M&S signs green power deal

Marks & Spencer will power all its Scottish stores and offices using renewable energy sources from April next year, following the signing of a four-year deal with green utility firm SmartestEnergy.

The agreement is seen as a major step towards achieving the retailer’s environmental objectives of sourcing or generating green electricity to service all the needs of its offices, stores and distribution centres in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

“Sourcing our electricity from independent renewable generation is an important part of our wider commitment to the environment through Plan A, our 100-point eco plan,” said Mervyn Bowden, Marks & Spencer’s head of energy management.

SmartestEnergy purchases electricity from local, small-scale, independent generating companies and provides them with a route to market. Certificates are provided guaranteeing the origins of the power and customers can specify from which particular organisations they would like to obtain their electricity.

Marks & Spencer is opting to source its power from independent local sites in Scotland. The deal will last until March 2014 and was brokered by the company’s energy consultant Inenco.

The announcement comes only days after the retailer was named as one of the few UK brands to have cut their carbon emissions this year. The firm has also devised carbon reduction targets that are in line with the UK government’s aim of lowering emissions by 34 per cent on 1990 levels by 2020.

The report, called Brand Emissions, indicated that two thirds of the UK’s 600 largest companies have either increased their carbon emissions over the past 12 months, failed to report on emissions levels or set targets below the government's goal.