John Lewis' green bid

Supply Management, Mar 1, 2007 by Barton, Antony

[Sustainability]

Retail group John Lewis Partnership (JLP) is to draw all its energy from renewable sources by October this year.

EDF Energy will supply renewable power to the firm's 26 department stores, 183 Waitrose supermarkets, its distribution centres and corporate offices. The company currently receives 40 per cent of its energy from renewable sources.

Sir Stuart Hampson, chairman of JLP, made the announcement at the launch of the firm's Sustainable Construction Framework. The document sets out green objectives for each stage of JLP's future construction cycles.

Hampson said: "It lays down immediate practical steps for the way we intend to deliver new buildings and refurbishment projects demonstrating genuinely sustainable principles."

The group has announced plans to build at least 10 new John Lewis shops over the next 10 years, with similar plans for Waitrose.

A Sustainability Action Plan will be drawn up before the submission of each planning application, a move that Hampson claimed would drive innovation in the procurement process. "We've recognised that whole-life value techniques will be important in justifying sustainable building," he said.

A spokesman for the company said JLP had been negotiating with EDF for some time with the aim of increasing its renewable energy to 100 per cent. But 1 October was the earliest date that the energy company could do so.

While the company made no promises to reduce CO2 emissions in its supply chain, unlike other major retailers (News, 1 February), the spokesman said it was "obviously a consideration".

Antony Barton

antony.barton@supplymanagement.com