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18.11.2020
In August 2020 Selfridges launched a transformational new sustainability initiative called “Project Earth” – its commitment to change the way we shop by 2025.
The initiative builds on the industry leading steps Selfridges has taken over the last 10 years to place sustainability at the heart of the business. The traditional British luxury department store aims to help customers change the way they shop in three ways:
- by addressing the materials used in products.
- by launching and exploring new retail models such as repair and resell.
- by engaging with teams, partners and customers to inspire a shift in mindsets.
Cooperation with numerous brand partners
Working closely with over 300 brand partners and with support from the Woodland Trust and WWF, “Project Earth” started with eight weeks of experiments, innovations and conversations, across all stores and online, dedicated to reinventing retail.
Selfridges is the first luxury department store to set tough material requirements as part of their commitment to a science-based Scope 3 carbon reduction target in goods and services.
Through “Project Earth”, Selfridges commits to:
- ensure the most environmentally impactful materials used throughout the business come from certified, sustainable sources by 2025
- pioneer new retail models and experiences, making Selfridges synonymous with circularity, including repair, resell, refill and rental
- put longevity, creativity and sustainability at the heart of the business, and engage with teams, partners and customers to effect change
Underpinning “Project Earth” is a broader commitment to science based targets and to achieve net-zero carbon by 2050, in line with the Paris Agreement.
Embedding sustainability and creativity
Alannah Weston, Selfridges Group Chairman, says: “For the last decade we have taken ground-breaking steps to put people and planet at the heart of our business, embedding sustainability alongside creativity. Project Earth is not only our bold, new commitment to stretching environmental targets, it is about imagining new ways to do business, within the next five years.”
Weston adds: “Since Project Ocean in 2011, Selfridges has been focused on changing mindsets around sustainability both inside our industry and in conversation with our customer. Out of the global pandemic has come an understanding of how fragile and complex our systems are, but also how our planet and people can benefit if we act collectively with a shared purpose. Now more than ever we must double down on our efforts to reinvent retail with sustainability at its heart and a way of working which is regenerative for humans and nature. Achieving our ambitions won’t be easy, but we are in a unique position to be able to work with our team members, partners and customers to co-create change and explore possibilities for a sustainable future.”
Photos: MATT WRITTLE/SELFRIDGES © copyright Matt Writtle 2020.
HL