RS Group marks sustainability halfway milestone

As part of this year's report, RS Group has refined the four global ESG goals to reflect its evolving priorities and the changing sustainability landscape. Encompassing 14 ambitions, the four areas of focus are: Advancing sustainability, Empowering our people, Championing youth and communities ,and Doing business responsibly.

This followed a company-wide double materiality assessment to identify the greatest ESG-related impacts, risks and opportunities facing RS Group. The results and refined ESG goals and focus, align the company's ESG efforts more closely with its strategic priorities, stakeholder expectations and opportunities for long-term value creation. Highlights from the 2024/25 ESG Report include:

Advancing sustainability

Delivering a better customer experience through a more sustainable distribution service with a 7% reduction year-on-year in direct CO2e emissions (64% reduction from 2019/20 baseline)

Introducing smarter packaging that is made to fit, contains recycled content and produces less waste - 94% of packaging is now recyclable, 82% contains more than 50% recycled content. Due to strong progress on packaging reduction, RS Group has extended its target to reduce packaging intensity to 45% reduction from 2019/20 to 2029/30 (previously 30%)

Sourcing, storing and shipping products closer to customers, supported by 26% reduction in Scope 3 product transport emissions intensity since 2019/20. As part of the momentum to reduce transport CO emissions intensity, 2030 targets are extended to 35% from 2019/20 to 2029/30 (previously 25%)

Providing customers with solutions to improve efficiency, cut costs and meet rising ESG standards with 30,000+ Better World products across 345 product families and 132 suppliers, available in 30 countries

Empowering people

Creating an environment where everyone can perform at their best, develop and thrive by embedding its four global values, launching a new Employer Value Proposition, 'Go Beyond Amazing,' and increasing representation of female leaders by 3% to 37% since 2023/2024

Strengthening its behaviour-based safety culture across all operations and employees completed nearly 27,000 hours of comprehensive health & safety training

Championing youth and communities

Investing in the next generation of engineers and industrial innovators by supporting over 913,000 young people with skills opportunities since 2020/2021

Creating a lasting impact on its industry and society by raising over 963,000 for The Washing Machine Project since 2020/2021, launching a new community giving fund and enabling 30% of employees to volunteer in the past two years

Doing Business Responsibly

Collaborating with over 2,500+ suppliers to raise ethical and environmental standards across the value chain. 55% of suppliers by spend are EcoVadis rated and 38% have set science-based targets

Earning a place on CDP's prestigious A-List for climate action and transparency, retaining EcoVadis Platinum status for the third consecutive year and being listed in TIME magazine's World's Most Sustainable Companies 2025 for a second consecutive year

Strategic Alignment Driving Future Growth

The creation of a new Chief Sustainability Officer role has brought together RS Group's sustainability and social impact teams, ensuring a more cohesive and focused approach. The Group's ESG strategy is also enabling stronger, more strategic partnerships with customers and suppliers, particularly in the areas of sustainable product development, supply chain decarbonisation and community engagement.

"We are proud of the strides we've made towards our 2030 goals," said Andrea Barrett, Chief Sustainability Officer at RS Group. "As we move closer to our targets, our strong approach and commitment to sustainability continues to put us at the heart of a more sustainable and responsible global industrial sector, strengthening strategic partnerships with customers and suppliers. By collaborating with our value chain partners, we're expanding sustainable product and service offerings, enhancing our distribution network, and advancing toward net zero goals.

"We know that strong sustainability performance is not only essential to the planet and society - it's integral to our strategic progression and future success. We look forward to continuing to make amazing happen for a better world together."

When looking ahead to the next five years, RS Group continues to prioritise accountability and value creation as it aims to build a more sustainable future.