Kingfisher Net Positive Report 2015
Kingfisher Net Positive Report 2015
Kingfisher Net Positive Report 2015
In this report
From our Chief Executive
Officer p02
In store p08
Progress on
sustainability for
our customers.
In business
p12
Sustainability and
our business p04
Sustainability is increasingly integrated
into our strategy and business model.
Progress on
sustainability in
our operations.
Performance
summary p16
An update on
progress against
our targets during
2014/15.
Contents
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
Kingfisher at a glance
From our Chief Executive Officer
From our Group Sustainability Director
Sustainability and our business
Our business model
Our commercial model for Net Positive
Becoming Net Positive
08
12
15
16
18
22
27
30
33
In Store
In Business
In Perspective
Performance summary 2014/15
Timber
Energy
Innovation
Communities
Employees
38
41
46
50
51
52
54
At a glance
France
Store numbers
UK & Ireland
Market brands
Employees*
Other International
Countries
Countries
Store numbers
25,392
217
Employees*
230
Country
18,328
Employees*
Market brands
22,953
Store numbers
755
Market brands
Employees
Stores
11.0bn
79,415
675m
1,202
2.4bn
92%
Group sales
France
1.3bn
41%
France
4.1bn
38%
France
349m
48%
UK
0.8bn
24%
UK
4.6bn
42%
UK
276m
37%
Other
1.1bn
35%
Other
2.3bn
20%
Other
108m
15%
www.kingfisher.com
www.kingfisher.com
Home. Its a hub for family and friends, the place where we belong.
We believe that because peoples homes are so central to their
lives, improving their homes means improving their lives. Our
business exists to help and inspire millions of people to do just that.
Our core focus is to deliver value for
our customers improving our offer by
developing innovative new products that
meet their needs, in formats that make
it convenient, easy and relevant for them.
As we create value for our customers, we
will create growth for our business, which
will benefit our employees, communities
and shareholders. We are completely
committed to that and to creating
growth in a sustainable way.
We must understand the reality of how
our customers live so we can develop the
products and services that really meet
their needs. That means we have to look
at external trends and understand the
impact they are having on our customers
and our business so we can seize
new opportunities that includes the
significant trends around sustainability
and our stewardship of the environment.
Urbanisation means living space is
smaller, the population is ageing and
single households are growing. The cost
of housing is increasing, with the young
staying at home longer and homes being
used not only for living but working.
Digital technology is enabling smart
homes and connecting people, with
information anytime anywhere, and
trends like the sharing economy are
changing business models.
Increasingly, a better home is more
sustainable: one that is easier and
healthier to live in; that is adaptable
to our changing lifestyles and family
needs; and that is less wasteful and
more energy efficient. When we asked
17,000 householders across Europe
last year about their homes, we
discovered their biggest fear is high
energy bills. People are now eight times
more likely to prioritise energy efficiency
projects than they were just two years
ago. This insight, coupled with our energy
efficiency innovations, is helping people
make their homes warmer and more
affordable to run. Its an example of
how were embedding sustainability
into our strategy.
Strategic update:
Home improvement is a great market
with great potential
Guiding principles:
1. Customer needs come first
Customers
People
Non-professionals:
Who do home improvement
jobs themselves.
Recruitment,
retention,
training,
development,
diversity
Professionals:
Who do jobs for others
Offer
Formats/Channels
Stores,
online, mobile,
call centres,
catalogues, direct
Ge
ne
r
Re
inv
es
t
es
at
Innovation,
affordability, quality,
own unique brands,
sourcing, sustainability
Maximising
sales
Value for the business:
Brand preference
Cash retained for a strong balance sheet
Licence to operate long term
Better Homes,
Better Lives
Minimising
costs
Sourcing,
cost productivity
ne
Ge
ra
te
s
r at
ne
Ge
es
Value
www.kingfisher.com
www.kingfi
sher.com
Revenue opportunities
Customer preference
&
Cus
tom
er
l
tai
Re
al
pos
Dis
NEW
SERVICE
&
2M
more easyGrow
bedding packs sold
Us
e
Ma
rke
tin
g
In store
in-home energy
efficiency service
Lo
gis
tic
s
sustainable
timber products
at B&Q UK
Su
pp
ly C
hain
saving a year
from PV at
Screwfix
&
s&
ion
rat
Ope
40K 100%
ls
ria
ate
M
Raw
In business
Our priorities
Timber
Energy
Innovation
Communities
Aspiration
2020 target
Aspiration
2020 target
Aspiration
2020 target
Aspiration
2020 target
Why it matters
Why it matters
Why it matters
Why it matters
Inequality, unemployment
and housing shortages could
undermine community cohesion
and the prosperity needed for
business growth.
www.kingfisher.com
Strategic Report
In Store
IN
STORE
A changing world
Demographic trends: Population
growth, urbanisation, more transient
populations and globalisation mean
a more diverse customer base within
our markets but more consistency
in customer needs across markets
Environmental and health challenges:
Home energy use a contributor to
climate change; Deforestation and
depletion of natural resources;
Environmental impacts from waste
and chemicals; Rise in the incidence
of allergies
Key figures
600m
2.4bn
375m
Making it happen
Customer needs:
Business opportunities:
Efficient homes
with Castorama
Planning a home energy efficiency project can
be complicated. Now customers at Castoramas
Hnin-Beaumont store can get help from specially
trained sales advisors.
