Workplace360: Andrew, you’re fairly new to our industry – could you share a bit about your career?
Andrew Bryers: My academic journey began with a degree in Behavioural Biology, followed by a Master’s in Sustainability and Managing the Environment. I’ve held positions at the University of Nottingham as an Assistant Energy and Environmental Manager and at Aston University, where I accepted the role of Energy Manager, eventually taking the lead in environmental compliance and sustainability.
Subsequently, an opportunity arose at Lyreco, which has involved assembling a new team dedicated to sustainability, working externally with suppliers and engaging with customers and various stakeholders. The team’s uniqueness lies in our specialisation in sustainability and the fresh perspectives we bring from outside the industry.
W360: Let’s talk about Lyreco’s approach, particularly with the Goodness Programme. Is it fair to say it is the central pillar of your sustainability initiatives?
AB: Yes, although the Lyreco Goodness Programme isn’t limited to sustainability; it is the golden thread sewn throughout the business to encourage a different way of thinking and viewing customers as partners.
Dovetailed with the overarching Lyreco Group strategy, built on the pillars of Planet, People and Progress, we’ve tailored six objectives for our region. This allows us to address specific needs and goals within our local market.
W360: Could you explain how the Lyreco UK & Ireland operations integrate with the broader Lyreco sustainability objectives?
AB: Lyreco UK & Ireland aligns with Lyreco Group’s core sustainability targets and strategies, including adherence to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for emissions, which requires our contributions to the overall mission reporting.
In terms of supplier credentials, while we follow the Group’s assessment requirements, we utilise a localised tool – the Supplier Sustainability Action Tool (SSAT) – to conduct our evaluations, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of our suppliers.
W360: Now to the objectives you’ve just referred to.
AB: Underpinned by the Planet, People and Progress pillars, the six objectives guide our initiatives and actions. Firstly, on the planetary front, we focus on reducing our impact on the planet, emphasising the need to lessen our carbon footprint and improve sustainability across all our operations. It includes a commitment to having no tailpipe emissions in our fleet by 2028.
The second revolves around working closely with our suppliers to source products that are as ethical and sustainable as possible. It includes a commitment to making 90% of our products and services environmentally responsible by 2026.
Our third one champions the principles of the circular economy: minimising waste generation within our operations and promoting reuse and responsible recycling or disposal methods. We’re also enhancing our customer reuse and recycling services and adapting to legislative changes.
Under the People pillar, the fourth objective prioritises the wellbeing and development of our employees, emphasising diversity and inclusion initiatives led by our People and Culture department.
Our fifth objective – social responsibility – sees us actively engaged in community initiatives and partnerships, including volunteer days, charitable contributions and educational outreach programmes.
Lastly, our Progress-oriented objectives are embodied in the Goodness support programmes. Under this, we work with microbusinesses and social enterprises through the Lyreco Goodness Supplier Support Programme. Last year, we also launched our Community in Practice network, bringing together our supply chain and customers to share knowledge. It has grown to include around 40 suppliers and over 50 customers, offering a platform for members to access valuable sustainability-focused webinars and participate in in-person events planned for this year.
W360: Considering Lyreco’s reputation for its meticulous approach to selecting sustainable products, how does the Supplier Support Programme fit in?
AB: This initiative is something we’re quite proud of. When I joined Lyreco, one of my first projects was to develop what initially began as the Lyreco Goodness Microbusiness Support Programme. It was designed to onboard approximately ten microbusinesses each year, providing them with sales support, free convention access and visibility in our catalogue.
As the programme evolved, it became apparent that social enterprises were increasingly integral to our supply chain, spurred by rising customer demand to engage with such organisations.
This prompted me to expand the venture into what is now known as the Supplier Support Programme, which includes microbusinesses, social enterprises and charities that fit within our product categories and embody an ethos of sustainability.
The programme is now structured to operate over an 18-month cycle, with the initial six months dedicated to understanding them and crafting their go-to-market strategy. This ensures a deep comprehension of their operations and needs by the time they are introduced to our catalogue or web shop. We have a dedicated colleague in our Product and Services team who leads in assisting each supplier.
