Boots - Product stewardship

Product bank
Boots set up a Product Bank team to channel understanding on the sustainable development issues affecting its products.  It predicts future requirements and evaluates new technologies, developing them for use in Boots products.  The team also helps Boots to integrate social, environmental and economic criteria into new product development processes.

A four-phase process is used for technology development:
Phase 1 – Technology research: The generation of ideas to prove the principle behind a new solution
Phase 2 – Technology development: The marketability of the idea
Phase 3 – Product bank: The manufacturability of the idea
Phase 4 – New product development: The idea is developed into the retail product

Sustainability issues are addressed at each stage of the process, with Boots recognising the need for product and packaging solutions to meet society’s needs.

Chemicals
To avoid continually responding to events in a ‘knee-jerk’ manner, without a clear understanding of the implications to the customer, the environment or the business, Boots has established a Chemicals Working Group (CWG).  The CWG is a cross-functional team of experts from a number of disciplines responsible for making decisions on the use of chemicals.

It has conducted a stakeholder engagement programme, managed independently by the Environment Council, to ensure that its policy is relevant and takes into account the views of its stakeholders.  It has also consulted with the supply chain and developed strategic alliances in areas outside of its direct control.