Our Responsibility agenda contributes to a range of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where we feel we are uniquely placed to make a positive difference. We recognise the power of working in collaboration to drive real change in the industry, which is why SDG 17 runs across the breadth of our strategy enabling progress in all areas of our work. We are focused on working together with industry peers, business partners and other key stakeholder groups to find long term solutions and promote wider industry change.
Below are some of the ways we contribute towards the SDGs:
13.2 Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning
13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
We are committed to reaching net zero by 2040. To demonstrate this,we have set science-based targets to reduce absolute carbon emissions across our own operations and value chain. Our targets have been validated by Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and are in line with a 1.5°C degrees pathway and the SBTi’s Net Zero Standard.
See pages 42 to 44 in our Annual Report 2023/24 for progress against our emissions reduction targets.
3.9 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination
6.3 By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally
12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment
Our Chemical Management Programme supports Burberry’s goals of embedding sustainable manufacturing and protecting nature, and is regularly updated to ensure it aligns with global sustainable practices.
Our programme promotes safer chemicals use in our value chain to ensure safer products, reduced exposure for communities in and adjacent to our supply chain, and cleaner water and air outputs into the environment. Our Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL) is fully aligned with the latest Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) list. Additionally, we prohibit polyfluorinated and perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), extending our restrictions to include all long- and short-chain PFCs. In FY 2023/24, 89% of products were delivered by key supply chain partners1 assessed against the ZDHC S2Z programme requirements.
As part of our Water Conservation Programme, we have developed a water resilience assessment. This allows us to evaluate and monitor progress of our supply chain water resilience profile, and is foundational to our ability to reduce our water footprint and impacts.
We are also working with suppliers to reduce energy and waste in our supply chain. See pages 45 to 46 of our Annual Report 2023/24 for more details.
1. Key supply chain partners refers to our direct supply chain partners including finished goods vendors and raw material suppliers.
15.5 Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species
In FY 2023/24, 100% of our leather was procured from certified tanneries. We are committed to avoiding deforestation and forest degradation driven by sourcing leather. We are also committed to not sourcing leather from high-risk countries and have set a target to use leather from certified tanneries only.
Regarding packaging, our retail bags and gift boxes are FSC certified, guaranteeing that the paper used is made of responsibly sourced wood fibre and does not come from endangered forests. Additionally, we are enhancing our sustainable practices by ramping up the sourcing of eco-friendly cardboard for both consumer and operational packaging. In FY 2023/24, 96% of our paper-based packaging was FSC certified1.
The Burberry Regeneration Fund aims to support regenerative farming projects in our supply chain to promote biodiversity, store carbon and support livelihoods of local communities. In partnership with PUR we are working with our wool producers in Australia to promote regenerative farming practices. More details can be found on page 47 of our Annual Report 2023/24.
1. In order to calculate the percentage of FSC certified paper-based packaging, we have relied on the accuracy of the information supplied to us by our nominated packaging suppliers regarding the value of certified paper packaging sold to Burberry.
5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life
10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard
10.4 Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality
We see equity as creating fair access to opportunity and advancement for everyone. The details of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy can be found from page 50 of our Annual Report 2023/24.
We are committed to ensuring that all our colleagues are paid in a way that is both fair and equitable. We are dedicated to the promotion and adoption of the UK real Living Wage within our own operations and are proud to be the first luxury retailer and manufacturer to achieve accreditation as a UK real Living Wage employer. In April 2024, we implemented a pay increase of 12% for approximately 1,000 colleagues in the UK. This increase was above the recommended 10% real Living Wage increase.
We are committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. The representation of women and men in the Burberry workplace can be found on page 50 of our Annual Report 2023/24.
5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life
10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard
10.4 Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality
We see equity as creating fair access to opportunity and advancement for everyone. The details of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy can be found from page 50 of our Annual Report 2023/24.
We are committed to ensuring that all our colleagues are paid in a way that is both fair and equitable. We are dedicated to the promotion and adoption of the UK real Living Wage within our own operations and are proud to be the first luxury retailer and manufacturer to achieve accreditation as a UK real Living Wage employer. In April 2024, we implemented a pay increase of 12% for approximately 1,000 colleagues in the UK. This increase was above the recommended 10% real Living Wage increase.
We are committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion. The representation of women and men in the Burberry workplace can be found on page 50 of our Annual Report 2023/24.
1.2 By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
8.7 Take immediate and effective measures to eradicate forced labour, end modern slavery and human trafficking and secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labour, including recruitment and use of child soldiers, and by 2025 end child labour in all its forms
8.8 Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers, including migrant workers, in particular women migrants, and those in precarious employment
Our Human Rights Policy sets out the procedures we have put in place to protect and uphold human rights, including mechanisms in place to address any instances of potential infringement, across four key stakeholder groups – our people, workers in our supply chain, our customers and our communities. The policy is aligned with international standards, including the International Bill of Human Rights and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
We require all our supply chain partners (finished goods vendors and raw material suppliers) to comply with our Responsible Business Principles, which are incorporated into our contractual agreements with all vendors and suppliers.
In FY 2023/24, we continued to extended our Vendor Ownership Programme, which helps our finished goods vendors to introduce their own ethical trade monitoring programme across their subcontractors.
See pages 56 of our Annual Report 2023/24 for more information.
10.4 Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality
11,650 workers in our supply chain have benefitted from the positive impacts of our Worker Wellbeing Programme in FY 2023/24.
We also sponsor confidential hotlines run by NGOs for workers in our supply chain, which provide advice on workers’ rights and wellbeing and confidential support.
Read more about wellbeing in our supply chain on page 57 of the Annual Report 2023/24.
4.4 By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship
In 2023, we transformed our community programme, Burberry Inspire, into a global initiative that will support 500,000 young people over the next three years.
Burberry Inspire is dedicated to providing safe spaces for young people to explore their creativity, develop new skills and build a more positive future.
With a focus on young people aged 10 to 24, Burberry Inspire brings all youth-focused activities conducted by The Burberry Foundation and Burberry Group plc together under a single identity. Burberry Group plc partnerships focus on in-school programmes, and The Burberry Foundation on community based youth organisations. Through a network of partnerships in nine regions across the world, the initiative has impact at both global and local levels. See page 59 of our Annual Report 2023/24 for information.
17.17 Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships
Our global volunteering policy allows employees to take up to three paid volunteering days per year. In FY 2023/24, 8%1 of colleagues participated in 139 volunteering and fundraising activities. See page 61 of our Annual Report 2023/24 for more on information on volunteering.
1. Figure excludes colleague headcount where there are data restrictions on the Spark volunteering and fundraising platform.