I’d also like to add that we have become a Social Enterprise UK support member and joined its Social Procurement Connect service to better identify and work with social enterprises.
W360: Can you please explain more about the SSAT introduced in 2022?
AB: The SSAT is a cornerstone of our approach to ensuring our suppliers are in step with our sustainability goals. Developed with NETpositive Futures, our version includes around 50 questions.
It is a mandatory first step in our sustainable product assessment process for all suppliers. It’s a gatekeeper of sorts; before we even consider a supplier’s products, it must score at least 50% on the SSAT.
As we continually refine the SSAT, adding new questions and removing others, scores may be affected. If updates to the tool result in a dip below the requisite 50%, suppliers must resubmit their information to remain eligible.
W360: Could you share the types of questions or key areas you focus on with the SSAT?
AB: The SSAT covers the environmental, social and governance (ESG) spectrum, starting with broad questions for a comprehensive overview before probing deeper into specifics.
We evaluate commitments through inquiries about emission targets, environmental management systems and overall sustainability strategies. On the social front, we delve into critical issues such as modern slavery, supply chain auditing and health and safety, gauging whether organisations have dedicated sustainability staff proportionate to their size and how they remain legislatively compliant. Governance scrutiny includes assessing the formalisation of sustainability commitments, diversity and inclusion policies and employee wellbeing initiatives.
Where gaps are identified, the tool automatically generates an action plan. To complement the SSAT, our recent introduction of the Impact Report offers our customers insights into their Scope 3 emissions by detailing their spend and the sustainability profiles of the products purchased, as well as supplier information on aspects such as delivery methods.
W360: It seems you’re hot on B Corp status and EcoVadis certifications in your assessments.
AB: There are three pathways to meet our criteria: by achieving a minimum score of 50% through SSAT, attaining B Corp certification or securing an EcoVadis rate of 45%, which presently corresponds to around a Bronze level.
W360: Have you considered pursuing B Corp certification for Lyreco?
AB: Yes, I’ve initiated the process by completing the free B Corp assessment, where we scored 65% right off the bat, which is promising. The certification threshold is 80%, so we’re now evaluating what steps – be they short-term adjustments or more significant changes – could help us bridge that 15% gap.
Though the Group hasn’t officially decided to pursue B Corp status, achieving it for Lyreco UK & Ireland could positively impact our overall EcoVadis rating.
W360: And what’s Lyreco’s current standing?
AB: We have an EcoVadis Gold rating, with a score of 72. There is a huge plan underway aimed at reaching the Platinum level.
W360: I know Lyreco has joined SBTi and set its net zero targets but the SBTi website indicates Lyreco UK & Ireland is merely in the ‘committed’ stage.
AB: SBTi guidelines are structured such that only Lyreco Group can set and commit to targets, preventing individual branches or subsidiaries, such as ours in the UK, from establishing separate SBTi commitments.
Lyreco UK & Ireland has taken proactive steps by developing a carbon reduction plan, which is crucial for engaging in public sector tendering and meeting Crown Commercial Services requirements.
Our plan aims for net zero across all three Scopes by 2030, surpassing the Group target of a 50% reduction by 2026, with an extended goal towards 2030 and a final target for 2050. In addition, a Lyreco Group objective has been established: by 2026, 76% of our suppliers must have set SBTi targets.
W360: 76% seems quite ambitious…
AB: We’re assessing where we stand in relation to this goal and identifying the best ways to assist our suppliers with SBTi. Across the entire company, a vast amount of data is being collected to meet these objectives and work out how to calculate certain data sets – relying on estimates doesn’t provide the level of precision we’re aiming for.
W360: Moving onto products, the ‘Green Tree’ assessment has evolved into what’s now known as the Sustainable Selection, correct?
AB: Yes. Lyreco Group started to reassess the original ‘Green Tree’ product assessment in 2021. It has now implemented a company-wide supplier and product evaluation under the new name ‘Sustainable Selection’ that looks at the People, Planet and Community aspects of products.
Following a successful SSAT score, we consider a product’s impact under our three pillars. It also involves an evaluation of packaging, which must meet a minimum of 80% recyclability by weight.
