13 The 100% recyclable Loop mattress, developed with Harrison Spinks
MD James Barker tends his flagship store’s living wall
Barker and Stonehouse tackles deforestation in Indonesia by planting trees through the nonprofit organisation it helped found, Trees4Trees
Commenting on the start of the company’s 75th anniversary year, James says: “It’s fantastic to look back and see how far we’ve come since my grandfather opened the doors of our first store in 1946. “Something especially rewarding is recently being independently accredited as a Carbon Neutral Plus company. This means that we are eradicating the environmental impact of the business’ carbon output. We are the first largescale independent furniture retailer in the UK to achieve this. “We have twice as many stores as we did 10 years ago, but still use the same amount of power. This is the direct result of our carbon-reducing initiatives. “Gaining this accreditation reflects a significant milestone and an investment of time, money and a company-wide effort in a whole range of initiatives over the last decade. These include store design, transport logistics, supply chain management, community tree planting activity and product innovation. “Tackling climate change needs to be at the top of everyone’s agenda. That’s why a major part of our anniversary activity is focused on continuing to tackle the challenges the furniture industry faces regarding environmental impact. To do this, over the next 12 months we’re launching a number of
further ambitious sustainability goals and initiatives.” Barker and Stonehouse is pledging to work with UK makers and manufacturers whenever possible. Conveying the value of buying British has long been part of Barker and Stonehouse’s ethos. Now, actively communicating to customers the reduced journey time and lower carbon footprint associated with these products will be a key part of the story. Electric delivery vehicles are also a priority for the coming year, with discussions with a UK supplier under way
