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B&Q Plc

Social Responsibility Department
Portswood House
1 Hampshire Corporate Park
Chandlers Ford
Eastleigh


Tel: 023 80257632
Fax: 023 80257287

Email: Sustainability@b-and-q.co.uk
Web: www.diy.com


At B&Q we take a positive approach to the challenges that Social
Responsibility present and have been developing innovative solutions that
not only address our environmental and social impacts but also add value to
our business and reputation.

We stock timber products independently certified as coming from well-managed
sustainable sources. We were the first retailer to clearly label paints
according to their volatile organic compound (VOC) content. We have set
targets to reduce our dependency on Peat, introduced the first independently
verified Organic DIY Gardening range and we have launched our own Toxics
strategy. Just a few of the groundbreaking initiatives achieved.

The Better Neighbour Philosophy
Focussing on the environmental and social impacts of our products is
imperative, but our responsibilities go beyond this. We must consider the
impacts of our stores and distribution processes on local communities and we
need to look at the impacts of our global supply chain. This is where we see
Social Responsibility as quite simply 'being a better neighbour'.

The better neighbour philosophy drives our work in store and with local
communities. It also supports our approach to supply chain management
extending to our 'global trading neighbourhood' of suppliers.

Greening our supply chain: the QUEST Programme
QUEST stands for Quality, Ethics and Safety, and is a combined supplier
quality and environmental assessment procedure. We continually assess
suppliers based on performance standards for environmental policy, action,
supply chain transparency, packaging and environmental claims.

Our global supply chain:
Trade and Social Responsibility can work together through good supply chain
management, being a better neighbour to global trading neighbours. Working
to reduce issues such as health and safety, child labour and improving
working conditions. We take care to respect and work with local customs and
regulations, not imposing our values on communities and economies.

Case Study
As part of Project India, B&Q was the first UK retailer to stock rugs with
the RUGMARK certifiying that rugs are made without illegal child labour. We
work with suppliers of brassware to improve health and safety within factory
and sub-factory casting units, and have been improving the process for
producing coir matting.

Putting our own houses in order:
This is managed under our QUEST for stores programme based on the
Governments Quality of Life Indicators. Addressing issues such as waste
minimisation, staff awareness, energy efficiency and community interaction,
Stores are assessed against set standards.

Being an inclusive Business
B&Q's Diversity Strategy is committed to the value of Respect for People.
Successfully managing diversity within B&Q sets standards of behaviour based
on treating both our customers and staff with dignity and respect. Stores
aim to reflect the diversity of their customer base whilst recognising it
has a responsibility to be a better neighbour. Our award winning inclusive
approach is reflected through our commitment to disability, age and culture.

We have seen our work rewarded many times but recently we received the
prestigious Queens Award in recognition of the success of QUEST and our
Sustainable Development programme.

 

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