The majority of companies in the Kingfisher retail group are adequately managing social and environmental risks in most areas, according to an in-house assessment begun last year.
The home improvement group has assessed its companies in various areas such as factory working conditions and the use of sustainable timber. Each company is placed on one of four rungs of a ‘Kingfisher ladder’ in each area, according to whether it is managing the risk, managing the issue itself, creating business opportunities out of it, or taking a leadership position on it (EP3, issue 7).
With more than three-quarters of its business now assessed, the group has found that all companies are managing the risk or the issue itself in all areas, with the exception of four companies (Reno Depot, B&Q China, B&Q Taiwan and Koctas) which are ‘non-compliant’ on sustainable timber and one (Reno Depot) on factory working conditions.
However, significantly fewer are taking a leadership position or creating commercial openings.
The rest of the assessments, involving nine companies, will be completed this year.