What does this mean?
We’re joining over 60 retailers in supporting the British Retail Consortiums (BRC) Climate Action Roadmap where we’ll be working together to be Net Zero by 2040 across all emissions from our direct and indirect operations. This doesn’t just mean taking accountability for the carbon emissions in our stores, warehouses, office and manufacturing sites, it also means reducing emissions in our distribution and value chain, and even upstream to how our beds are disposed of. We’ll also be working to reduce emissions caused by cotton growing in our supplier’s fields, as well as mined steel which makes up the springs in our mattresses. Once we’ve reduced the emissions as much as possible, we’ll be off-setting any remaining emissions through funding projects such as tree planting, in time to meet our targets detailed below and annually each year after.
When?
In order to avoid irreversible damage caused by climate change, we are working in line to limit global temperature warming by 1.5˚C above pre-industrial levels, 10 years before the UK Government target. To do this, our specific targets within our Net Zero commitment are:
- To be Net Zero across our emissions derived from our direct electricity consumption by 2030.
- To be Net Zero across our emissions derived from our direct gas consumption and transport fuels by 2035.
- To be Net Zero by 2040 across all of our emissions from indirect operations.
HOW?
In our sustainability journey to date, Bensons has already:
- Recycled over 92,000 mattresses.
- Installed LED lighting in over three-quarters of its stores.
- Increased internal awareness of energy efficiency by running energy behaviour change weeks.
- Progressed the embedding of sustainability into the daily management of the business through incorporating energy checklists into the end of day store closure documents, increasing sustainability messages in internal communications and including climate change on the risk register following the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.
The recent launch of Rollo by Slumberland - an innovative new range of four ready-to-go mattresses under Bensons’ exclusive Slumberland brand – is also an example of the commitment Bensons is making to a Net Zero UK through its products.
Rollo boasts carbon neutral packaging and a host of additional eco credentials.Featuring cleaner and greener foam technology which reduces toxic chemicals, Rollo mattresses – manufactured at Benson’s dedicated British manufacturing site - are CertiPUR-approved with strict limits on harmful organic compounds.
Their quilted tops include polyester fibres made with sustainable recycled plastic bottles and fabric is made from an inherently fire-resistant polyester, eradicating the need for supplementary chemical treatments which can be harmful to the atmosphere and waterways.
WHY?
It’s certainly not going to be easy, but we recognise that climate change is a real issue and a serious threat to our business.
In the UK, incidents of flooding will increase, and as global climate patterns change prices of necessity goods for us like food will increase, meaning we’ll all have less disposable income. The changing global climate will also affect the areas where the materials we use to make our beds are grown, meaning we may face supply issues. It’s important we focus on making Bensons a resilient brand so we can keep providing the nation with a good night’s sleep for decades to come.
Climate change is an issue that needs all of us and we want to play our part.
What’s next?
Over the next few months, we’ll be working hard to create a Sustainability Strategy which will help to map out our efforts to meet our Net Zero targets. Watch this space.
