A key pillar of the strategy, which was developed with the support of McKinsey & Co, was the creation of the category Working Groups to bring together the sustainability leads across sectors including fashion, beauty, jewellery, watches, travel, hospitality, retail and interiors, to work together to accelerate the pace of change by sharing experiences, ideas, contacts, challenges, opportunities and projects for collective action.
Over the past year the groups have met every six to eight weeks and have been attended by over 100 member business, including Burberry, Harrods, Edrington Beam-Suntory, Belmond, Mulberry, Garrard, David Collins Studio and Johnstons of Elgin amongst many others others, working together to achieve their sustainability goals individually and as the British luxury community.
In the last round of meetings, which took place in July, climate action was top of the agenda ahead of COP26, with the groups sharing their individual goals, how they are implementing Science Based Targets and working with Race to Zero, as well sharing the details of the consultancies and partners supporting their measurement and action plans. There are impressive results in the reduction of scope 1 & 2 emissions, with many businesses reporting Net Zero in their own operations while highlighting the challenges in relation to supply chains and scope 3 emissions as well as approaches to data gathering across operations.
Two guest speakers joined the groups, Jancis Robinson, the FT’s wine editor, joined the Drinks & Food Group sharing the inspiring work that she has been leading to promote diversity and inclusion in the wine industry. Sally-Anne Limb of Spring Studios joined the Beauty & Fragrance Group to share their latest report on communications strategies to promote consumer engagement around green beauty. Across the Beauty & Retail Groups 'bring back schemes' where discussed at length with brands sharing their pilot schemes, the opportunities and challenges relating to the operational aspects as well as the communications.
The Retail & Interiors Groups are leading two collaborative projects; an inbound packaging initiative to develop a set of sustainable standards across retailers with the goal of reducing waste, increase recyclability and promoting the adoption of sustainable inbound packaging options across the luxury sector. These two groups are also working on a set sustainable fit-out standards to promote more sustainable store and concessions design including an approved materials list and an approach to strip out and refurbishment.
Sustainable packaging continues to be a topic in the Groups with brands sharing their approaches to internal audits, transitions to alternative solutions including polybags, use of sugarcane and paper-based packaging. In the Food & Drinks Group, an in-depth assessment of materials including glass, paper, wood and cork supply chains was covered to share experience of the best solutions and the impact of each material.
Across the Walpole member businesses ESG working groups and steering committees are being established. Cross-functional teams are coming together to collectively work on their own business’s transitions and action plans with numerous brands reporting that they are using Walpole’s 12 sustainability aspirations as their blueprint for their own programmes.
The Groups will meet again in mid-October, if you would like to be involved please contact Charlotte Keesing, Steph Robinson and Rosie Mason.
To feature your brand's sustainability stories in our Daily Digest and on our website please contact: [email protected]. Please note that we are only able to feature news from Walpole Members.
