Our process

We ensure robust governance and operational management of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda, which is fully aligned with our overall business strategy, values and goals.

Our reputation as one of the UK's most trusted retailers and brands reflects our long history of doing business responsibly, and the active role we've played in helping to build healthy, more sustainable communities for over 160 years.

In 2004, we formally adopted a framework and governance process for managing and reporting our wide-ranging Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. Underpinned by ongoing consultation and dialogue with internal and external stakeholders, our strategy was shaped under four key CSR areas; Community, Environment, Marketplace and Workplace. The social and environmental issues of concern to our stakeholders are grouped within these areas as illustrated by our latest CSR Scorecard below. This provides all our stakeholders with the assurance that the issues that concern them remain front of mind and actively managed by us. Each element on the scorecard has a long term objective or ambition, the names of those accountable and responsible for delivery, together with detailed targets and milestones against which performance is monitored and reported. Each year we review the elements of our scorecard in order to ensure it best reflects the concerns of stakeholders.

The 2011/12 scorecard is illustrated below.

Our CSR mission and purpose for Boots UK emerged from a comprehensive baseline review of our CSR strategy in the latter part of 2008/09:

Our CSR mission and purpose:

'To be the UK's most socially responsible retailer in the health and beauty market.'

We will do this by:

• improving the health of our customers and their communities
• protecting the environment
• leading the development of sustainable products, and
• placing our customers and colleagues at the heart of our business

Governance

Our CSR governance structure is fully integrated within Alliance Boots. Our long-established CSR Action Group, sponsored by Elizabeth Fagan, Marketing Director, Boots UK, routinely reports bi-monthly into the Boots UK CSR Steering Group, chaired by Alex Gourlay, Chief Executive, Health & Beauty Division, Alliance Boots, and comprising the entire Boots UK leadership management team. This is designed to provide robust operational management and strategic oversight of our CSR agenda together with full alignment with our overall business strategy.

Our CSR scorecard tool above comprises 19 CSR issues that matter to us and our stakeholders, as determined by ongoing proactive dialogue. Accountability for each of the 19 CSR issues on the scorecard rests with an appropriate member of our leadership management team and the targets become part of individual performance contracts at senior management levels.

Using the side navigation within this area, find out more about how we address the potential impacts of both our business on society, the environment as well as their impacts on our business. We also include some key achievements against a cross section of targets over the last year and our targets for 2011/12.