A Commitment to Positive Impact Kingfisher, an international home improvement company, is committed to delivering a positive impact through four key priority areas. These priorities focus on making a difference for colleagues, customers and their homes, communities, and the planet. As the company enters its fourth year of this commitment, progress continues across all areas. The full details of this year’s achievements is published in the Responsible Business Report 2024.
1. Colleagues
Building an Inclusive Workplace
Breaking Down Barriers
Kingfisher is dedicated to creating a more inclusive company. “We will be a more inclusive company by breaking down barriers to employment and progression, and by building skills for life,” states the company. This commitment is reflected in their ambitious targets and ongoing progress.
Targeted Goals
The company aims to improve gender balance with 35% women in senior leadership and 40% in management by FY 25/26. Additionally, more than 20,000 colleagues are expected to complete an apprenticeship, traineeship, or formal qualification by FY 30/31.
Significant Progress
Kingfisher has made notable progress. As of the latest data, 28.6% of senior leaders and 39.6% of managers are women. This is up from 25.8% and 38.9% last year. Furthermore, 36.1% of the Group Executive and their direct reports are women, compared to 33.3% last year. The company has exceeded its target of providing five million hours of skills-for-life learning by FY 25/26 and has set new targets to capture the full breadth of learning, development, and career progression.
Inclusive Networks
The establishment of 17 inclusion and diversity (I&D) affinity networks across the Group is a testament to Kingfisher’s commitment to inclusivity. A Group-wide allyship campaign has also been launched, communicating a clear and standardized set of inclusive behaviors expected from all colleagues.
2. Planet
Tackling Climate Change
A Greener Future
Kingfisher is committed to tackling climate change and becoming Forest Positive. “We will help tackle climate change by reducing carbon emissions from our business, products, and supply chains,” the company promises. They are also committed to responsible sourcing and investing in forest projects.
Ambitious Targets
The company aims to source 100% of wood and paper responsibly by FY 25/26 and become Forest Positive by the same year. They also plan to deliver their science-based targets for FY 25/26, which include reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions by 37.8% and scope 3 emissions by 40%. By the end of FY 40/41, they aim to reach net zero emissions for their operations.
Impressive Achievements
Kingfisher has already achieved significant milestones. In the latest fiscal year, 96.6% of the wood and paper used in their products were responsibly sourced, up from 94.5% the previous year. They continue to invest in forest projects, covering around 190,000 hectares of community-managed forests and contributing to the protection of over 2.5 million hectares of protected areas. The company has also made substantial progress towards their science-based targets, reducing operational emissions (scope 1 and 2) by 62.0% since FY 16/17, exceeding their FY 25/26 reduction target.
3. Customers
Greener, Healthier Homes
Affordable Sustainability
Kingfisher is committed to helping millions of customers have greener, healthier homes that are energy-efficient, comfortable, use fewer resources, and are affordable to run and maintain.
Sales Targets
The company aims for 60% of Group sales to come from Sustainable Home Products (SHP) by FY 25/26, including 70% of sales for their own exclusive brand (OEB) products.
Making Progress
Currently, 49.4% of total Group sales come from SHP, up from 46.8% last year. Energy-saving, energy-efficient, and water-saving products account for 10.1% of SHP sales. The SHP category now represents 60.1% of OEB sales, an increase from 56.4% last year.
Green Star Initiative
To make it easier for customers to identify and purchase environmentally friendly products, Kingfisher introduced the Green Star mark online and in stores. This mark highlights products with a lower environmental impact, making sustainable choices more accessible for customers.
4. Communities
Fighting Bad Housing
Helping Those in Need
Kingfisher is committed to fighting bad housing by donating products, expertise, and time to help those with the greatest housing needs in the communities they serve.
Ambitious Targets
The company aims to help more than two million people with housing needs by FY 25/26.
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Achievements and Partnerships
Kingfisher has already surpassed their FY 25/26 target ahead of schedule, helping almost 1.2 million people this year alone. This brings the total to 3.2 million people helped since FY 16/17. The company invested £6.1 million in communities, with an additional £2.4 million raised by colleagues and customers. They also supported disaster relief efforts in various countries, donating over £300,000. Kingfisher continues to partner with national charities such as Shelter, Childhood Trust, Macmillan Cancer Support, Fondation Abbé Pierre, Compagnons Bâtisseurs, and Habitat for Humanity.
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Responsible Business Fundamentals
1. Ethical Practices
Kingfisher’s priorities are underpinned by a commitment to responsible business fundamentals. They adhere to practices that ensure they operate responsibly across all aspects of their business. This includes responsible sourcing, human rights, and helping customers make more sustainable choices.
2. Human Rights and Ethical Sourcing
Kingfisher respects, protects, and promotes human rights throughout their operations and supply chain. Their Human Rights Policy aligns with international agreements and guidelines. They work with suppliers to raise standards on the environment, labor practices, and human rights, using ethical risk assessment processes, ethical audits, supplier training, and collaboration with human rights experts.
3. Combatting Modern Slavery
The company does not tolerate modern slavery in any form. Their Modern Slavery Working Group, chaired by the Human Rights Manager, oversees due diligence and disclosure on human rights and modern slavery. The group meets three times a year and includes stakeholders from across the business who work on ethical sourcing issues.
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Green Star Products
As part of their target to generate 60% of sales from SHP, Kingfisher launched the Green Star mark in autumn 2023. This mark helps customers identify products with a reduced environmental impact. Green Star products are reviewed internally and externally validated based on criteria such as ‘Saving energy at home’ and ‘Made using lower carbon manufacturing’.
Looking Forward
Kingfisher’s commitment to responsible business is clear and ongoing. As Andrew Cosslett, Chair of the Board, stated, “Our priorities for 2024 are clear, and are centred on things we can control. Maintaining and growing our market shares, improving our productivity, and delivering on our commitments on free cash flow and shareholder returns. We will also continue to invest behind our identified drivers of future growth, launching e-commerce marketplaces in France and Poland, further expanding the Screwfix network and getting behind our push to attract more trade customers. We are confident in the long-term returns opportunity from these investments, but the Board will continue to manage them thoughtfully and adjust as needed through what seems likely to be another year of economic uncertainty for our customers.”
(India CSR)