The store has a dedicated energy efficiency area
featuring insulation, heating and home automation
product ranges. Here customers can meet with
advisors to plan their projects, prioritise improvements
and understand how different products can work
together. They can book an energy audit or
consultation with an interior architect as well as
installation services. They can also use the Prime
Energie Casto service to access government subsidies.
The service is being piloted at Hnin-Beaumont with
a view to further roll-out.
Customer benefits:
Business benefits:
Sustainability benefits:
www.kingfisher.com
Decorating:
Cleaner air with
Respira paint
The air in our homes can be up to 10
times more polluted than the air outside,
contributing to health conditions such
as allergies, asthma and migraines.
Castorama is launching the Respira paint
range, which looks great and reduces indoor
air pollution by neutralising formaldehyde.
Formaldehyde is a major cause of internal
air pollution, found in many home furnishings
and textiles. Castorama is the first home
improvement retailer to stock this type of paint.
Customer benefits:
Sustainability benefits:
In Store continued
the best product for the environment
and their wallet. B&Q is also one of the
first retailers to use the Water Label,
enabling customers to choose more
water efficient products.
Gardens: Peat-free
innovation for Britains gardeners
B&Qs new formula Verve peat-free compost range was developed through a series
of rigorous growing trials. It was voted a Best Buy by Which, the consumer magazine,
outperforming many peat-based composts.
This follows the launch of B&Qs easyGrow in early 2014 an innovative approach to
bedding plant packaging that is 100% recyclable and better for gardeners and nature.
Plants come in individual tea bags planted in sustainable coir that is 95% peat-free.
They can be lifted straight into the ground from the pack still in their bags, making
planting easier and less likely to damage delicate roots. The packs, made from PET,
are easily recycled with other household waste.
Customer benefits:
Sustainability benefits:
Business benefits:
10
Customer
benefits:
More water
resistant,
reducing water
damage
Lighter and
easier to carry
and install
Longer guarantee
Low VOC levels
A+ rating
Business
benefits:
1,000 Infinite
worktops sold in
2014/15
New, reliable
source of raw
materials
Lower eco-tax
due to its lower
weight
More efficient to
transport,
meaning lower
fuel costs
Sustainability
benefits:
90% recycled
materials
Lower VOC
emissions
Does not use
formaldehyde
glue
Community:
The Screwfix Foundation
Many Screwfix customers and employees are active
in their local communities, raising funds and
volunteering. The Screwfix Foundation was set
up to support these efforts by funding projects that
help improve peoples lives. It works with local and
national charities to repair, maintain and improve
properties and community facilities for people living
with sickness or disability.
The charity raises money from customer donations
made via Pennies, the electronic charity box and
employee fundraising events in and around its
stores. Screwfix now match funds all the money
raised by employees.
Customer benefits:
Business benefits:
Sustainability
benefits:
www.kingfisher.com
11
In Business
IN
BUSINESS
To become a sustainable business we must change
how we source our goods and services and how we
build and run our stores, offices and logistics. We
need to collaborate more between businesses and
functions as well as with external partners, and to
increase workforce diversity and engagement. This
will reduce costs, create more resilient supply chains
and help us to attract and retain the best people.
Key figures
17%
92%
21%
of senior managers
are women
A changing world
Economic trends: Growing competition
for resources could mean rising energy
and materials costs over the long term
Social trends: The communities we
operate in are affected by challenges
such as rising inequality and youth
unemployment
Environmental challenges: Energy use
from fossil fuels a major contributor
to climate change; Deforestation
and depletion of natural resources;
Environmental impacts from waste
and chemicals
Business opportunities:
12
Apprenticeships
for all at Brico
Dpt France
Brico Dpt Frances work
experience and apprenticeship
programme enables students to
gain valuable business experience
while completing their studies.
Brico Dpt reaches out to a wide
range of schools and universities to
recruit its apprentices. Almost 300
people took part in the programme
during 2014/15, equivalent to
4.6% of its workforce.
The company relaunched
its recruitment materials and
website during 2014 to profile
the diversity of its workforce and
encourage job applications from
more women and people of all
ages and backgrounds.
Alternative energy
Green design at
Merthyr Tydfil
B&Qs new store at Merthyr Tydfil is the first
retail store in the UK to use a transpiring roof,
which harvests heat from the sun to warm the
stores interior.
It also incorporates a green sedum roof,
rainwater harvesting and LED lighting, and
100% responsibly sourced timber was used
in construction. B&Q worked closely with the
landlord to agree best practice sustainability
targets for the building.
Business benefits:
Lower energy, gas
and water bills
Sustainability
benefits:
Designed to
significantly
reduce gas used
for heating and
CO2 emissions
www.kingfisher.com
Around 50%
of water used
expected to
be provided
by rainwater
harvesting
90% of
construction
waste diverted
from landfill
Green roof will
provide a habitat
for plants and
wildlife
13
In Business continued
are investing in projects to improve or
increase forested areas. This is part of our
aspiration to create more forest than we
use, and will also open up new sources of
sustainable timber. Outside the business
we are working with partners such as the
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and
WWF. To demonstrate the positive impact
of certification and to encourage more
businesses to source certified timber, we
formed a new partnership with FSC, IKEA,
Tetra Pak and ISEAL in 2014, known as
VIA (Verification Impact Analysis). This
will establish a credible methodology for
measuring the impact of FSC certification.
