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Last week (October 12) Sainsbury’s unveiled an ambitious sustainability plan to send zero waste to landfill, reduce its packaging by half and its carbon emissions by 30 per cent in absolute of 2005 levels by 2020.
The “20 by 20” sustainability plan is a set of 20 challenging goals that Sainsbury’s plans to meet by 2020 that will cover everything from the way products are sourced through a better engagement with local communities. The main goal is to reduce environmental impact and set the standard for the UK and worldwide retail industry to follow.
Divided into three actionable areas - Sustainable and healthy products, Operational Excellence and Vibrant & Skilled Community - this £1 billion scheme has a special focus on waste management and recycling procedures that will surely be followed by its competitors and other industry segments.
Putting all waste to “positive use”
The supermarket giant already excel in the way it deals with its waste but it wants to enhance its procedures even further by working with colleagues, suppliers and costumers to rethink waste, reducing it and designing it out of their business.
The aim is to send zero waste to landfills by 2020. Right now the chain sends no food waste to landfill, with the majority of surplus food going to charities or anaerobic digestion.
“WRAP has worked hard to help grocery retailers tackle the issue of food waste, particularly through the Courtauld Commitment. Sainsbury’s, as a signatory to this agreement, has already done much to address a range of resource efficiency and recycling targets, and we’re delighted to learn of their latest ambitious plans. We wish Sainsbury’s every success with their initiative, and we’re looking forward to working with them in the future.” - Liz Goodwin Chief Executive, WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme)
Reducing Packaging by Half
The goal is to make sure that by 2020 packaging has been reduced by half when compared to 2005 levels. With innovative and effective packaging innovations already in place it claims to have cut packaging levels by 12 million kilograms in 2010/2011 and to have reduced 11% of packaging from its own brand products in the last two years.
30 per cent less absolute C02 Emissions
By achieving its waste management and recycling goals together with the packaging reduction Sainsbury’s estimates that it will reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent in absolute terms, compared to 2005.
“If we are to avoid the worst impacts of climate change then it is vital that private sector companies step up with actions that are commensurate with the task at hand. Delivering targets like this is not easy but will offer business and environmental benefits. For example in reduced costs and enhanced reputation. I hope that other major retailers will follow Sainsbury’s lead and embark on the kind of carbon cutting programmes that the world so desperately needs to see.” - Tony Juniper former Executive Director, Friends of the Earth and Founder of the Robertsbridge Group
Sainsbury’s “20 by 20” plan has caused a stir in the whole UK waste and recycling industry and already won praise from the Prime Minister, David Cameron who said:
“It is a great example of the principles of Every Business Commits – helping to create jobs and growth whilst also tackling our shared social and environmental challenges, investing in their workforce and in our communities, and build a bigger stronger society.”
The man in charge of supervising and delivering goals on waste will be Sainsbury’s property director, Neil Sachdev.
With around 21 million customer transactions every week, 150,000 colleagues and over 2000 suppliers, Sainsbury’s is ideally placed to make a positive impact on the economy, the environment and society.
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