‘We believe that change starts from within’ – Yolande Svensson

Yolande Svensson, responsible for managing Hudson Group’s sustainability and CSR, insists that the current focus on sustainability should go beyond crazes and add-ons, but requires a shift in mindset.

Sustainability has been identified as one of the main business trends or 2023, and, asked for Hudson’s take on this, Ms Svensson maintains that “we should look at these efforts more as a philosophy that threads through our different departments and areas of business, rather than an ‘add-on’ to keep up with trends”.

“It is important, both from an investment point of view, to attract the best business interest, but also from a consumer and employee angle.” Indeed, Ms Svensson adds that customers “have grown increasingly conscious of purchasing sustainable products from green setups” and that employees are looking “to work at and affiliate themselves with such entities or brands.”

In this regard, the Corporate Marketing Manager quotes a study that proves that “Gen Z shows an increased desire to work in sustainable fields, holds employers more accountable for sustainability and chooses to study sustainability-related topics.”

When it comes to this area, Ms Svensson draws attention to what Hudson is doing to fulfil its ESG responsibilities and mentions that they “started by removing paper cups and gave employees reusable, insulated, aluminium personally-labelled cups.”

Another way in which the company is doing its bit for the environment is through encouraging the recycling of clothes and shoes by providing in-store recycle bins for these items. As much as possible, they are also trying to “reuse and recycle stock delivery cardboard boxes.”

Ms Svensson added that the company also collects rainwater in its “underground reservoir to be used for toilets, cleaning floors and watering plants.”

The company also firmly believes in helping the voiceless. In this regard, they have “launched a foundation to support abandoned dogs, children and mother earth.”

Other projects it has in the pipeline with sustainability in mind, even in the years to come, include a shift towards electric transportation by 2024. Speaking of this the Ms Svensson acknowledges that although “the timely transportation of products is fundamental to [their] operation, by 2024 [they] have a full commitment to switch all Hudson delivery vans and other transportation vehicles to fully electric.”

Another significant sustainability project is under way at Hudson’s Hal-Far distribution centre “spanning a total area of 5,000 sqm of which 3,300 sqm was built up.”

Ms Svensson reveals the company’s intention to install solar panels on the 3,000 sqm roof which would translate to “a total of 662,640 kwh and offset 250 tons of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to that produced by 424 flights between London and New York.”