The award recognises the company’s outstanding and whole-business commitment to sustainable development: a principle that has guided every product, ingredient, supplier and operational decision since founder Emma Heathcote-James began hand-crafting soaps in her Cotswold cottage in 2008.

Emma’s founding ambition was simple but radical. It was to make pure, natural soap, free from synthetic ingredients, hidden chemicals and plastic excess, genuinely accessible to everyday consumers, at everyday prices. At a time when organic and natural soap simply wasn’t available on supermarket shelves, Little Soap Company became the first organic soap to reach mainstream UK retail, setting a new category standard that the industry has been scrambling to follow ever since.

Today, the company’s ranges, Organics, Naturals, Eco Warrior and Little Beast, are stocked by Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Boots and all the online giants. Little Soap Company is now a multi-million-pound UK business, selling one bar every 30 seconds, demonstrating that sustainability can drive commercial growth.

Unlike many businesses for which sustainability has become a recent strategic pivot, Little Soap Company was built around it. The company has been B Corp certified since 2020, one of only three UK soap manufacturers to hold the certification, and was recertified in 2023 with an improved score of 90.7. It has been declared carbon negative by Carbon Neutral Britain for three consecutive years (2022, 2023 and 2024), offsetting more than double its entire Scope 1–3 emissions.

Every product the company manufactures is plant-based, vegan certified, cruelty-free and made in Britain. Packaging across the range is 100 percent recycled and recyclable, using FSC-certified cardboard and 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic where bottles are used. Fragrance comes exclusively from pure essential oils, with no synthetic additives.

Little Soap Company is not just selling soap, they are removing plastic from our bathrooms. The company’s Eco Warrior range alone has avoided over 22.5 million plastic bottles to date from the supply chain, and saved more than 20 million litres of water in consumer use. Each soap bar lasts up to six times longer than a liquid equivalent and can replace four to five plastic bottles.

The company’s liquid soap ranges, which represent just 3% of its product portfolio, are made exclusively with Prevented Ocean Plastic certified bottles and are positioned as a transition product to gradually encourage consumers to switch to bars. A 2030 Zero-Plastic plan is in place to eliminate plastic from the supply chain entirely.

What sets Little Soap Company apart is not just what it makes, but how it operates. Its supply chain is UK-based and audited annually against strict ESG standards. Suppliers must hold BRC, RSPO and SEDEX certifications as a minimum, and be aligned to the Living Wage. The company has ended relationships with suppliers who failed to meet its ethical standards, and has declined significant commercial opportunities – including requests from major retailers to launch refill pouches – where these would increase, rather than reduce, consumer waste. This reinforces its position against greenwashing and short-term sustainability claims.

It has commissioned independent consumer research confirming that 82% of its customers have reduced their bathroom plastic use since switching to Little Soap Company products, 63% have switched from liquid soap to bars, and 65 percent say the brand has influenced more sustainable purchasing decisions across other product categories too. At Little Soap Company, they believe the most sustainable products aren’t defined by packaging and ingredients alone, but by their ability to change behaviour.

Emma Heathcote-James, founder and CEO of Little Soap Company, says: “As a British business supporting UK manufacturing, jobs and communities, receiving a King’s Award for Enterprise is a real honour, especially following our Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2022. We are incredibly proud of our team; their dedication and passion have taken my idea from a kitchen table start-up to a nationally recognised brand leading the way in sustainable soap, proving that sustainability doesn’t have to mean compromising on quality and can be accessible for every budget. Sustainability isn’t just about the products, but the team too. It’s embedded in how we work, how we hire, and how we make decisions every day. This award shows that a small UK business can drive large-scale environmental change through everyday products.

Our mission doesn’t stop here. This award strengthens our commitment to educating consumers and driving positive change across the whole industry.”

This King’s Award for Sustainable Development follows the company’s 2022 Queen’s Award for Enterprise for Innovation, which recognised the launch and impact of the Eco Warrior range specifically. This year’s award is a recognition of the entire business including its culture, its governance, its supply chain, its people and its commercial model.

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Specsavers has announced that it is funding a full national roll-out of its successful recycling boxes across all of its UK stores, offering customers the chance to responsibly manage their unwanted glasses, case and contact lens packaging.

The boxes are provided in partnership with MyGroup, a recycling and waste management company that allows hard-to-recycle plastic that would otherwise end up in landfill to be separated, sorted and recycled. It then transforms the recycled materials into useful products, such as joinery boards and furniture.

