Sustainability

Stronger together through sustainability

We are ambitious about being a socially responsible and progressive business. This means being a good place to work, committing to long-term supplier partnerships and ethical sourcing standards, reducing our global environmental footprint and making sustainable living more affordable for our customers.

Sustainability Review

Updated environmental targets and commitments

Sustainability Review (extract from Annual Report) 2019/20

All policies referenced in this review can be found here.

10-year greenhouse gas reduction targets set, aligned to a 1.5°C pathway:
Scope 1 target: reduce emissions by 50% in absolute terms by 2030 (using 2019 as base)
Scope 2 commitment: continue to purchase renewable electricity
Scope 3 focus: working on 2030 emissions targets
Commitment to supporting British Retail Consortium's retail industry roadmap to achieve 'net zero' by 2040

OUR APPROACH TO SUSTAINABILITY

We approach and report on sustainability across the business by: people, product and environment.

How we manage sustainability across the Group

We believe that sustainability, like our governance and our shared values, is most effective when it is part of how we operate day-to-day, and not a separate function. Our overall sustainability strategy and targets are set by the Board and the Executive Board, and reflect the areas that our customers, colleagues, communities, suppliers, shareholders and the UK Government consider are most important, and where we can make the most impact. The actions that we need to take to deliver against our targets form part of our everyday activities – for example our product development and sourcing process takes into account the sustainability of raw materials, packaging, and the social welfare and environmental practices of the factories in which the goods are produced.

How we embed sustainability in our business

Board

Approves the sustainability strategy.
Overall responsibility for our sustainability performance.
Role models and has oversight of the shared values.
Monitors progress through KPIs and Board reports.
Annual presentations on sustainability topics.

Executive Board

Approves the sustainability strategy prior to submission to the Board.
Role models the shared values.
Members have line responsibility for managing specific sustainability topics.
Regular Executive Board meeting agenda items.
Monitors progress through KPIs, Board reports and customer and colleague feedback and engagement.

Sustainability Focus Group

Keeps up to date with legislative and best practice sustainability developments.
Develops strategic objectives, policy, targets and initiatives for recommendation to the Executive Board and Board.
Monitors progress against sustainability targets.
Chaired by the Company Secretary, who reports to the Executive Board and the Board on progress.

Colleagues

Appraised by reference to our shared values.
Individual accountabilities for specific sustainability topics.
Engaged to drive forward Company-wide objectives, such as energy and waste reduction.

HOW WE ENGAGE ON SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS

Customers and communities: through our dunelm.com website, Customer Care Centre and social media, including store-based local Facebook groups, signage in store, informative packaging.

Colleagues: monthly ‘huddles’, National Colleague Voice, Home Comforts in-house communication tool, engagement survey, ‘pulse’ surveys, local Facebook groups.

Suppliers: quality policies, third-party ethical audits, annual conference, and meetings throughout the year.

Investors/potential shareholders: Annual Report, corporate website, biannual corporate governance presentation, ad hoc contact via the Company Secretary.