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The Retail Sector Council (RSC) has launched the initiative, which has received ministerial support, and is described an “an informative and accessible hub built by retailers for retailers to encourage planet friendly shopping”.
The hub’s launch has been jointly funded through the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the RSC, a body of around 24 retailers of all types and sizes who work together to promote and grow the sector.
It is co-chaired by Richard Pennycook and retail minister, Paul Scully MP.
RSC member Victoria Robertshaw, who helped to set up Green Street, said: “It is based on real experiences – not academic theories.
“It’s about taking action and not simply making another pledge. Green Street has evolved over many months and there has been really helpful input from a range of experts.
“Retailers who are already doing these things themselves have helped create a set of principles that are the spine of the guide.
“The fight against climate change can’t be underestimated and the retail sector has a huge role to play.
“Because retailers rely so heavily on international supply chains it’s estimated that nearly 40% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions are accounted for through the retail channel.”
Victoria and her colleagues are also in advanced talks with local authorities nationally to establish a physical “Green Street” that would act as a pilot scheme to help lead high street retailers towards a greener, more sustainable future.
The pilot will include up to 30 retailers who will commit to implementing Green Street policies to see how they work in the real world.
They will be able to use the eye-catching Green Street brand to engage customers in the need for planet friendly shopping.
Their experiences will help to inform future Green Street initiatives and formulate policy ideas to present to the Government, specifically tailored around SME retailer and consumer needs.
“With just under 300,000 small and medium-sized retail owners in the UK, if everyone makes the practical changes required, it will make a massive difference.
“Every step taken contributes to the global fight against irreversible climate change, and the more businesses that commit to making sustainable choices, the bigger the impact not only on our planet but also on our local communities.”
Green Street already offers around 30 practical actions that SME retailers can adopt immediately grouped under six easy-to-remember principles: Save Energy & Switch to Renewables, Minimise Packaging, Reuse & Recycle, Offer Greener Choices, Work Together and Share What You’ve Learned.