We are working towards 100% responsibly sourced timber in
all our operations by 2020. In our products we have already
reached 92%. Our companies are also working with partners
to improve forested areas. For example, in Spain Brico Dpt
has launched five projects focused on improving forest
biodiversity and engaging communities in conservation.
Alternative energy
at Screwfix
The Screwfix head office is one of our first UK
locations to tap into solar power. Its head office
building is expected to generate 214,000kWh
of clean energy a year, thanks to the
installation of solar PV panels.
The panels will supply up to 14% of the sites
overall electricity requirements and save the
business 40,000 a year. We are using the
lessons learned from this project to expand
our renewable energy generation in the UK
and other markets.
Business benefits:
40,000
annual saving
including reduced
energy costs
Sustainability
benefits:
Provides up to
14% of the sites
energy needs
14
In Perspective
Having a sustainable home should be
an affordable reality for everyone.
Pascal Gil
Andrew Livingston
CEO, Screwfix
Sally Uren
And this report tells a strong story of better; better products, such as Respira paint, which reduces
indoor air pollution; better stores, such as the new B&Q store in the UK which is the first retail
store in the country to use a transpiring roof, which in turn harvests heat from the sun to heat the
stores interior; and of course better lives for the millions of Kingfisher customers; saving customers
an estimated 600 million through sales of energy efficient products makes
for better energy bills.
Performance in key areas, for the most part, is also better. Performance in sourcing timber
responsibly remains strong. Kingfisher uses timber in 40% of its products, which means
sourcing 92% of its total timber from responsible sources is a significant achievement.
Governance has also been strengthened with the creation of a Group Sustainability Committee,
comprised of representatives of the Group Executive and senior leadership from all Kingfisher
operating companies.
Reducing the overall carbon footprint, however, remains a challenge; whilst carbon intensity has
improved by 14% against the baseline, absolute carbon emissions increased by 3% year on year.
Both these metrics need to go on a downwards trajectory.
Going forward, then, to deliver the bold ambition of Net Positive, the Kingfisher narrative needs
to be one of integration and innovation, as well as better. Integration of sustainability into every
decision, every action is essential. And innovation is key to delivering solutions to challenges such
as decoupling commercial growth from environmental footprint. Innovation is also a prerequisite
for the business as it navigates a rapidly changing retail environment, where new retail models,
such as the sharing economy, are gaining traction, fast, and where the pathways to value creation
for a multinational look very different.
However, for me, Net Positive remains the strategy for unlocking better homes and better lives,
and ultimately a better business.
www.kingfisher.com
15
Timber
Net Positive timber
100% responsibly
sourced timber and
paper in all our operations.
We do not yet have complete data to
assess progress towards this target.
Products timber
100% responsibly
sourced timber and
paper in our products.
Packaging timber
100% responsibly
sourced timber and
paper in our packaging.
Catalogues and GNFR
100% responsibly sourced
timber and paper in our
catalogues and goods
not for resale.
Construction timber
100% responsibly sourced
timber and paper in materials
procured for construction
and fit-out.
Tropical deforestation
None of our products to
be sourced from materials
that are linked to tropical
deforestation.
Strategic sourcing
Demonstrate resilient supply
chain relationships that can
guarantee the future provision
of responsibly sourced timber
across the Groups major
timber categories.
Improving forests
Every operating company
to have at least one forest
or woodland enhancement
initiative that makes a substantial
quantifiable step towards the
Group aspiration of creating
more forest than we use.
16
Energy
N/A
Sustainable lifestyles
Use our global brands and
marketing to help shift our
millions of customers towards
sustainable lifestyles.
Responsible marketing
All our customer
communications and
marketing to be in line with
our guidelines on responsible
brand management and
marketing by 2016/17.
Total carbon footprint
25% reduction in our absolute
carbon footprint (tonnes CO2e)
from a 2010/11 baseline.
Property carbon intensity
50% reduction in the carbon
intensity (CO2e/m2) of our
property portfolio from a
2010/11 baseline.
Innovation
Net Positive closed
loop products
1,000 Kingfisher products
with closed loop credentials.
Eco product innovation
To be at the forefront of
sustainable product innovation,
with 10% of Group sales from
the most innovative (best-inclass) eco products and services.
N/A
Sustainability of Group
own-brand
Demonstrate leadership
on eco-innovation across
our Group own-brands.
Closed loop supply chains
Ten closed-loop supply chains.
N/A
Alternative services
Explore and trial alternative
business models such as
product hire and repair,
which encourage a perpetual
reuse of products.
Learning stores
Every operating company to
develop at least three Learning
Stores and to have delivered,
or confirmed, the site for one
Eco Store.
Sustainability accounting
Calculate and account for
the impact and value of our
sustainability strategy to the
business and communicate
this to investors and employees
by 2016/17.
Communities
Community projects
4,000 community projects
completed by our people
thatdeliver Better Homes,
BetterLives.
Sharing skills
Promote sharing of skills and
know-how in local communities
by building online community
platforms in the UK and France
to help link people.
0-25%
Employees
Performance management
Integrate Net Positive
into the performance
management systems
for all relevant employees.
