Driving forward the sustainability agenda requires collaboration across internal teams and the supply base. This has been a key takeaway from Specsavers’ engagement with our suppliers over the past 12 months, focusing on emissions reduction, sustainable materials and training for our colleagues. It’s a collaboration that is delivering results.
In our efforts to reduce Specsavers’ global emissions, we have, to date, engaged suppliers responsible for more than 60% of our greenhouse gases in order to measure their emissions. This engagement is vital to improve the accuracy of our own data and to signpost where we should place our efforts. It is not an easy task.
Open collaboration and partnership are essential to make transitioning to a low-carbon business manageable for all involved. The single biggest learning we have had this year, by far, is that the energy we all procure is one of the largest factors in production of greenhouse gases.
While this might seem obvious, it is important to be clear. This is so that we can focus on this area from an environmental and a cost perspective.
We are now in the process of building roadmaps with our key suppliers that will allow us to transition to renewable energy in a cost-effective manner.
With our own offices and partner-run practices and businesses, we have already converted more than 60% of our estate to renewable energy. Many of our suppliers are reducing their reliance on traditional energy sources by installing solar photovoltaics. Others are already purchasing some renewable energy.
As we pool our knowledge, we are seeing cultural benefits of this transformation – forming a collective strategy that everyone can buy into and play their part in delivering. It empowers everyone to play their part in delivering our sustainability ambitions.
Alongside decarbonisation, the use of lower impact materials, such as Tenite and recyclable PMIA (poly (m-phenylene isophthalamide)), reduce our impact through having lower carbon emissions in their production and reducing the reliance on virgin materials.
Our primary focus in this area is to reduce the use of virgin materials across the entire operation, rather than focusing on one or two products. We are seeing progress; some 27% of our products now contain elements of more sustainable materials.
This year, we have trialled the use of plant-based plastics in some of our packaging. This is ambitious and has therefore presented challenges in terms of availability. However, if we can make it work and grow the volumes and thereby demand, it will catalyse the market in terms of supply and have a significant impact on our carbon emissions.
Utilising plant-based materials removes CO2 from the atmosphere and locks it up in a plastic product. We are currently looking for an end use for this packaging so that the CO2 remains locked up in a useful product and is not ‘wasted’.
Underpinning all of this work, is supporting our colleagues so that they can play their part in delivering our sustainability strategy. Last year we began rolling out formal and role specific sustainability learning and development for our supply chain colleagues and we are about to launch follow up in-person sessions to re-enforce learnings.
More than 85% of supply chain colleagues across the world have now completed this learning and development, and a huge majority have made personal pledges to integrate the learning in their roles. Our ambition is to offer training to all of our business to drive culture change and equip every colleague with the tools they need to enact change in their day-to-day work.
The fruits of this collaboration, and the hard work of colleagues, have also been recognised. We are pleased to have been shortlisted for our first industry supply chain sustainability award this year.
Through a huge collaborative effort involving our manufacturing, distribution, planning and our partner suppliers, we were able to demonstrate significant emission, plastic waste and cost reductions in the process of lens manufacturing.
Though much work remains, signs of progress are emerging, and the future looks promising.
- Mark Yates is head of sustainability for supply chain at Specsavers.