For the Planet pillar of the assessment, the environmental footprint during manufacturing is assessed, where we consider various aspects, including certifications, life cycle analyses, chain of custody, recycled content and refurbishment potential. There must also be at least two self-declared environmental declarations, such as reduced emissions or improved material use.
The People pillar’s assessment examines elements such as ergonomics and other relevant qualifications that indicate a product’s contribution to user wellness. Regarding the Community dimension, we assess how the product supports broader societal goals, considering aspects like Fairtrade, the involvement of social enterprises and the manufacturing location’s proximity to our operations (eg products made in the UK or Ireland).
It’s important to note that our Sustainable Selection process adheres to ISO 20400 standards and is subject to an annual external audit by certification firm SGS.
W360: You referred to the circular economy earlier. I believe you had a partnership with reuse firm Loop. Is that still active?
AB: The Loop partnership involved providing refillable hand soap bottles, but we encountered logistical complexities – particularly in terms of collecting and transporting returned items, which would have inadvertently increased emissions due to the need for additional vehicle movements.
Presently, we collaborate with a social enterprise for hygiene products that offers a take-back scheme, which we make available to our customers.
Our focus has since shifted towards providing recycling services, such as confidential waste, toner cartridges and Nespresso pods. We’re introducing a tissue recycling service with one of our hygiene suppliers and have partnered with the UK’s only PPE reuse company. We are also exploring a closed loop initiative for pens and stationery recycling.
We also offer a platform for the reuse of items within our network. This allows businesses to list surplus items, offering them to other members or charities at no cost, save for collection fees.
W360: Revisiting the target of having 90% of products and services be sustainable by 2026 – this seems like a pretty tall order.
AB: The 90% target by 2026 is a collective goal, which allows for some variance across different countries. In the UK and Ireland, we’ve moved from 28% to 49% in 2023; and for the coming year, our target is to increase this to 59%.
W360: Are there enough suppliers of eco-products and services to enable you to hit the 90%?
AB: We found, when jumping from 28% to 49%, that the majority of our suppliers were already in alignment with our criteria; the key was providing them with the necessary education and support to navigate our assessment process effectively.
As we move towards the 90% target, the challenge becomes identifying opportunities that could have been overlooked. Ultimately, our strategy focuses on pushing our existing supply chain towards greater sustainability rather than simply replacing suppliers that may fall short. However, upcoming EU legislation on environmental claims and carbon neutrality, for example, may make this harder.
Our Supplier Support Programme also plays a critical role in this effort, and we’ve already seen notable sales from the outset as they are now more aligned with our core categories.
W360: What other plans are you excited about?
AB: There are several that stand out. One is the LCA as a Service (Life Cycle Assessment as a Service) from our first Pioneer programme. It is currently being trialled in Scandinavia, specifically Sweden and Norway, and offers our suppliers support from sustainability specialists and data calculation tools.
Another significant development is the launch of our new Interiors division, which emphasises sustainable furniture solutions. We’ve partnered with Waste to Wonder, Europe’s largest organisation dedicated to the reuse of furniture, to ensure it is either reused, benefits local charities or is sent to support educational projects in developing countries.
Our Social Value Partners programme – launched last year with organisations specialising in sustainability areas such as Young Enterprise, Global Action Plan, the Carbon Literacy Project and more – aims to deepen our engagement and support for our customers.
W360: To wrap up, could you pinpoint areas where our industry needs to advance in sustainability?
AB: I don’t think we’re as far behind as it might seem. The key to progress, I believe, lies in a comprehensive mapping of the supply chain and enhanced due diligence. One approach that works well for universities, for example, is a centralised network or platform enabling industry players to scrutinise the supply chains. There’s no reason this couldn’t work in our industry.
The demand for precise information on the carbon footprint of products is on the rise and creating a unified system that standardises data collection and sharing could streamline the process for everyone.
To read the 2024 Lyreco UK & Ireland annual report on sustainability, visit: https://why.lyreco.com/insights/lyreco-goodness/embracing-sustainability-the-lyreco-goodness-report-2024