Leadership training
on Net Positive
To have a development
programme on Net Positive
for the top 250 managers
from around the Group.
Eco product training
Net Positive engagement
and development programmes
to motivate all our employees
to become more sustainable
at work and at home.
Net Positive engagement
Net Positive engagement
and development programmes
to motivate all our employees
to become more sustainable
at work and at home.
Inclusion and diversity
To be recognised as a best
practice company for equality
and diversity within our local
retail markets.
Employee health & safety
Achieve a 20% reduction in the
employee lost-time accident
rate from a 2010/11 baseline.
Customer and contractor
health & safety
Develop a Group-wide
accident reporting framework
for customers and onsite
contractors, and set a
reduction target.
Employee surveys
Improve our employee
engagement by extending
engagement surveys to
cover all employees.
Supplier carbon
and water footprint
To define and measure the
carbon and water footprint
of our value chain and to set
a carbon reduction target.
Goods Not For Resale (GNFR)
Key GNFR contracts
will meet or exceed our
sustainability standards.
SRI indexes and CR ratings
Kingfisher to maintain its
leadership position in key
SRI indices and corporate
responsibility ratings.
Ethical business conduct
Maintain the highest standards
of ethical business conduct
through ongoing implementation
of, and compliance with, the
Group Governance Manual
and Codeof Conduct.
Environment
Waste
Achieve zero waste to landfill.
Direct haulage emissions
dedicated delivery fleets
Achieve a 20% reduction
in CO2 emissions from our
direct transport impacts
from a 2010/11 baseline.
Indirect haulage emissions
supplier delivery fleets
Demonstrate a comprehensive
programme of action to
reduce the overall carbon
footprint of our indirect
transport impacts.
26-50%
51-75%
76-99%
100% target
achieved
Green travel
Demonstrate proactive
greentravel initiatives to
minimise the environmental
impact of travel by employees
and customers.
Water use in our operations
To understand the
waterfootprint of our
ownoperations.
Water-using products
All water-using products
to meet best practice
standards on water efficiency.
N/A
Chemicals
None of our own-brand or
exclusive brand products
will contain the chemicals of
concern we have committed
to remove (on Kingfishers
Chemical Action List).
N/A
Packaging
Packaging on all own-brand
and exclusive brand products
to conform to Kingfisher
packaging sustainability
standards.
Sustainable construction
waste
90% of construction waste
recycled in new build and
major refurbishments.
Biodiversity
Enhance biodiversity
on newbuild projects,
majorrefurbishments
andexisting stores.
Peat elimination
All bagged growing
media sold in the UK
to be from sustainable
sources, aheadofthe
government 2020deadline.
The process to assess progress against our targets is within KPMGs limited assurance scope
www.kingfisher.com
17
Timber
Timber
Timber is an essential raw material, found in up to 40% of our
products. We aim to take a restorative approach creating more
forest than we use. This is the best way to secure affordable and
sustainable timber supplies for our business over the long term
and will help to combat the impact of deforestation on biodiversity
and climate change.
We are taking a systematic approach implementing consistent
standards in our businesses while collaborating with external
partners to catalyse wider change.
Our priorities are:
Responsible sourcing: buying our timber from proven
well-managed sources.
Reducing our forest footprint: reducing unnecessary use of
timber by redesigning packaging and increasing recycling.
Strategic sourcing: developing partnerships with suppliers
to secure longer-term sustainable timber supplies.
Improving forests: working with partners to protect and
restore forests.
Customer communications: stimulating demand for
responsibly sourced timber products.
Advocacy: partnering with others to influence structural
change beyond our business.
2050 Aspiration
2020 target
18
Products timber
Achieved
milestone
81%
86%
89%
87%
100%
92%
90%
Packaging
Target 2020: 100% responsibly sourced
timber and paper in our packaging.
11/12
12/13
13/14
14/15*
2016
2020
Milestone Target
Timber data was collected from operating companies and joint ventures
which accounted for 95% of the Group turnover in 2014/15 (94% or higher
in previous years). It does not cover data for Kotas and Castorama Russia.
Data for Brico Depot Romania was included for the first time.
* Within KPMGs limited assurance scope
to milestone
Construction
Target 2020: 100% responsibly sourced
timber and paper in materials procured
for construction and fit-out.
1 Data covers operating companies, which account for 85% of our Group turnover
www.kingfisher.com
19
Timber continued
Tropical deforestation
Target 2020: None of our products to be
sourced from materials that are linked to
tropical deforestation (including tropical
hardwood products, palm oil and leather).
Not On
Track
to milestone
Strategic sourcing
Target 2020: Demonstrate resilient supply
chain relationships that can guarantee the
future provision of responsibly sourced timber
across the Groups major timber categories.
On Track
to milestone
Improving forests
Target 2020: Every operating company to
On Track
have at least one forest or woodland
to milestone
enhancement initiative that makes a
substantial and quantifiable step towards the Group
aspiration of creating more forest than we use.
Milestone: Every operating company to have launched
an initiative by 2016/17.
Our aspiration to create more forest than we use means
increasing the social and environmental value of a forest
area larger than that used for our business.
We are launching forest projects designed to: expand forested
areas; improve forest biodiversity and ecosystems; engage
our employees and local people in forest conservation; and
in some cases to create new sources of sustainable timber
for our business.
