The Warehouse Removes Coal From Shelves

Coal, a commercially viable retail product for The Warehouse, will be removed from shelves of its Christchurch stores next year. Environmental Manager for The Warehouse, Richard Morley-Hall says "Reducing coal sales will mean we lose out financially but it's in the best interests of Christchurch, and the people living there".

Withdrawing coal means The Warehouse will sacrifice a consistently lucrative product as its contribution to the Garden City's pollution problem. According to MD, Stephen Tindall this means "businesses can address both environmental and social concerns without waiting for governing bodies to point the finger."

Due to temperature inversions trapping air pollution near the ground, Christchurch has a serious predicament during the winter. "Coal has been identified as a contributor to the smog problem so the most responsible thing we can do is to stop selling it". Says Morley-Hall.

Environment Minister, Simon Upton recently emphasised businesses' ability to act quickly, as The Warehouse has done in this instance.

Richard Morley-Hall's responsibilities as Environmental Manager for The Warehouse are to motivate the company towards a triple bottom line of sustainability. This indicates business survival is dependent on financial, social and environmental responsibility.

Putting people and the environment first, The Warehouse will suspend sales of 10 and 20kg bags of Solid Energy coal as of winter 2000.

Established in 1982, The Warehouse is a publicly listed company serving every major centre in New Zealand with 70 stores providing in excess of 2.4-million sqft (225,000m2) in retail floor space. It recently announced a record group turnover of $933-million for the year ending July 31, 1999.

ENDS....

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