Green Week 2017: Sustainable retailing

Reducing the environmental impact of the retail network is an essential focus for the LVMH Group, whose stores cover nearly a million square meters of floorspace worldwide. With the launch of the LIFE 2020 program, improving the environmental performance of points of sale has become a top priority. Expertise and initiatives have been introduced across the retail network to optimize energy management.   

Stores account for a significant share of the LVMH Group’s environmental footprint, which is why a key component of the LIFE 2020 program is reducing CO2 emissions from energy consumption by 25% between 2013 and 2020. Initiatives include energy audits, energy management systems and smart meters and technologies at points of sale in order to monitor consumption and make real-time adjustments. LVMH Maisons are continually challenged to further improve energy management at their stores.

Launched in 2012, the LVMH Lighting program raises awareness among teams at the Maisons through “LEDEXPO” events and training sessions led by an expert from the Environment Department. The goal is to expand the use of LED lighting in stores and successfully deploy new, eco-friendly lighting systems. Buyers have since 2014 had access to a dedicated e-commerce site. Actions taken to date have delivered the expected performance, notes one retail operations manager: “Whenever we select a new supplier or look for a solution for a project, we systematically ask whether there’s a more environmentally-friendly way to do the job. I’m quite proud to have been able to show colleagues that green technologies are not only good for the environment, but also help us cut costs, especially on energy bills!”