Operating company performance
Castorama France
Castorama has over 11,000 employees in over 100 stores with locations throughout France.
11,139
Employees*
103
Stores*
50,000
Products in store*
Foundations programme - progress January 2012
Our Sustainability Foundations questionnaire tracks the progress of our operating companies against our 50 targets. We monitor performance twice a year. We report the average scores achieved on our four key priority areas and other issue areas. The scoring bands are:
Sustainability Foundations – Scoring bands
Key
Key priorities
Timber
Highlight: In 2012, Castorama France was rated by WWF as the top overall retailer in France for sustainably sourced wood.
Sustainability Foundations average score
Responsible timber sourcing
By 2020, Castorama aims to have all timber 100% certified or from forests that are formally working with our partners as part of an independent verification scheme to demonstrate progress towards certification. In 2011/12 it had 79% of its timber supplied from proven well-managed or recycled sources.
79%
of timber from proven well-managed or recycled sources
Energy
Highlight: Castorama France aims to reduce energy intensity by 15% (over a three-year period) up until 2015.
Sustainability Foundations average score
Learning stores
Two 'learning stores' with the best equipment in energy saving were completed in 2011. The Quimper store in Brittany had the lowest consumption, with energy-efficiency techniques such as skylights across the whole store, rainwater used in toilets, solar water heating and 330m2 of photovoltaic panels. It also has sustainability features such as a green roof, night cooling and an orchard with bees.
The Lormont store, in Bordeaux, achieved a grade B, which is high on the energy-efficiency scale. The energy-efficiency techniques included a larger roof and wall insulation, skylights on 8% of the roof space and low-consumption lighting tubes called T5 Eco.
In-store energy reduction
In 2011, Castorama France achieved a 16% reduction in energy intensity from a 2010 baseline. Every store had a reduction target, ranging from 5% to 15%, on electricity consumption per square metre. All maintenance managers can check the hourly curve of energy consumption for electricity or gas and compare it with the previous year or with other stores.
In 2011, best practice guidance on energy-saving and performance spreadsheets were sent to every store manager and maintenance manager. Castorama France also featured a number of articles on energy-saver champions in the Planetcasto newsletter, and ran several spots on CastoTV, focusing on energy saving. The management team has been regularly informed of progress and impact on individual store, regional and national energy use and costs.
Energy saving in the home
Castorama has a number of tools aimed at helping customers save energy in the home. It has built an online application where customers can develop their own insulation plans to save energy. Castorama also has a dedicated webpage for its eco product range, known as 'la maison eco'.
It has created a series of videos called 'weekend castoche', offering detailed DIY demonstrations which will help customers to create better homes; several of the videos are about installing insulation.
2
new 'learning stores'
Innovation
Highlight: Castorama France achieved an average of 19% of sales from products with eco credentials in 2011/12. These figures include both 'best in class' eco products and other products with eco credentials such as certified timber.
Sustainability Foundations average score
Product innovation
Castorama promoted eco products during its 'eco logic day' campaign. This is a two-week campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of eco products, with product demonstrations and competitions in-store.
The campaign boosted sales and also offered advice to consumers on energy and water saving in the home. In 2012, Castorama plans to focus its two-week campaign on helping customers to save energy.
The environmental performance of Castorama France's ranges has improved over the last year. For example, more than a third of the electrical heating range now has an eco credential.
The company also runs DIY classes ('lancez vous') for adults in-store; there are five people in a class and a fee is payable. It is also working on closed-loop supply-chain innovations with B&Q UK & Ireland and Brico Dépôt France.
19%
in eco product sales
Communities
Highlight: Les Troc'Heures is a skills-swapping site for the community, launched by Castorama and now with over 3,500 members.
Sustainability Foundations average score
Community partners
Castorama France has focused on social impact and community action to contribute to the Group-wide goal of helping people build skills within the community.
Castorama France launched 'Troc'Heures', a free community skills-swapping website that encourages people to share skills, from DIY to dressmaking. In early 2012, the site had 3,500 members with over 1,000 swaps recorded.
It also has a partnership with WWF France and contributed €300,000 to its work in 2011.
3,500
members of 'Les Troc Heures'
Other issue areas
Three other issue areas underpin our four priorities and Net Positive strategy.
These are employees, suppliers & partners and the environment.
The Foundations scores are updated annually. The text is updated on an ongoing basis to reflect new developments.
