Wickes Launches New Responsible Business Strategy; Commits To Net Zero

Today, home improvement retailer, Wickes, has announced the launch of its Responsible Business strategy.  

The Wickes’ Responsible Business strategy, named ‘Built to Last’, includes three pillars - People, Environment and Homes and is focused on supporting Wickes colleagues and local communities, protecting the environment, and offering customers sustainable products and services to help them live in homes they are proud of.  

David Wood, CEO of Wickes says “One of the many great things about becoming a stand-alone business is that we are able to set out our own plan for how our business can help protect the environment, support our colleagues, customers and communities and help people build more sustainable homes that they can be proud of.  We see our role as much more than just a home improvement retailer and believe we have an important role to play in society, from the products we sell, to the stores we run, and the infrastructure we use.  

I am delighted to announce the launch of our new Responsible Business Strategy.  This is very much the start of our journey and 2022 will be a year where we focus on setting meaningful targets, as well as finding out more from our customers about how we can support them to have more sustainable homes.”  

The Wickes Built to Last Responsible Business Strategy focuses on three key pillars: 

Pillar 1 - People  

With a goal to grow a diverse and inclusive business, that supports the needs of its colleagues, customers, and communities Wickes has set the following targets:  

• Offer and support 200 Early Career places each year for the next three years 
  
  
• Raise £2 million for its chosen charity, YoungMinds, by the end of its two year partnership 
  
  
• All of Wickes 232 stores and distribution sites to participate in Wickes’ Community programme to support their local community 

Pillar 2 - Environment 

Wickes long-term ambition is to decarbonise its sites, transport, and operations and to minimise its impact on the environment.  The company has set the following goals  

• Be a Net Zero Business by 2040 across all 3 emissions scopes 
   
• Commit to set Science Based Targets in 2022 
  
  
• Set targets in 2022 to increase operational recycling rates and reduce waste to landfill 

Since becoming an independent company in April 2021, Wickes has undertaken an exercise to calculate its full Greenhouse Gas footprint, covering Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.  These emissions will be used as the base year for a Science Based Target submission to be set in 2022. 

Pillar 3 - Homes  

According to the British Retail Consortium, the UK’s homes contribute up to 25% of the UK's carbon emissions, and the challenge of retrofitting these homes with sustainable technologies remains one of the largest in achieving the UK’s net zero targets.   Wickes’ ‘Home’ pillar is focused on improving its offer of products, services and installations to support sustainable homes that everyone can be proud of.  

• In 2022, continue to engage with customers to understand what we can do to help them make their homes more sustainable and improve our offering of sustainable products and services  
  
  
• Reduce the amount of the packaging used and increase the use of recyclable materials
    
• Reduce the impact of Wickes ‘Do-it-for-me’ kitchen and bathroom installations to reduce or repurpose waste 

For more information about the Built to Last Responsible Business Strategy, please visit www.wickesplc.co.uk/responsiblebusiness 

Source : Wickes

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