fundamental shift in the way that we do business and use the Selfridges platform for change. Our vision is to reinvent retail and create a more sustainable future, and Project Earth and our new targets underpin this.
“We recognise that we need to challenge ourselves to accelerate change and our ambitious circular and materials targets do just that. We don’t have all the answers, but we are committed to finding solutions, through a continued imaginative approach to retail innovation. The scale of our ambitions cannot be underestimated but we are inspired by what lies ahead and how we bring this to life for our customers.”
