Barker & Stonehouse has promised to plant at least 75,000 trees this year to mark its 75th anniversary.
The move, in partnership with reforestation charity Trees 4 Trees, comes after the 11-store chain was awarded Carbon Neutral Plus status: reducing emissions above and beyond its own carbon footprint and the success of its sustainable upholstery and mattress products.
‘Customer response to our sustainably produced furniture has been terrific. These pieces are quickly becoming best-sellers, showing that customers want to be able to find furniture they can buy with good conscience. We now want to significantly increase the volume of furniture we sell to be made using environmentally sound practices. It’s a complex task, but we are already working closely with our supply chain to achieve this,’ says James Barker, Barker & Stonehouse md.
‘It’s fantastic to look back and see how far we’ve come since my grandfather opened the doors of our first store in 1946. Something especially rewarding, is recently being independently accredited as a Carbon Neutral Plus company. This means that we are eradicating the environmental impact of the business’ carbon output. We are the first large-scale independent furniture retailer in the UK to achieve this. Gaining this accreditation reflects a significant milestone and an investment of time, money and a company-wide effort in a whole range of initiatives over the last decade. These include store design, transport logistics, supply chain management, community tree planting activity and product innovation.
‘Tackling climate change needs to be at the top of everyone’s agenda. That’s why a major part of our anniversary activity is focused on continuing to tackle the challenges the furniture industry faces regarding environmental impact. To do this, over the next 12 months we’re launching a number of further ambitious sustainability goals and initiatives.’
It will plant a tree for every piece of furniture delivered by its in-house fleet – which could switch to electric vehicles – which should translate into between 80,000 – 100,000 trees over the next 12 months.
Image: Trees4Trees.
