Responsible consumption
Within the framework of their environmental and social responsibility policy, the Group’s companies offer products and services that integrate social and environmental criteria and raise their customers’ awareness of sustainable development issues. The initial results are encouraging…
Eco-design
Fair trade and organic products
PPR and ethical fashion
Eco-design
Eco-design consists of minimising a product’s impact on the environment, from its design phase to the end of its life. In 2005, an eco-design initiative was deployed by Conforama, within the framework of a partnership with PPR Purchasing, Electrolux and the French Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME). It involved proposing eight energy- and water-saving domestic appliances (washing machine, dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer, etc.) available in the company’s stores.
Following the success of the operation, Conforama wished to take things a step further in terms of production by extending its eco-design policy to its furniture range. The company marketed therefore, in april 2007, an adjustable baby's bedroom, allowing two separate arrangements depending on the age of the child. To undertake this project, Conforama worked with its main supplier of children's bedrooms, the Wood and Furniture Technical Centre (CTBA), a consulting firm and the Agency for the Environment and Energy Management (ADEME).
Fair trade and organic products
PPR’s involvement in fair trade and organic products forms part of the environmental and social responsibility policy implemented by the Group and its companies. PPR thus supports the marketing of this type of product by establishing various partnerships with fair trade players, integrating them into its offering and raising its customers’ awareness.
In partnership with the Max Havelaar association, Redcats has assisted in the development of a fair trade cotton industrial channel in Africa. This involved ensuring the 3,000 or so independent producers in this channel (spread over 6 countries) a minimum price guaranteed to be 20 to 30% higher than international cotton prices and contributing (via a parallel bonus) to the development of community-based projects (well sinking, development of roads, etc.).
During the autumn-winter 2005 season, 200,000 T-shirts from Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso and Cameroon were sold by La Redoute. In 2006, cardigans, tunics and bed linen arrived to expand the existing offering.
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Other examples of action in favour of organic products :
- In 2007, the Somewhere brand renewed its BIO clothing line, for Believe In Origins, made from organic cotton. Between 10 and 15 products, certified by the independent Dutch label Skal International, were put on sale in the Spring-Summer and Autumn-Winter seasons.
- YSL Beauté has, since 2005, a licence granted by the French independent body Ecocert, authorising it to develop ecological and organic cosmetics.
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PPR and ethical fashion
Another encouraging development for PPR with regard to fair trade products is partnership of the Ethical Fashion Show, an event during which international players in ethical fashion present their collections and take part in round tables on the theme of ethical fashion.
The latest show took place in Paris from 11 to 14 October 2007 and saw a La Redoute prize being awarded for the second time.