Four operating companies, B&Q China, B&Q UK, Brico Dpt
Iberia and Castorama Poland, have now launched projects. We
estimate that to date this has benefited forested areas covering
over 13,000 hectares (equivalent to 19,000 full-sized football
pitches) across four countries, working with 255 landowners.
Projects during 2014/15 included Castorama Poland launching
its first reforestation project in partnership with the Polish
Forestry Service. Over 60 Castorama employees took part,
helping to plant 9,500 trees.
Brico Dpt Iberia launched its fifth forest project in Len,
working with rural communities in areas at risk from forest
fires. The project involved training for local people, to help
them prevent the outbreak of forest fires and to protect their
homes and local forest.
B&Q UK continued to support Good Woods, a partnership
with Bioregional and the Sylva Foundation, which aims to
improve woodland management and increase supplies
of sustainably sourced UK timber products.
20
www.kingfisher.com
21
Energy
Energy
High energy bills are the number one concern for our customers1.
We are developing our products and services to help customers
save energy and create homes that are warm, comfortable and
affordable to run.
We are also improving energy efficiency in our stores, offices
and distribution centres. This helps to cut costs and enables
us to grow while reducing our impact on the environment.
Climate change is a major long-term threat to social and
economic stability and we support strong government policy
that facilitates the transition to a low-carbon economy. We take
action in our own business to reduce our carbon intensity and
engage with governments, businesses and NGOs to support
wider efforts to tackle climate change.
In the longer term we aim to become carbon positive so that
every Kingfisher store and customers home will be either zero
carbon or generate more energy than it consumes. This will
mean that a customer can visit any of our stores and be able
to purchase all the products and services they need from us
to create a zero carbon or carbon positive home. We still have
a considerable way to go to achieve this aspiration.
2050 Aspiration
to milestone
2020 target
2.5
11/12
5.1
12/13
7.0
13/14
8.6
14/15*
11.0
2016
2020
Milestone Target
22
Energy-using products
Target 2020: All energy-using products
to meet best practice standards
on energy efficiency.
Data Not
Available
www.kingfisher.com
Sustainable lifestyles
Target 2020: Use our global brands and
marketing to help shift our millions of
customers towards sustainable lifestyles.
On Track
to milestone
23
Energy continued
Responsible marketing
Target 2016/17: All our customer
communications and marketing to be
in line with our guidelines on responsible
brand management and marketing
by 2016/17.
Not On Track
to target
175.1
153.5
Achieved
milestone
157.9
160.4
145.5
148.8
96.3
10/11
11/12
12/13
13/14
14/15*
2016
2020
Milestone Target
LED lighting
Energy monitoring
24
IT
On Track
to milestone
307.9 (68%)
Property: gas
and other fuels
76.2 (17%)
Haulage: dedicated
store and home
deliveries
56.9 (13%)
Business travel
by road
426.3
445.3
438.9
450.2
460.0
345.0
10/11
11/12
12/13
13/14
14/15*
2016
2020
Milestone Target
On Track
to milestone
9.2 (2%)
www.kingfisher.com
25
Energy continued
Property portfolio carbon intensity
kg CO2 equivalent/m reported floor space
2
57.4
50.9
51.8
50.0
48.9
45.9
28.7
10/11
11/12
12/13
13/14
14/15*
2016
2020
Milestone Target
Alternative energy
26
Innovation
Innovation
We want to help and inspire millions of people to improve
their homes and we know that homes cant be better if they
arent sustainable. All our customers should be able to create a
more sustainable home. We are innovating in our products and
services to enable customers to live more sustainably, reducing
the environmental footprint of our ranges and designing out waste.
Closed loop systems, in which raw materials are continually
reused and recycled, offer huge potential for innovation and
could improve the sustainability of our products while reducing
waste and opening up new and more resilient raw material
supply chains. We are working with partners such as the
Ellen MacArthur Foundation, experts in the circular economy,
to identify and adopt more closed loop approaches.
We need to integrate sustainable thinking into our product
design, development and sourcing processes, and work more
closely with suppliers to identify sustainable innovations that
meet customer needs and benefit our business. We have a
number of tools to help us do this including: our eco product
guidelines, developed with sustainability experts Bioregional;
our range review processes that help our buyers and product
developers improve the sustainability performance of product
ranges; and our closed loop calculator.
Examples of recent sustainable product innovations are
featured in the In Store section of this Report, pages 911.
2050 Aspiration
2020 target
Eco products
Target 2020: To be at the forefront of
sustainable product innovation, with 10%
of Group sales from the most innovative
(best-in-class) eco-products and services.
On Track
to milestone
10%
to milestone
Milestone: 5% by 2016/17.
Not On Track
20%
20%
21%
22%
4%
5%
5%
3%
16%
15%
16%
19%
11/12
12/13
13/14
14/15*
25%
5%
40%
20%
2016
2020
Milestone Target
Best-in-class products
1 The Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Towards the Circular Economy Vol 3, 2014
www.kingfisher.com
27
Innovation continued
Our eco product guidelines are intended to act as a catalyst
for innovation and we regularly update them to reflect the
latest thinking and knowledge on eco design. The Guidelines
were completely reviewed and updated during 2014 in
consultation with sustainability experts, Bioregional. This meant
that some products (such as halogen light bulbs) which were
once defined as best-in-class were re-categorised as products
with eco credentials. This resulted in a drop in our best-in-class
product sales from 5% of total sales in 2013/14 to 3% of sales
this year, and contributed to a rise in sales of eco compliance
products. You can read the current Eco Product Guidelines
at www.kingfisher.com/netpositiveresources. We train our
commercial teams on our eco product guidelines, and training
took place at three operating companies during 2014/15.
