Canadian store Holt Renfrew sets sustainability standards

Holt Renfrew, a Canadian luxury department store brand, which is owned by the Selfridges Group, made sustainability pledges, making it the first and only Canadian store to set certified science-based objectives, or universal guidelines, for decreasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.

President and CEO of Holt Renfrew, Sebastian Picardo, said their customers are at the heart of their business and they want to make sure that they have a positive experience at Holt Renfrew by focusing on sustainability and innovation. They recognize that their consumers want to make trustworthy, responsible purchases, and they believe that retail can be a catalyst for good. Their dedication to sustainability on all levels removes the obstacles for consumers, allowing them to purchase with confidence and in a responsible manner.

Holt Renfrew plans to reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions, also known as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, by 65% and scope 3 emissions, also known as value chain emissions, by 28% by 2030. By 2025, it plans to have science-based objectives in place for 67% of its bought products and services, as well as upstream and downstream transportation.

The firm is also defining sustainability goals depending on the items it offers, like its denim options, in addition to adopting science-based standards. Holt Renfrew’s denim assortments will be made from certified and verified sustainable sources by the end of 2025, which it defines as GOTS-certified organic cotton and GRS-certified recycled material.

A Holt Renfrew spokesman said as a multi-brand shop, they are dedicated to working with their brand partners to accomplish this objective and promote transparency and a shift to more sustainable materials and production processes.

AG, Paige, Frame, Rag & Bone, and more brands are presently available at the store.

Aside from denim, it’s also auditing its material procurement across the board. Cotton, leather, down and feathers, plastic packaging, palm oil, and forest-derived fibers including paper, wood, and cellulose will all sourced from approved and verified sustainable sources by the end of 2025.

Holt Renfrew is looking for strategic collaborations to help it meet its goals. The shop recently announced a collaboration with TerraCycle, an innovative recycling firm, to let customers recycle old cosmetic items and packaging gathered in Holt Renfrew locations throughout Canada. It has teamed up with animal rights group Humane Society International/Canada to phase out all animal fur and exotic skins by the end of the year, a move that will help it adapt to changing customer preferences.

It will also stop selling cosmetics that include plastic glitter in order to minimize the quantity of microplastics in the world’s seas, and by the end of 2024, it will have increased trash diversion rates in all of its stores to 85%.

Furthermore, Holt Renfrew has created Green Build Guidelines for design, aesthetic, and construction teams, which specify requirements for sustainable building materials and products.