More than 25 UK retailers have today signed up for collaborative action to tackle some of the biggest global challenges.

The British Retail Consortium has unveiled the ‘Better Retail Better World’ includes a series of stretching targets for the retail industry to achieve by 2020 using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework. These include:

  • Embedding a policy that no worker in the supply chain should pay for a job, to provide a safeguard against modern slavery. This is to tackle situations where low-wage workers borrow large sums of money to cover recruitment fees, putting them at risk of exploitation, including debt bondage.
  • Publicly disclosing how retailers are supporting people from underrepresented demographics to progress in employment.
  • Reducing waste, greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation.

The launch signatories include well known Liverpool retail brands such as Aldi, Asda, Ikea, Marks & Spencers, Greggs, Debhenams, Morrisons, John Lewis Partnership and Next.

Tanya Steele, Chief Executive of the WWF said:

“We are delighted to support the Better Retail Better World industry goals which provide BRC members with some of the best information and guidance to engage with the Sustainable Development Goals.

“The goals are what the SDGs are all about: bringing business, civil society and government together to bring about change in the world. Retail businesses working with consumers are key to the success of the SDGs and key in the race to restore nature.”

Visit the British Retail Consortium – Better Retail Better World website here.