B&Q UKs new Rooftrade living roof kits for sheds boost
garden biodiversity and help extend the life of garden sheds.
The kits contain a low maintenance, drought resistant, ready
to lay sedum vegetation blanket grown in the UK. This
includes sixteen varieties of sedum plants, pre-grown into a
recycled crushed brick growing medium and a biodegradable
felt mat made from recycled British textiles. The sedum
blanket has been specially designed to provide a variety
of plants throughout the year whilst enhancing biodiversity,
and carries the RHS Perfect for Pollinators label.
Range reviews
Target 2020: To enhance the
eco credentials of all our products
by improving the sustainability rating
of every product range.
Not On Track
to milestone
Not On Track
to milestone
28
Achieved
milestone
Alternative services
Target 2016/17: Explore and trial
alternative business models such as
product hire and repair, which encourage
a perpetual reuse of products.
Not On Track
to target
Learning stores
Target 2016/17: Every Operating Company Not
to develop at least three learning stores
and to have delivered, or confirmed, the site
for one eco store that champions low
carbon and sustainability innovation.
www.kingfisher.com
On Track
to target
Sustainability accounting
Target 2016/17: Calculate and account
for the impact and value of our
sustainability strategy to the business
and communicate this to investors
and employees.
Not On Track
to target
29
Communities
Communities
Our business exists to help people create better homes and
through doing so to have better lives. As part of this, we aim
to make a positive contribution in every community in which
we work, supporting projects that improve community resilience
and social cohesion. This benefits local people, including our
employees and customers, and is good for our business too.
Our community projects use our expertise as a home
improvement retailer to create positive change including
by helping people develop practical skills and improving
community facilities.
The sharing economy, with technology enabling people to
connect and exchange skills and resources more easily, can
make it easier for people to improve their communities by
helping each other. We aim to encourage these positive benefits
by sharing our knowledge and creating opportunities for
customers to learn skills and connect with and help each other.
Our community projects vary from company to company
but address common themes. To increase the impact of our
community investment and to speed up the rate of progress
to meet our 2020 target, we are reviewing our communities
strategy. We will establish priorities for projects across our
companies that are most relevant to our home improvement
expertise, our Net Positive ambitions and the core challenges
facing society. We will continue to focus on areas such as
building skills, renovation and forest projects.
2050 Aspiration
Community projects
Target 2020: 4,000 community projects
completed by our people that deliver
Better Homes, Better Lives.
Not On Track
to milestone
2020 target
30
Skills sharing
Community investment
thousand
1,071
1,021
626
671
618
1,550
1,727
10/11
11/12
2,361
12/13
Company giving
2,868
13/14
to target
2,380
14/15*
1,617 (68%)
Employee time
540 (23%)
Gifts-in-kind
On Track
223 (9%)
www.kingfisher.com
31
Communities continued
32
Employees
Employees
Retail is a people business and this is particularly true in our sector
as customers often need help and advice when shopping for home
improvement products and services. It is our people that make us
what we are and will determine our sustained success.
We want Kingfisher to be a great company to work for and an
employer of choice in our sector. We aim to recruit and retain
diverse and talented teams to serve our customers and we
prioritise investment in training and development, creating
a pipeline of talent for our business to grow. Our ability to
engage employees and to work together across functions and
companies will become even more important as we implement
our new strategic approach and create a more unified ONE
Kingfisher business.
To achieve our Net Positive goals we need to make sustainability
part of our day for everyone at Kingfisher. We are engaging our
employees on our sustainability ambitions to encourage them
to change the way they do things so we can meet changing
customer needs and drive sustainable growth.
Not On Track
to milestone
Gender diversity
(% female representation)
Total workforce
Senior
management
All management
positions
10/11
11/12
12/13
13/14
14/15*
40
40
40
39
40
17
19
21
22
21
29
29
30
29
30
Senior management covers the Board, directors and heads of department (401 full time
equivalent employees)
* Within KPMGs limited assurance scope.
Ethnic diversity
Gender balance
www.kingfisher.com
33
Employees continued
Age diversity
(71%)
(16%)
(13%)
Disability
34
Not On Track
to milestone
10/11
3,220
11/12
3,426
3,360
2,899
12/13
13/14
2,740
14/15*
www.kingfisher.com
3,083
2016
2020
Milestone Target
35
Employees continued
Employee turnover
On Track
to target
On Track
to target
36
Performance management
Target 2020: Integrate Net Positive into
the performance management systems
for all relevant employees.
Not On Track
to milestone
to milestone
Not On Track
to milestone
www.kingfisher.com
37
Suppliers
and partners
We work with thousands of suppliers to source our products
and the goods and services we need to run our business.
Our procurement spend was 7.4 billion in 2014/15.
