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global eyes
World’s biggest retailers “race to zero”
NOW THAT’S NOT “race to zero” as in lowest price, rather a new climate change initiative called “Race to Zero Breakthroughs: Retail Campaign”.
The Campaign was founded last month by giant retailers Sweden’s H&M and Ingka Groups (IKEA), Kingfisher (B&Q, Castorama etc) and Walmart in the US, in collaboration with the COP26 High Level Climate Action Champions and supported by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).
Together, these global scale retailers have pledged their support to drive greater climate action in the retail industry, accelerate climate action and encourage other retailers to achieve 1.5°C aligned carbon reduction targets.
(Why 1.5°C? To hold off some of the worst climate impacts, it is said we must holdtheglobaltemperatureriseat1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by halving greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and hitting net-zero emissions by 2050.)
The “Race to Zero Breakthroughs: Retail Campaign” is a reaction to the 95% of retail businesses (by total global industry revenues) that have not so far committed to taking action to limit global warming in accordance with the Paris Agreement.
“To put it simply, retail is not yet doing its part,” say the retail trio, aiming to encourage better supply chains, help create more sustainable cities and “making it more convenient and affordable to live
withalowerclimatefootprint”.
Jesper Brodin, CEO of Ingka Group,
says: “We are in the most important decade and it will require radical collaborations and actions from businesses, society and governments.
“By working together across trade association partners, this movement seeks to engage the retail sector. If we work together and act with speed, focusing on what makes real impact, we can truly make a difference for people and the planet.”
Find out more about the Campaign at the shortened URL below:
https://bit.ly/3yCemM2
All good? Screwfix takes stock
BUSINESS CONFIDENCE AMONG UK tradespeople is at its highest level since July 2018, according to research released by Kingfisher group’s UK trade arm, Screwfix.
Screwfix’s Business Confidence Index, its regular survey of the trades, includes a range of measures, almost all of which rose in July.
With the Index now at its highest
level since July 2018, tradespeople are busier than expected, more are preparing quotes than 12 months ago, and more say business activity is better than last year.
The only measure not to rise in June 2021 was the proportion who think their
business activity will improve in the next 12 months.
Having said this, more UK tradies still think their business will improve in the next year than believe it will get worse.
Reported workloads remain high with 86% of the trade now working, with more work in the pipeline.
John Mewett, CEO of Screwfix, says of the findings: “Not only have tradespeople continued to work throughout the last 18 months, but it’s clear many of them have confidence for their businesses for the future, with our Index showing optimism is at its highest level for three years.”
To play its part in this optimistic outlook, Screwfix will continue to expand its store network by opening
at least 50 UK stores this year...
www.screwfix.com
34 NZHJ | AUGUST 2021
MORE AT www.hardwarejournal.co.nz