Plan A, launched by Rowland Hill in phases starting from January 2007 and March 2010, aims to implement 180 commitments regarding sustainability, with significant achievements including a 13% reduction in CO2 emissions and financial benefits exceeding £70 million. The initiative focuses on engaging customers and suppliers while transitioning M&S towards becoming the world's most sustainable major retailer. Consumer interest in environmental issues remains high, highlighting the importance of sustainable practices and products.

1. Plan A ( & good marketing)
Rowland Hill

2. About Plan A (part I)
Launched in January 2007 for completion by 2012
100 commitments across:
Climate change
Waste
Natural Resources
Fair Partner and
Health & Wellbeing
Designed to:
provide longer-term transformation framework
Improve efficiency/ save costs
mitigate risks
develop new business,
differentiate M&S and
engage customers, employees and suppliers.

3. About Plan A (part 2)
Launched in March 2010 for completion by 2015-
2020
80 additional commitments including new sections
on:
Customers
How We Do Business (i.e. Integrated systems)
Designed to:
Involve all parts of the company
Stretch existing targets
Transition towards world most sustainable major retailer

4. Plan A progress to date
•Achieved 105 (out of 180) commitments.
•Includes 13% absolute reduction in CO2 emissions,
25% improved in carbon efficiency and 34% reduction
in waste.
•Calculated financial benefit of over £70m in 2010/11.
•28 sustainability awards in 2010/11 (17 so far this
year).

5. We want everything ‘green’ We think ‘green’ should
(as an added bonus). be cheaper (it’s more
efficient, isn’t it?).
We want to be made
We want ‘green’ to to feel good about
be easy; no making good choices-
complicated labels or not guilty about the
‘look on website’. bad ones.

6. Importance of the environment to UK
consumers (source: Ipsos Mori)
20
Equal to all-time high
15
10 Equal to all-time low
5
0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

7. Shared: ‘ish’: La difference:
Local/ home produced Fairtrade NGO opinion formers
Energy efficiency Community/ charity Organic
Conservation (fish, wood etc) Energy security Free range
Climate (but much reduced) ‘Green’ labels Animal welfare
Waste

8. 1.Helps
me
2.Helps 3.Helps
me my
choose world

9. Helps me

10. Helps me choose

11. Helps my world

12. 1.Helps me
2.Helps me 3.Helps
choose my world