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Primark marks the next step in its ambition towards becoming a more circular business with the launch of its updated Circular Product Standard 2.0. First launched in 2023, it sets out Primark’s approach to embedding and scaling circular design in its products, inspired by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation vision for a circular economy for fashion.

Informed by three years of learning, testing and collaboration, the revised framework provides a clear and practical approach to circular design for Primark and its suppliers. It defines what Primark means by a circular by design, including:

• Durability: Designed in line with its Durability Framework so clothes can be loved for longer.
• Materials: Made with recycled or more sustainably sourced fibres.
• Recyclability: Designed to be recycled at the end of its life.

Since its initial launch, circular design guidelines have been developed for nine key product areas, including denim, jersey, knitwear, nightwear, shirts, skirts, blouses, dresses and leisurewear.

5 percent of all clothing units sold at Primark during 2024/2005 financial year were circular by design. Within key categories, this increased to 20 percent of jersey and 8 percent of denim. In Circular Product Standard 2.0, Primark has focused on solutions that are practical, achievable, and scalable. The approach has been simplified to help Product Teams embed circular design into everyday decisions. This includes making small but meaningful changes, such as reducing the depth of elasticated waistbands or removing non‑functional metal elements like rivets. A new ‘Progressive’ design level has also been introduced, setting clearer expectations for more advanced design by raising requirements around materials, durability and recyclability, including the use of post‑consumer recycled textiles. Primark has also identified more recyclable printing techniques to help improve recyclability.

Primark continues to build a better understanding in circular design with relevant teams through training developed with the partners such as the Circular Textiles Foundation. Any buyer joining Primark is offered training on circular design.

Nicholas Lambert, Head of Circularity and Materials at Primark commented:

‘As we relaunch and update our Circular Product Standard, we do so with the benefit of having learned a lot over the past three years. We know that we haven’t solved every challenge or answered every question – far from it. Instead, we hope this updated approach reflects our commitment to learn and continue to achieve progress (not perfection) in collaboration with our partners, suppliers, and colleagues. We continue to firmly believe that circular fashion should be affordable for all. We hope that this updated Circular Product Standard 2.0 will support that ambition.’

Primark is currently reviewing its wider sustainability strategy to focus on where it can have the greatest impact, in line with evolving regulations and customer expectations. Circularity remains central to this approach and will continue to be a key focus for the business.

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As part of this trial, customers will be able to recycle leftover paint and tins at participating stores. Returned paint and tins will be transported to specialist facilities where it will be assessed for reuse, remanufacture or recycling into alternative products, while items that aren’t suitable, will be safely disposed of in a responsible way. This trial phase will help evaluate the practicalities of creating a functioning circular economy for decorative paint and packaging in the UK, which is central to PaintCare’s long term ambition to increase reuse, recycling and remanufacture rates to 75 percent by 2032 (from 2 percent in 2021).

The PaintCare trial will operate in the following B&Q stores:

1. B&Q Coventry, Alvis Retail Park, Holyhead Road, Coventry, CV5 8BW

2. B&Q Coventry Brandon Road, Binley Woods, Coventry, CV3 2JD

3. B&Q Halesowen, Mucklow Hill, Halesowen, B62 8EP

4. B&Q Kidderminster, Green Street, Kidderminster, DY10 1AX

5. B&Q Solihull, Chalford Way, Solihull Retail Park, Marshall Lake Road, B90 4RB

6. B&Q Wolverhampton, Spring Vale Business Park, Black Country Route, WV14 0QL

7. B&Q Wednesbury, Axletree Way and Park Lane, Gallagher Retail Park, WS10 9QY

It will also operate across other participating retailers, including Brewers Decorator Centres, Dulux Decorator Centres and Johnstone’s Decorating Centres. Together with B&Q, their support will help test how a broader circular-economy system for leftover decorative paint and packaging could operate in practice at national scale.

Samantha Dyer, Head of Responsible Business at B&Q, said: “We are pleased to participate in this early stage PaintCare trial and proud to support the British Coatings Federation in concept-testing a national, industrywide approach to managing leftover paint. By giving customers and trade professionals an easy and convenient way to return leftover paint and empty tins, we are helping them make more responsible choices without adding extra steps to their projects. We want sustainable disposal to feel completely effortless, supporting the development of a more circular approach to DIY waste and helping keep valuable materials in circulation for longer.”

