Tesco named top UK retailer on climate change

20-10-2012 — /europawire.eu/ — Tesco has been named top UK retailer for tackling climate change, based on its inclusion in the CDP’s FTSE 350 Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index for the fourth year in a row.

The CDP singled out Tesco from the FTSE’s top 350 companies for the work it does to help tackle climate change and specifically its carbon reporting and understanding of how climate change affects the business.

Following the announcement, Helen Fleming, Tesco’s Director of Climate Change said: “We are delighted to have been recognised in this way by the CDP’s FTSE 350 Report but there is still a lot more to do – by Tesco and by industry as a whole.

“We have always taken the view that reporting our emissions is important to demonstrate the credibility of our own carbon reduction strategy. That’s why we believe the Government’s introduction of mandatory reporting is a critical step on the road to establishing a greener economy in the UK.

“Not only is reducing emissions the right thing to do for a responsible company, it also makes good business sense. Thanks to our carbon reduction measures, we are conserving more energy, operating more efficiently and making savings which we’ve been able to use in other areas of the business, like working with our suppliers.

“Through our innovative Tesco Knowledge Hub for example, we’re sharing more ideas and advice on how to tackle climate change with our suppliers than ever before. By building these relationships, not only can we help our suppliers tackle their own emissions, but it allows us to put better products on the shelves at a better price for our customers.”

This year Tesco has increased the number of zero-carbon stores it now operates to seven including two new stores opening in Wales and Ireland. The company has continued to innovate in store with over 100 natural refrigeration systems installed across its global business.

The company has also continued cutting emissions on cases of goods delivered across its distribution network. In the UK Tesco is using alternative modes of transport such as rail and has introduced the ‘F plan’ which has over the last five years halved the emissions per case of goods delivered through fuller cages and trucks, fewer miles and an increase in fuel economy.

The company has continued with its expansion of its pioneering Knowledge Hub following its launch in 2011. The Hub, an online community where suppliers can access resources that provide advice on carbon reduction and sustainability is one of the measures being used to achieve Tesco’s target of reducing emissions in its supply chain by 30 per cent by 2020.

Notes to Editors:

Tesco aims to become a zero carbon business by 2050 and has set targets to cut distribution emissions per case of goods delivered by 25% (against 2011/12) and to halve building emissions per sq ft (against 2006/07), by 2020. Tesco has also set targets to reduce the emissions of the products in its supply chain by 30% by 2020, and to help customers to find ways to reduce their own carbon footprint by 50% by 2020.

Tesco’s UK zero carbon stores are in Ramsey, Bourne, Welshpool and Cefn Mawr. There is also one in Ireland, one in the Czech Republic and one in Thailand.

The implementation of energy efficiency measures across Tesco’s global business is now saving the company £270million a year in avoided energy costs. This estimated savings figure has been calculated based on the energy and fuel costs we would have incurred in 2011/12, with the business at its current size, if we had not made any efficiency improvements in our stores or distribution operations since 2006/07.

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