Welcome from our Chief Executive, Terry Duddy

I am very pleased to introduce Home Retail Group’s first corporate responsibility report. As an independent company following the demerger from GUS plc, we have been able to refine and focus our approach to CR, making sure it reflects the world of retail and the stakeholders relevant to our business. In this report, we will show you how we have established new management structures and how we have listened to our stakeholders as well as explain the actions underway in the Group.

The Board has affirmed Home Retail Group’s commitment to being a responsible retailer. We keep abreast of the changes around us, in society, in people’s views and in the markets in which we operate. We are open to new ideas and comments from those who might think differently, and we carefully reflect on what we hear to build those ideas into the way we run the business. The challenges are vast, complex and ever-changing, but where we believe that change is for the better we respond actively and wholeheartedly.

Our strategy is to make CR an integral part of ‘business as usual’ and part of the fabric of how we work. We believe that this approach is the long-term route to a sustainable and profitable business. We are therefore fully committed to continued improvement, and looking through our report you will see what we are achieving as part of the day-to-day running of our business.

For example, you will see that the recycled paper content of the Argos catalogue increased from 8% to 13%, and all Argos stores are now part of a programme to make it easier for customers to recycle old copies of the catalogue. Of the waste that we generate as a business, 40% was recycled last year, up from 26% the year before. This is a significant step on our journey to being a ‘zero waste to landfill’ business. Over 85% of our overseas direct source suppliers have now been independently audited against our Supply Chain Principles and Code of Practice. In terms of community initiatives, last year we invested over £800,000. This figure is increased to over £2million when account is taken of the money raised through the fundraising efforts of our colleagues and the generosity of our customers.

Following the demerger, Home Retail Group was separately assessed and became listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (which selects the top 10% from a universe of global companies) as well as the FTSE4Good Index in clear recognition of the progress we have made. We were also ranked as the ‘highest new entrant’ in the Business in The Community 2006 Corporate Responsibility and Environmental Indices.

As you will see from this report, Home Retail Group is making good progress in its approaches and results across the corporate responsibility agenda.

Top of page