UK home improvement chain Kingfisher's Screwfix stores achieve 'zero waste to landfill' milestone, diverting from landfills all 5,860 tonnes of waste from stores, distribution centers generated in 2013

Cindy Allen

LONDON , June 24, 2014 (press release) – It’s a year since Kingfisher, Europe’s largest home improvement retailer (B&Q and Screwfix) launched Net Positive - its restorative approach to business. To mark the occasion and its first full-year’s results, the Group hosted a reception at the House of Commons to share its progress against ambitious targets.

One of the year’s big successes celebrated was Screwfix stores achieving ‘zero waste to landfill’. Screwfix collects and sorts all its own waste and then works with a recycling company to come up with solutions for its waste.

Andrew Livingston, Screwfix Chief Executive who attended the reception said: ‘Last year we sorted 5,860 tonnes of waste from our stores and distribution centres and diverted it all from landfill. It’s been great to share our zero waste to landfill achievement with the Parliamentary Community and to show how even for a successful and growing business like Screwfix sustainable and successful aren’t mutually exclusive.’

It is exactly these types of practical projects and behaviors that Net Positive is designed to encourage and embed into business as usual across all of Kingfisher’s operating companies both in the UK and overseas. The Group’s Net Positive annual report was launched at the reception summarizing progress against its ambitious targets in the first full year. It shows Kingfisher and its operating companies have already achieved many tangible successes but must go further and faster to reach its goals.

The report’s key highlights include:

87% of timber used in products responsibly sourced, with B&Q UK reaching 100%
13,000 hectares of forest benefited from projects to restore forests and woodlands
Customers of Kingfisher's retail brands saved an estimated £450 million off their energy bills through sales of energy-efficient products and services
Absolute carbon emissions fell by 5% since 2010/11, in a period of business growth
Kingfisher created a ‘closed-loop calculator’ to help it introduce closed-loop products
21% of sales revenue from sales of eco-products, products with a lower environmental impact

Group Chief Executive, Sir Ian Cheshire said: "Becoming restorative requires transformative change management within our business and winning the hearts and minds of our colleagues, our suppliers and our customers. We’ve made steady progress in the first year in linking Net Positive to our core business strategy and creating tangible success stories. There is much more to do but I’m pleased to share our progress so far."



For further information please contact Annabel Ward on 0207 896 3214 or email netpositive@z-pr.com


Editor's Notes:

The Net Positive Report:

The Net Positive Report explores progress in the financial year February 2013 – January 2014. It summarises performance against Kingfisher’s 50 targets and includes examples of innovation and collaboration from its nine operating companies. KPMG LLP has provided limited assurance over selected aspects of the Net Positive report.

Read the Report at www.kingfisher.com/netpositive.

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