Marks & Spencer

Aim
Enabling suppliers to address difficult issues such as living wages and working hours through collaborative networking, conferences and the launch of an Ethical Exchange website. Setting up best practice projects including ethical model factories and a worker’s rights training programme.

Progress Summary
We’re confident that we’ve helped our suppliers address some difficult ethical trading issues this year through improved training, guidance and best practice trials. We’ve provided over 21,000 hours of supplier training, including ethical trade conferences which were attended by over 1,000 supplier representatives. We’ve also improved the range of training materials we provide for suppliers, publishing a new Global Workbook along with a DVD setting out the business case for ethical trade and covering practical solutions to common issues. By January 2009, three of our ethical model factories in Bangladesh had converted at least one line of production to improve productivity and increase wages. We plan to launch an ethical model factory in the UK and extend the programme to two further sourcing countries.

Aim
Continuing to help disadvantaged groups like the disabled and homeless get into work via placements in our stores, offices and suppliers’ factories.

Progress Summary
A further 705 people completed our Marks & Start programme run in partnership with DisabledGo, Business in the Community, Gingerbread and The Prince’s Trust. Since the start of the programme in 2004, 40% of those who completed their placements have gone on to find employment. We now recognise the best Marks & Start achievers through our annual Employee Volunteer Awards – and plan to maintain the programme at its current level in 2009/10.

Aim
Continuing to expand our ranges of Fairtrade food including converting all our jams/conserves and bagged sugar to Fairtrade and offering more Fairtrade fruit, wine and other products.

Progress Summary
Our Fairtrade food sales are up 38% since we started Plan A. We’ve increased the number of Fairtrade products we offer to nearly 300 lines since April 2008. In February this year, we started selling Fairtrade roses for the first time and continue to sell 100% Fairtrade tea, coffee, bagged sugar and conserves.

Aim
Converting 20 million clothing garments including £5 plain t-shirts, women’s strappy vests and Oxford shirts to Fairtrade cotton – equal to 10% of all M&S cotton use.

Progress Summary
In the last year we’ve sold over 8 million Fairtrade certified cotton garments and home products. We estimate that our 2008/09 Fairtrade certified cotton usage was equivalent to around 2,600 tonnes.

Aim
Maintaining our campaigns with Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Progress Summary
During 2008/09 we’ve helped our customers and employees raise £2m for Breakthrough Breast Cancer by selling special products, pins and collections. Over eight years we’ve helped raise a total of £11m. Our support, which now represents 10% of Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s funding, helps to fund the Breakthrough Generations Study into the long-term causes. We’ve also supported the Prostate Cancer charity for three years and helped to raise over £200,000 towards a UK helpline. We plan to continue our support for both charities in 2009/10.