We aim to work with companies who meet standards consistent
with our own in areas such as ethics, health and safety, human
rights and environmental practices. This is important to us as
a responsible business as it reduces legal, reputational and
financial risks and helps us to meet customer expectations.
With such a large supply chain, we need to prioritise our ethical
assessment and auditing programme and we have further work
to do to strengthen our approach and to improve consistency
across our group and operating company procurement.
We are also working with suppliers on responsible timber
sourcing and to improve the environmental performance
of our products, see pages 18 and 27.
Not On Track
to milestone
38
Audit programme
Performance in 2014/15
Not On Track
to milestone
Not On Track
to target
On Track
to target
www.kingfisher.com
39
40
Environment
Environment
Our aspiration is for our business to be restorative
to environments, eliminating our negative impacts and
creating positive change. As a first step we are working
towards reducing our footprint, minimising our use of
resources and tackling waste. Our approach covers key
environmental issues such as waste, water, transport,
packaging, chemicals and biodiversity.
Waste
Target 2020: Achieve zero waste
to landfill.
Waste recycled
On Track
% of waste recycled
to milestone
63
65
10/11
11/12
68
69
70
12/13
13/14
14/15*
75
2016
Target
Waste recycled
166 (70%)
Waste disposed
to landfill
44 (19%)
Waste disposed
to incineration with
energy recovery
23 (10%)
Waste disposed
to incineration without
energy recovery
4 (1%)
www.kingfisher.com
41
Environment continued
Transport
52.4
52.9
56.9
56.6
48.7
Not On Track
to milestone
10/11
11/12
12/13
13/14
14/15*
43.3
2016
2020
Milestone Target
42
Green travel
Target 2020: Demonstrate proactive green
travel initiatives to minimise the environmental
impact of travel by employees and customers.
On Track
to milestone
Not On Track
to target
Water-using products
Target 2020: All water-using products
to meet best practice standards on
water efficiency.
Data Not
Available
Chemicals
Target 2020: None of our own-brand or
Data Not
exclusive brand products will contain the
Available
chemicals of concern we have committed
to remove (on Kingfishers Chemical Action List).
Milestone: Work is in progress to phase out,
substitute or eliminate the chemicals of
concern from our own-brand or exclusive
brand products by 2016/17.
We stock many chemical-based products such as paints,
treatments and cleaning products and chemicals are also
used in the manufacturing process for many finished goods.
There is increasing customer interest in the use of chemicals
and a growing number of chemicals are being identified for
phase out or potential phase out under legislation such as
the EUs REACH Directive.
We aim to improve our understanding of the chemicals used
in our products so we can provide customers with information,
phase out or substitute any chemicals of concern and comply
with changing legislation. With a large supplier base and
393,000 products sold in our top five companies alone,
this is very challenging. We have started development of a
company-wide Chemicals Policy to help us implement a
consistent approach.
www.kingfisher.com
43
Environment continued
Our first step in working towards our targets is to improve
transparency around the chemicals used in our products and
supply chain. Suppliers of own-brand products will be required
to provide information on the chemicals used in the product
or during manufacturing, known as a likely Bill of Substance.
Scientific understanding of the impact of chemicals on people
and the environment is evolving as research develops and
regulatory lists of chemicals of concern are continually
changing. By having a clear picture of the chemicals
used in our products, even those not currently covered
by legislation, we will be better placed to respond if new
chemicals of concern are identified.
Our next step will be to focus on sustainable substitution of
chemicals where there are concerns around a substances
potential impact on people or the environment. We will prioritise
chemicals based on regulatory requirements and we will need
to work in partnership with suppliers and other stakeholders
to identify the best alternatives to ensure that substituting
chemicals does not affect product performance.
We have already begun working with suppliers and are rolling
out our requirement for suppliers to provide likely Bill of
Substance for their products. This included an initial trial
project during 2014 involving 40 suppliers and more than
200 products. Training was provided to some of our suppliers
in Shenzhen and Shanghai, China. We cannot yet allocate a
score for our chemicals target and milestone as work is still
in progress to update the Kingfisher Chemical Action List.
Our current approach to chemicals builds on our previous
work in areas such as reducing the use of volatile organic
compounds in paint and our global phase out of neonicotinoid
chemicals used in some pesticide products that are thought
to contribute to bee decline.
Packaging
Target 2020: Packaging on all own-brand
Data Not
and exclusive brand products to conform
Available
to Kingfisher packaging sustainability standards.
Milestone: Packaging on new own-brand and
exclusive brand products to conform to Kingfisher
packaging sustainability standards by 2016/17.
Packaging is essential to protect products while in transit and
on display and for branding and marketing purposes but is
also a significant source of waste and cost to the business.
Our business is affected by regulations on packaging and
packaging disposal.
We are working with suppliers to redesign packaging for key
product lines to improve the visual impact of packaging while
reducing the overall volume of materials used, enabling more
efficient product transport and improving recyclability. We
introduced a company-wide packaging policy this year which
sets minimum standards for our companies and helps them
to work with suppliers to improve packaging design. We are
working to strengthen our data collection systems so we can
monitor compliance with our policy and establish a baseline
against which we can track progress towards our target.
We have launched packaging optimisation pilot projects
for some products in our group brand ranges, working with
packaging specialists, designers and manufacturers. For
example, packaging for 70 lighting products has been redesigned,
reducing the amount of materials used and making the
44
Sustainable construction
We are improving our data collection in this area but are not
yet able to report progress against our target.
