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Environmental Impact, Example of Excellence

Kingfisher plc: Spearheading sustainability and delivering value

Asda Environmental Leadership Award
Example of Excellence

Climate change is a real threat to the way we live – it is our generation’s issues. We owe it to future generations to do all we can. I believe that business can play a key role in tackling these issues. But we can’t do this alone. Partnership between the government, business and the consumer is needed to make real inroads on these issues.”

Ian CheshireKingfisher Group CEO

Kingfisher plc recognises that the business operates in, and its customers live in, a resource-constrained world. With around 25% of the UK’s carbon emissions coming from households and being one of the world’s leading home improvement retailers, Kingfisher is in a unique position to help consumers make their homes more sustainable at a lower cost.

Engaging customers

Kingfisher plc realises both the extensive environment benefits and business opportunities available from engaging with customers on improving their impacts on the environment and has invested in a wide range of eco-products in order to do this.

In addition to the clear competitive advantage and businesses profits to be gained from increasing the popularity of these products Kingfisher has invested significant time and research in ensuring it communicates transparently and clearly with customers so that there are wide environmental improvements throughout UK households.

The Kingfisher Group defines an eco-product as a product that either has an eco function (i.e. helps customers to reduce their environmental impact) or has specific environmental credentials (e.g. a credible eco-label such as the Forest Stewardship Council - FSC)). At B&Q UK each product branded as ‘eco’ is independently assessed by BioRegional to check it has strong environment credentials. This verified system provides a transparent eco guarantee for customers and avoids any concerns over ‘green-washing’. To complement the eco-labelling system and as part of the One Planet Home scheme, Kingfisher has trained over 1,800 employees in its B&Q stores to act as ‘eco advisors’ who are based in an ‘eco section’ at the front of the store; these staff are qualified to offer advice to customers on what products will have the most positive environmental impact in their homes. This is supplemented by a new eco-section on B&Q’s website. Other stores in the group have contributed to the scheme by offering price promotions on eco-products, such as energy saving light bulbs, complemented by customer advice on the environmental benefits of these. All of these initiatives have been designed to change customer behaviour.

Why this programme won - Judge's Quote

“This was an outstanding example of innovation and sustainability led from the top of the business and filtered down to all levels. The approach is both strategic and deeply embedded at the core of the business. Kingfisher transparently concede that they are still on a sustainability journey but they are clearly focused on the destination of that journey.

"Leadership in this category is about taking others on a journey - Kingfisher present a truly inspiring example of leadership and collaboration which has the potential to be drawn upon by a vast range of businesses of all sizes”

Paul Kelly, Corporate Affairs Director at Asda

Impact

Business benefits

B&Q UK ran a three month price promotion on insulation – leading to a fivefold increase in sales
Brico Depot France’s offer on energy saving spiral light bulbs led to a 30% increase in sales
In 2009/10 sales of eco-products totalled £1.07billion
Kingfisher has been selected by UK government as a partner on the new Energy Pay as you Save scheme for home energy efficiency improvements and has received £1million of state funding to install 100 homes with energy efficiency measures with no upfront cost to the customer