Page 27 Sustainable products


Sustainable products
Our customers increasingly want to know where our products come from, the materials they use, and what methods and standards were followed to produce them. Our complex global network of suppliers makes some of these questions challenging to answer, but we remain committed to bringing our customers the best products at the best prices in a responsible, sustainable way.


Ambition
To sell responsibly sourced quality products.


Targets
>Double our range of Fairtrade, organic and recycled products
>Extend timber sourcing policy to cover all wood-based products in 2008
>Ensure all garden furniture is Forest Stewardship Council-certified by end of 2009
>Phase out the sale of incandescent light bulbs by end of 2011


Setting high standards
Our buyers are dedicated to sourcing the best products at the best prices from all over the world, but not at any cost. Working closely with our dedicated Merchandise Standards team, they strive to ensure our products are safe to use, fit for purpose and comply with all relevant consumer legislation. And with product integrity at the top of our buying agenda alongside provenance and safety, we are developing policies and programmes to address the range of social, ethical and environmental issues in our supply chain.

Our large and complex supply chain means that ensuring all goods are sourced responsibly and standards are always met is a huge challenge. We therefore focus on addressing those product areas where we suspect standards would otherwise fall below acceptable levels, such as the timber used in our wood products.
Providing clear, informative and accessible information to our customers is also important, from shop signs through to product labels and advertising. We do not promote any ethical labels that contain confusing or unsubstantiated statements and only refer to independently verified ethical standards such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).


Chemicals of concern
EU regulations concerning the Regulation, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) aim to protect human health and the environment from the use of chemicals, by making manufacturers and importers responsible for understanding and managing the risks associated with their use. Our responsibility extends to own-brand products we bring into Europe, so we have started to work more closely with suppliers to assess the products affected, ensure they understand their legal obligations and assist them in meeting those obligations.

More information can be found on www.johnlewis.com
More information and detailed data can be found on www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk

See the Waitrose CSR report for more information on our sister company