Frank Smith Footwr/Clthng Str Sustainability

WHSmith says its sustainability work focuses on three areas: planet, community, and people. It says it wants to cut its environmental impact, source more responsibly, support local communities, and provide a safe and inclusive workplace. The company also says its board-level ESG committee oversees the strategy and tracks progress. Independent ratings in the material suggest a mixed but generally positive picture: WHSmith is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, has a low-risk ESG score from Sustainalytics, and receives strong marks from MSCI and ISS. It also publishes a sustainability report and a modern slavery statement. Positive Sentiment Found Public and third-party signals in the material are mostly positive. WHSmith says it has a board-level ESG Committee, publishes a sustainability report, and has a modern slavery statement, which suggests formal oversight and public reporting. Independent ratings also point in a favourable direction: it is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, which tracks companies that score well on long-term environmental, social, and governance criteria; Sustainalytics gives it an ESG risk score of 10.3, described as low risk; ISS gives it a C+ rating; and MSCI rates it AAA, its highest ESG grade. The company also says it is a signatory to the UN Global Compact, a UN-backed business principles framework.

Set a three-part sustainability plan

WHSmith says its Ethics & Sustainability strategy is built around three areas: planet, community, and people. In plain terms, it aims to cut environmental harm, support local groups, and improve working life for staff. The company says this plan is meant to guide how it works with partners, customers, suppliers, and the communities where it operates. It also says it wants to build stronger and more trusted relationships across its business while listening to concerns from those groups.

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Published ESG governance oversight

WHSmith says its board-level ESG Committee oversees its sustainability strategy. That means senior leaders are responsible for approving the plan, setting policies and objectives, and checking progress against targets. The company says the committee also looks at the risks and business impacts linked to environmental, social, and governance issues. This kind of oversight is meant to make sustainability part of company decision-making rather than a side project.

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Released sustainability reporting

The company provides a 2025 Annual Sustainability report and a Modern Slavery Statement for 2023/2024. A sustainability report is a public update on environmental and social performance, while a modern slavery statement explains what a company is doing to reduce the risk of forced labour in its operations and supply chain. These documents show that WHSmith is publishing formal disclosures on sustainability and labour risks.

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Works on emissions and sourcing

WHSmith says it is committed to reducing environmental impact by lowering emissions, improving resource efficiency, and promoting responsible sourcing across its global operations. In simple terms, that means using less energy and material, wasting less, and trying to buy products in a more careful way. The company does not give detailed numbers in the material here, but it does state these as active parts of its planet strategy.

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Supports communities and staff

WHSmith says it supports communities through charitable partnerships, literacy initiatives, and targeted programmes. It also says it aims to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive workplace, with investment in employee development and wellbeing. These actions point to work on both social impact outside the business and working conditions inside it.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Has WHSmith published a sustainability report?

Confidence: High. As of July 2026, WHSmith has published a 2025 Annual Sustainability report and a Modern Slavery Statement for 2023/2024. The sustainability report is a public update on environmental and social performance, while the modern slavery statement explains how the company addresses forced-labour risks in its business and supply chain. The company also says its board-level ESG Committee oversees the strategy and progress. Consumers who want more detail can review the report on WHSmith’s sustainability page.. Sources: WHSmith sustainability - https://www.whsmithplc.co.uk/sustainability

What is WHSmith's sustainability rating?

Confidence: High. As of July 2026, WHSmith shows a mixed but generally strong set of third-party ESG ratings in the material. It says Sustainalytics gives it an ESG risk score of 10.3, which means low risk. It also says MSCI rates it AAA, the highest possible grade, and ISS gives it a C+ rating. WHSmith is also included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. These ratings come from different firms, so they measure slightly different things.. Sources: WHSmith sustainability - https://www.whsmithplc.co.uk/sustainability

What sustainability certifications does WHSmith have?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, WHSmith says it is a signatory to the UN Global Compact, which is a UN-backed framework for business principles on human rights, labour, the environment, and anti-corruption. The material also says it is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, which is a sustainability benchmark rather than a certification. No other formal sustainability certifications are clearly listed here. Consumers looking for product-level certifications would need to check individual items or ask the company directly.. Sources: WHSmith sustainability - https://www.whsmithplc.co.uk/sustainability

What is WHSmith's carbon footprint?

Confidence: Low. As of July 2026, WHSmith has not publicly disclosed a carbon footprint figure in the material provided. It does say it wants to reduce environmental impact by cutting emissions and improving resource efficiency, but no total emissions number, Scope 1, 2, or 3 breakdown, or target is shown here. Scope 1, 2, and 3 are the standard ways companies measure direct emissions, energy-related emissions, and supply-chain emissions. Consumers can check the full sustainability report for more detail.. Sources: WHSmith sustainability - https://www.whsmithplc.co.uk/sustainability

Is WHSmith's packaging sustainable?

Confidence: Low. As of July 2026, the material does not give clear details about WHSmith’s packaging or whether it is recyclable, recycled, or otherwise more sustainable. The company does say it is working on responsible sourcing and reducing environmental impact, but that is not the same as a packaging-specific claim. Without product or packaging data, it is not possible to confirm how sustainable its packaging is. Consumers can look for item-level information or ask WHSmith for packaging details.. Sources: WHSmith sustainability - https://www.whsmithplc.co.uk/sustainability

Is WHSmith ethical on labour and supply chain issues?

Confidence: Moderate. As of July 2026, WHSmith says it wants to create a safe, inclusive, and supportive workplace and that it publishes a Modern Slavery Statement for 2023/2024. A modern slavery statement is a public disclosure about steps taken to reduce forced-labour risk in operations and supply chains. The company also says it works with suppliers and listens to their concerns. However, the material here does not give detailed audit results, worker data, or supply-chain findings, so the picture is positive but incomplete.. Sources: WHSmith sustainability - https://www.whsmithplc.co.uk/sustainability

What is WHSmith doing about sustainability?

Confidence: High. As of July 2026, WHSmith says it is working on three main areas: planet, community, and people. On the planet side, it says it is reducing emissions, improving resource efficiency, and promoting responsible sourcing. On the people side, it says it aims to provide a safe and inclusive workplace and invest in staff wellbeing and development. On the community side, it says it supports charitable partnerships and literacy programmes. It also says a board-level ESG Committee oversees the strategy.. Sources: WHSmith sustainability - https://www.whsmithplc.co.uk/sustainability

Sustainability Summary

Frank Smith Footwr/Clthng Str Sustainability Profile

Sustainability Summary