Dr Steve Snaith, Director of PaintCare Ltd, said: “Every year, millions of litres of leftover paint are lost to landfill and incineration in the UK. The PaintCare trials will help us understand how best to collect, remanufacture and recycle this valuable material and support a more circular future for decorative paint, and the support from B&Q and other leading retailers is key to us developing a model we can scale up and create an accessible national scheme, to help us achieve our ambition to increase reuse, recycling and remanufacture rates to 75 percent by 2032.”

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More than 50 new Proace City EV compact vans are entering service, with the investment supporting more rural communities where courier services tend to be limited or unavailable, while reducing emissions and lowering impacts on the climate.

Toyota is an established partner of Co-op’s Quick Commerce rapid delivery operation, with this latest vehicle acquisition programme extending the relationship.

Co-op has a clear goal of growing its online business. It has grown its online operation at pace with more than 86 percent of the UK population now having access to Co-op groceries online through either Co-op’s own online shop – shop.coop.co.uk or, its strategic partners.

Anthony Molloy, Co-op Quick Commerce Delivery and Technology Manager, said: “We continually explore new and better ways in which we can enhance reliability, extend our reach and better serve our members, customers and communities. This investment helps us to achieve that, and is another step toward reducing emissions from our fleet and lowering our impact on the climate – we are delighted to take delivery of our new fleet of electric home delivery vehicles”

Neil Broad, General Manager One Toyota Fleet Services, said: “Our Proace City vans are proving the ide al solution for Co-op in its drive to provide prompt, reliable and efficient delivery services to its millions of customers nationwide while at the same time making a sustainable contribution towards achieving carbon reduction and net zero goals. The Proace City is a key model in our comprehensive Toyota Professional light commercial range, with our multipath technology approach ensuring there are powertrain options to meet different business needs and priorities.”

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Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) and Ingka Centres have announced the launch of the Sustainable Retail Index (SRI) Association, an independent organisation that will establish a recognised common standard for measuring and improving sustainability across retail real estate portfolios. The association will equip retail landlords with comprehensive insights on tenant sustainability performance to drive measurable progress.

The SRI Association will create a coalition of real estate stakeholders to advance transparency and shared accountability in sustainability. By promoting the adoption of the Sustainable Retail Index as an industry standard, the association aims to accelerate meaningful engagement between landlords and retailers on sustainable practices.

Vasco Santos, Global Director of Leasing, Ingka Centres, said: “The Sustainable Retail Index is a valuable tool in strengthening how we curate and future-proof our tenant mix across our meeting places. It enables us to better understand and support brands that are contributing to more sustainable and responsible lifestyles – an increasingly important priority for both our visitors and our partners.

In implementing this initiative, our focus is on working closely with retailers to enhance transparency, encourage continuous progress and create commercially strong, sustainable destinations. Together with URW and Good On You, we’re taking an important step toward shaping retail environments that deliver long-term value for businesses, communities and the planet.”

Sylvain Montcouquiol, Chief Resources and Sustainability Officer, URW, added: “We are delighted to partner with Ingka Centres as co-founding members of the Sustainable Retail Index Association. The Sustainable Retail Index has allowed us to measure the sustainability commitment and progress of our retailers and engage with them on a tangible and analytical basis to support their sustainable ambitions. We are proud to work with Ingka Centres, Sonae Sierra and other landlords to increase adoption of the Sustainable Retail Index, improve transparency, and engage brands and retailers to transform our industry.”

Alongside URW and Ingka Centres, Sonae Sierra will join the Association, demonstrating its sustainability leadership and shared commitment to leveraging the unique influence retail landlords have to engage tenants and drive critical change.

The Sustainable Retail Index is a collaborative assessment tool designed to help landlords and retailers better understand and improve sustainability commitments and performance across company, product and operational levels. URW began implementing the index in 2023, and it now covers more than 73 percent of eligible revenues across URW’s portfolio of shopping centres. Beyond informing business decisions, the index supports more transparent dialogue with retailers, helps identify shared opportunities for improvement and strengthens engagement with consumers around more sustainable choices.

Ingka Centres, with a long-standing commitment to mapping and improving the sustainability impact of its portfolio, has now deployed the SRI across its 38 meeting places in 15 markets.

Good On You, a globally recognised ratings platform widely used across the industry, is the lead data partner of the SRI, bringing deep expertise in sustainability assessments across retail supply chains. Its independent data makes up 75 percent of the calculation, bringing together publicly available information leveraging 1,000 datapoints for each brand across key social and environmental issues, while the remaining 25 percent utilises third-party audits of store-level practices.