Our companies are working with their construction and waste
management suppliers to increase the volume of waste recycled
from construction projects. For example, Brico Dpt France
and Castorama France have established a joint methodology for
managing construction waste from new store builds and major
refurbishments. This was used for Castoramas HninBeaumont store refurbishment in 2014, see case study, and
Castorama France achieved an overall 91% recycling rate for
construction waste.
Peat elimination
Target 2020: All bagged growing media sold
in the UK to be from sustainable sources,
ahead of the government 2020 deadline.
On Track
to milestone
Environmental prosecutions
Not On Track
to milestone
Castorama Frances newly refurbished store at HninBeaumont includes a range of sustainable features
including LED lighting panels which reduce energy use
for lighting by 52%, a charging point for electric vehicles,
and a new approach to waste management which enabled
90% of demolition and construction waste to be recycled.
The store also features a new energy efficiency advisory
service for customers, see page 9.
www.kingfisher.com
45
Governance &
management
We are integrating sustainability into the way we run our business
and engaging with our stakeholders internally and externally to
learn from their expertise and improve how we work.
We have made good progress on many of our Net Positive
targets; however, we know we need to significantly increase
our rate of progress and to address gaps in our performance.
We will be reviewing our approach during 2015/16 to identify
how best to do this.
46
Stakeholder engagement
Customers
Investors
Advisory Council
www.kingfisher.com
Materiality
47
Material sustainability
issues and impacts
Timber
Deforestation
Climate change
Energy
Biodiversity
Climate change
Home energy efficiency
Innovation
Fuel poverty
Sustainable lifestyles
Natural resource use
Waste
Communities
Circular economy
Community cohesion
Decline in practical skills
Sharing economy
Employment
Community relations
Equality and diversity
Training and development
Health and safety
Supply chain
Human rights
Human rights
Environment
Labour standards
Climate change
Natural resource use
Waste
Biodiversity
Governance and
management
Water
Business ethics
Tax
Lobbying
Pensions
Human rights
Public policy
Human rights
48
Pensions
Principles
Ethical funds
www.kingfisher.com
Employee engagement
External recognition
49
About our
reporting
Our Net Positive Report explains our progress towards our 50
Net Positive targets and longer-term aspirations. It summarises
performance at a Group level covering the financial year
February 201431 January 2015.
In addition to this report we also communicate our progress via:
Our Net Positive Review, which summarises our progress
against a selection of our key performance indicators
during 2014/15.
Our more integrated Annual Report for investors which
explains the financial, economic, social and environmental
value our business creates over both the short and long term,
see www.kingfisher.com/AR14-15.
External assurance
50
Reporting standards
Issue
B&Q UK
Brico Dpt
France
Brico Dpt
Iberia
Brico Dpt
Romania
Castorama
France
Castorama
Poland
Castorama
Russia
Kotas
Turkey
Screwfix
Timber
Energy
N/A
Innovation
N/A
Communities
Employees
Suppliers
and partners
N/A
Environment
0-25%
www.kingfisher.com
26-50%
51-75%
76-99%
100% target
achieved
51
Assurance Report
Independent Limited Assurance Report to
Kingfisher plc
Our conclusion
Selected Information
Reporting Criteria
Inherent limitations
52
Directors responsibilities
Our responsibilities
Paul Holland
www.kingfisher.com
53
Summary of approach
Principle One
Businesses should
support and respect
the protection of
internationally
proclaimed human
rights; and
Principle Two
make sure they are
not complicit in human
rights abuses.
Human rights
Labour
Principle Three
Businesses should
uphold the freedom
of association and the
effective recognition
of the right to collective
bargaining;
Principle Four
the elimination of all
forms of forced and
compulsory labour;
Principle Five
the effective abolition
of child labour; and
Our ethical assessment and audit programme for supplier factories covers
labour practices, page 38.
Principle Six
eliminate discrimination
in respect of employment
and occupation.
54
Summary of approach
Timber, page 18
Environment, page 41
Environment
Principle Seven
Business should
support a precautionary
approach to
environmental
challenges;
Principle Eight
undertake initiatives
to promote greater
environmental
responsibility; and
Principle Nine
encourage the
development
and diffusion of
environmentally
friendly technologies.
Energy, page 22
Innovation, page 27
Net Positive part
of our day, page 36
Anti-corruption
Principle 10
Businesses should
work against corruption
in all its forms, including
extortion and bribery.
We will not tolerate bribery or corruption in any form. Our Code of Conduct
explains our approach and helps us to comply with regulation such as the
UKs Bribery Act.
www.kingfisher.com
55
Kingfisher plc,
3 Sheldon Square,
Paddington,
London W2 6PX
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7372 8008
www.kingfisher.com
This Report summarises our progress against our Net Positive targets during 2014/15.
We also publish more detailed performance data in our Data Appendix available at
www.kingfisher.com/netpositivereport.
Our more integrated Annual Report for investors explains the financial, economic,
social and environmental value our business creates over both the short and long term,
see www.kingfisher.com/AR14-15.
Get in touch
Wed love to know what you think about Net Positive and sustainability at Kingfisher.
Get in touch at [email protected]