We fully recognise that every company has an impact on the environment. We are committed to continually improving our environmental performance, particularly in the areas of energy, waste and water. Wherever possible and practicable, we look to increase our practice of recycling and re-using, and we encourage our suppliers to be environmentally responsible in their own businesses. We also have programmes in place to reduce water and paper usage.

We know that in Waterstones we have colleagues who are committed to protecting our environment and who already take action to reduce their own personal impact. Now we are giving those booksellers a wider role that will help in reducing our business impact on climate change, pollution and the protection of finite resources, by recruiting an Environmental Champion for each branch of Waterstones. Their role is to lead the way in their store on environmental issues, implementing new initiatives and providing local action and communication in such areas as energy, water usage, carrier bags, the use of paper and consumables, and recycling.

"I have been passionate about environmental issues since I was at school, and when Waterstones launched the Environmental Champion role I was the first to volunteer in our branch. Our store is fortunate enough to be on the energy management trial and this has significantly reduced the branch's energy consumption by an average of 17% per month. I estimate that half our customers now opt-out of taking a bag for their purchase simply because they have been asked. I have raised awareness of the importance of recycling and have set up a recycling centre in the staff room for paper, cans, tins, bottles and carrier bags. I hold regular staff training sessions to promote awareness of environmental issues and the work that the CSR group does."

Caroline Larner Environmental Champion, Waterstones, Stockport

In October, 2007 we invited the British Safety Council to carry out a 5 Star Environmental Audit of the business and to provide an action plan for the future. Waterstones achieved 3 stars with an overall score of 81%: the average of companies that have so far taken the audit is 65%. We achieved 4 stars in November 2009, and hope to achieve 5 stars by 2011.

It is also important that Waterstones has a voice on environmental issues within the book trade. To this end we are represented on the Publishers' Association and Booksellers' Association Environmental Action Group (www.green4books.org.uk), which is working towards producing industry wide initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of book production, transport and sales.