Julia Hailes MBE

Sustainability Pioneer

M&S Plan A – 1 year on (Jan08)

One year ago I went to the launch of Mark’s & Spencer’s Plan A initiative – and last week I went to hear how it was progressing. M&S say that it’s Plan A because there is no Plan B.  And they do seem committed.  Stuart Rose ruefully forecast a difficult year for the store but […]

Eco developments on the map (Oct07)

The market town of Langport on the Somerset Levels has been getting some good green press in the last few months. A new development – Great Bow Yard has won a Gold Award from the Buildings for Life Scheme set up by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment or CABE for short. Ecos […]

Whole foods (Oct07)

A few years ago I went to a Whole Foods store in New York. This week I visited the London Whole Foods Market, situated on the old Barkers site in Kensington High Street. Rather like a trip to French street markets, the first thing that comes to mind is ‘Why don’t more shops make food […]

Food Advice (Oct07)

In 2007 I was asked by M&S to help them in developing their food strategy, thinking creatively about what innovations they might consider.   Clearly, sustainability issues relating to food are becoming increasingly important.  And, as M&S says, they may need to think the unthinkable.  Topics covered included climate change and food crops, vegetarianism, local sourcing, wild […]

John Elkington to lunch (Mar07)

The blog idea came from my publisher but I rather like it. Reminds me of writing a diary which I did for nearly 20 years. When I read them later I realise I put an awful lot about what I ate, so will have to avoid that in my blog! But today maybe an exception. […]

A week away (Mar07)

When I say I’m going to be out of the office this week, people assume I’ll be on holiday. Actually this couldn’t be further from the truth. – I’m spending Monday in Brussels advising Procter & Gamble – they have asked me to sit on an Environmental Advisory Panel relating to their cleaning and detergents […]

Marks & Spencer (Mar07)

I first started working with Marks & Spencer in 2002 when I was commissioned to do a report on sustainability issues relating to the food sector.  The brief was to look at the broad drivers for change, to prioritise the key issues affecting food, identify the key organisations shaping the debate and make recommendations on […]