Sandra Capponi, co-founder, Good On You, commented: “We’re proud to partner with the SRI Association and support retail industry leaders to enable better decision-making and wider engagement on urgent challenges. We can’t accelerate the shift towards more responsible and sustainable practices in retail without transparency. That’s why Good On You has leveraged our value chain expertise and ratings data to help establish a shared industry standard that guides brand action, consumer choices and systemic change across the retail ecosystem.”

The SRI Association also benefits from the technical and critical expertise of WWF France on the methodology of the SRI and its future developments[1]. In addition, WWF France acts as a civil society representative and monitors the results of the Sustainable Retail Index.

More information on the SRI Association is available at www.sriassociation.org; interested stakeholders can reach out via the website for more information on joining.

^[1]WWF France contributes its critical expertise to strengthen the transparency and methodological rigor of the SRI, without certifying the performance of assessed retailers or assets.

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More than half (53 percent) of the packaging components used by major UK supermarkets are rated ‘green’ for recyclability under Defra’s Recyclability Assessment Methodology (RAM), according to new research published today by packaging sustainability consultancy Aura.

However, the data, which analyses a curated sample of more than 400 products from nine of the UK’s leading grocery retailers, shows that great progress has been made over the years but that there are still opportunities to further improve.

The products analysed were selected to reflect a broad cross-section of packaging types, materials and formats commonly found on shelves. RAM – developed by Defra as part of the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework – was used since it measures the recyclability of household packaging against the realities of current UK waste infrastructure.

A green score indicates strong alignment with infrastructure capabilities. Given that 10 percent of packaging was attached to another item and therefore not applicable to RAM scoring, it also leaves 37 percent of packaging components in the amber or red categories: either only partially recyclable or not recyclable at all.

Gillian Garside-Wight, director of consulting at Aura, notes: “EPR is going to affect every supermarket and grocery retailer in the UK and charges could run into the millions of pounds. Those that act now to improve packaging design and recyclability can reduce their future financial liabilities as well as strengthen their sustainability credentials.

Crucially, RAM scores will be used to determine eco-modulated EPR fees from October 2026, meaning packaging components rated amber or red will attract higher costs.

As eco-modulated fees come into force, the financial impact of packaging decisions will become more visible. Retailers must shift their focus from simply managing purchase prices to understanding the total cost of goods, which includes end-of-life fees. Waiting until October 2026 to address these risks is not an option.”

When it came to end-of-life labelling aligned to UK scheme OPRL, Aura also found a significant number of packaging components labelled incorrectly, most commonly with items marked as ‘Do Not Recycle’ rather than ’Recycle’ or ‘Recycle in large stores.’

These inaccurate labels not only create confusion but also risk undermining consumer confidence and recycling efforts.

Gillian Garside-Wight adds: “Consumers need simple, accurate guidance to recycle effectively, yet there’s still widespread uncertainty over what can and can’t be recycled. Poor labelling not only adds to the confusion, but also undermines industry efforts to raise recycling rates.”

Finally, while recyclability remains a key focus, Aura’s audit uncovered a range of additional opportunities to improve packaging across UK grocery retailers.

These included inefficient shapes, unnecessary components and excessive packaging, which may also lead to increased EPR fees due to heavier weight packaging than is needed to protect, preserve, promote and contain the product.

The good news is that 70 percent of audited packaging was deemed appropriate in its design, with no obvious signs of excess or inefficiency. However, the remaining 30% revealed clear opportunities for improvement, ranging from structural optimisation to material simplification.

Gillian Garside-Wight concludes: “Many decisions on packaging design, particularly for private-label products, are made by the product manufacturers. However, it is the shared responsibility of retailers and product manufacturers to challenge and improve these design choices.

Recyclability is only part of the picture for sustainability. Excessive packaging is particularly concerning, not only from an environmental standpoint, but also due to its direct impact on EPR fees. As packaging weight increases, so do the associated costs.”

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Modern Milkman is working alongside EMR to process the items collected through its Collections Service. Small electrical waste and mixed WEEE are processed on site by EMR, while toys in good condition are sold through their partner, Toys4Life.

The new offering already makes it easy to recycle some of the hardest household items and is set to expand its remit to other household high frequency items from the Spring.

This partnership allows customers to easily recycle pre-loved toys and small electrical items in an environmentally responsible way. Turning what is typically a time-consuming, inconvenient chore into a seamless part of their regular delivery routine via Modern Milkman.

