A podcast that goes behind the scenes at Britain’s best loved retailer. We interview execs from Marks and Spencer and guests from the world of business, sustainability, government and campaign groups as we tackle some of the some of the big issues facing business today, look at the history of the High Street and the ever-changing world of retail.

Series One: Sustainable Business and M&S’ Plan A programme

We talk sustainable business and go deeper into Marks and Spencer’s Plan A story to find out how it is making a difference and making M&S products even better value for customers.

Episode One: The cotton challenge  

Guests

Mike Barry, Director of Plan A at M&S and Lena Staafgard, Chief Operating Officer at the Better Cotton Initiative.

Episode Notes

Over 23 million tonnes of cotton are produced every year in 85 countries and 250 million people around the world rely on it for their income. We’re all familiar with it few of us actually think about how it is grown, harvested and sold into the supply chain and the challenges – principally the overuse of water and pesticides and low pay for farmers – that make it one of hardest raw materials to cultivate sustainably. We talk to two pioneers in the industry about the story behind ‘better cotton’.   

Credits

Hosted by Rachel Silver

Researched by Daniel Himsworth and Charlotte Allport

Original music: “Blue” by Rose Betts (Vocalist) and Manon Dave (Producer)

Produced and edited by Kevin Fasusi