M&S offsets carbon with Unicef

Marks & Spencer has become the first major retailer to sign up to Unicef’s new carbon

offset project. Starting in February 2014, M&S will fund the first two years of a ten year project to reduce carbon emissions in a bid to improve the lives of children.

This innovative financing for development partnership brings together business and the international development sector to tackle both climate and health issues that directly affect the world’s most vulnerable children. So too the world's leading retailers have acquired a high carbon footprint of which the fashion industry as whole is a great contributor.

Yoka Brandt, Deputy Executive Director of Unicef said: “We are delighted that Marks & Spencer is supporting Unicef’s carbon offset pilot project in Bangladesh, which helps to reduce pollution and its serious consequences on the health of children. This demonstrates how innovative private sector partnerships can positively impact the wellbeing of children and the world that they inherit.”

Marc Bolland, Chief Executive of Marks & Spencer said: “This project will have a huge impact in a country that is extremely important to M&S. Being carbon neutral is a key part of Plan A and it’s important that, wherever we can, we invest in high quality offsets that support communities within which we operate. We’ll do this while at the same time working with partners like Unicef, who can help us deliver our vision of becoming a sustainable, international multi-channel retailer.”