Simon Mellin, Modern Milkman Founder & CEO said: “Every household has the same hidden problem – a drawer full of old wires and chargers, a bag full of clothes that no longer fit, cupboards of toys and games that never get used. As parents and consumers, we care about the world and want to do the right thing, but life is busy and good intentions often sit in cupboards. Modern Milkman started with a simple mission: reduce waste by changing everyday habits.”

Extending the closed loop model 

The Collections Service builds on the established Modern Milkman delivery and pick-up model. By introducing additional take-back options through the same infrastructure, Modern Milkman offers its customers a service with minimal steps and maximum impact.

The move comes ahead of the UK’s 2026 waste collection reforms, which will require weekly food waste collections and introduce more standardised recycling streams nationwide.

Each collection bag is priced at £2.50, and in a range of sizes, 16×24” for electricals and 18×20” for toys.

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Eldon Square, one of Newcastle’s premier shopping and leisure destinations, has announced its new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policy, with a raft of demonstrable achievements from 2025.

The new policy framework outlines how Eldon Square is embedding sustainability, social value and transparent governance across its operations, partnerships and future investment decisions -with a focus on measurable progress and collaboration.

The ESG strategy framework forms part of a milestone year for the retail destination with the largest single-site F&B and entertainment venue in a UK city centre, Freight Island, set to open in 2026. This development, when combined with a future-facing leasing strategy, will deliver a markedly enhanced visitor experience.

Delivering measurable environmental impact

Eldon Square has already made significant progress in reducing its environmental footprint. In 2025, 100 percent of the 808 tonnes of waste collected was diverted from landfill, with 35 percent recycled directly and the remainder converted into energy – enough to power 26 homes for a year. This has resulted in approximately 43,000kg of CO₂ emissions saved, equivalent to planting 150 trees, as reported by its energy supplier.

Water conservation is a key priority, with a 90 percent reduction in tap water usage achieved through the installation of water-saving fixtures and smart water management technology. Energy efficiency improvements include 48,000+ kWh saved following upgrades to mall dome lighting, while 80 percent of front-of-house and common areas are now fitted with LED lighting, with further upgrades planned.

To strengthen data accuracy and performance tracking, Eldon Square has rolled out Automated Meter Reading (AMR) across landlord meters, of which the whole site will be complete in 2026,  and utilise a Building Management System (BMS) that provides real-time energy insights, with projected savings of 20–30 percent in energy costs.

Circular economy and biodiversity

A circular economy approach underpins Eldon Square’s waste strategy, supported by improved segregation, on-site recycling balers and telemetry-enabled waste compactors to reduce unnecessary collections and emissions. The centre has also introduced chewing gum recycling, saving over £6,000 in cleaning costs and more than 487 working hours.

What’s more, Eldon Square is working with specialist partners to support urban biodiversity. Initiatives include collaboration with local wildlife trusts to create wildlife and pollinator habitats and involvement in the Blue-Green Newcastle initiative1. Looking ahead, a Carbon Reduction Feasibility Study will help inform future emissions targets and investment priorities.

Social value, partnerships and governance

With over 4,000 people employed across Eldon Square and its brand partners, the centre plays a significant role in the regional economy. It has delivered over £110,000 in social value, including donated mall space through its Community Quarter Programme, in-kind laptop donations and charity fundraising.

A structured Tenant Engagement Programme supports the centre’s ESG ambitions, with tenant handbooks, ESG forums and the introduction of green lease clauses encouraging shared responsibility across the estate.

Strong governance underpins the strategy, with all directly employed staff and third-party contractors paid at least the UK Real Living Wage. Eldon Square operates a comprehensive governance framework and holds ISO 14001 certification for environmental management. It has also exceeded its EPC target, with 95 percent of units rated EPC ‘C’ or above.

Looking ahead

Eldon Square’s ESG policy is designed to evolve, with clear ambitions to increase recycling rates, expand biodiversity initiatives, continue energy and infrastructure upgrades, and work towards BREEAM certification.

Helen Cowie, Centre Director at Eldon Square, commented: “We’ve made significant progress in 2025, delivering measurable improvements that we can be genuinely proud of. With insights gleaned from last year, we’re looking forward to continuing to build long-term, meaningful impact in 2026, as we head into a transformative year for the centre.”

For more information on Eldon Square’s ESG policy, please visit: Sustainability – Eldon Square Ltd.

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