Highlights

Home Retail Group is a responsible retailer. This year we continued to make good progress on our corporate responsibility aims and commitments. Here is a summary of our key performance highlights.

Environment

Actively seek ways to minimise our impact on the environment in the way we do business

Key highlights:

  • Increased recycling rate across the Group to 53%
  • Reduced plastic bag consumption by 18% ahead of the sector average of 8%
  • Two additional distribution centres achieved ISO14001, making a total of five for the Group
  • Homebase launched backhauling of plastic from stores to distribution centres for recycling
  • Reduced total CO2 emissions by 19%
  • Maintained building energy at 2006/07 levels despite opening 48 new stores
  • Reduced fuel consumption by the Group commercial fleet by 4%

19%

Reduction in carbon emissions.

18%

Reduction in plastic bag consumption (compared to 2005 data).

53%

Recycling rate across the Group.

Customers

Help our customers be responsible consumers by giving them information and choices

Key highlights:

  • Increased levels of customer satisfaction
  • Extended the range of environmentally responsible products in both Argos and Homebase

TrustMark Award

Homebase is the first national DIY retailer to achieve the Government TrustMark Award.

Sourcing and supply chain

Behave ethically and with integrity when sourcing products and dealing with our suppliers

Key highlights:

  • Audited 310 factories against our supply chain principles, representing 89% of our directly sourced products from Asia
  • Argos received FSC chain of custody for the Group’s printed materials
  • Provided 60% of garden furniture lines from FSC sources

Sourcing Policies

We have a full range of product sourcing policies»

Our people

Be a good employer by providing a safe and healthy environment and enabling colleagues to act responsibly in their jobs and develop rewarding careers

Key highlights:

  • Improved employee engagement across the Group
  • Reduced customer RIDDORs by 28%
  • Launched first Home Retail Group share scheme
  • Commenced graduate trainee programme, with 12 new starters joining the Group

5%

The average improvement in employee engagment scores.

Communities

Support the local and national communities in which we operate

Key highlights:

  • Invested £948,000 in community initiatives
  • Raised over £1.6 million through Group fundraising activities
  • Awarded ‘Most Innovative Promotion’ at the 2007 National Payroll Giving Awards

Charity

£3m raised by the Group through the enthusiasm of colleagues and the generosity of our customers.