RETAIL
Like every other sector , food and drink retail is committed to tackling its biggest sustainability challenge : Scope 3 greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emissions .
Scope 3 can account for up to 80 % of an organisation ’ s entire carbon emissions . These are indirect emissions occurring in an organisation ’ s value chain , including upstream and downstream activities like employee commuting , business travel , transportation of goods , waste disposal , and the use of sold products and services .
Emissions from the supply chain are far more complex to tackle than Scope 1 ( from sources owned or controlled by an organisation , such as onsite fuel consumption ) and Scope 2 ( indirect emissions from purchased energy used for heating and cooling ).
Speaking to sister Magazine , Sustainability , Lucinda Langton , Head of Sustainability at M & S Food , says that Scope three greenhouse gas emissions is “ the single biggest challenge we all face in terms of carbon reduction ”.
M & S Food is the grocery retail operation of Marks & Spencer , a major British multinational retailer . It runs the company ’ s food halls that sit within M & S department stores , and there are also dedicated M & S Food retail outlets .
M & S Food has a reputation for quality , and an emphasis on provenance , sourcing solely from British suppliers . It plays a crucial role in the company ’ s overall profitability .
The food retail industry is committed to reaching Net Zero by 2040 but Langton says that this is possible “ only through meaningful change in Scope 3 emissions ”.
92 August 2024