SUSTAINABILITY
STAYING SUSTAINABLE: A STARK CHOICE
amplified with a digital campaign, where the group encouraged participants to share photos and footage of their creations.
“The launch generated more than 5,000 interactions on social media in the first month alone,” says Passley. “We then rolled out the second phase of Homes for Nature, helping communities to build bat boxes in the winter, and we are in the process of shifting the focus to protect bees and birds this spring and summer.
“The initiative gives our branches a simple, practical way to take action on biodiversity all year round. Clear signage and shared stories turn these spaces into conversation starters with customers, opening up discussions about nature, responsible building and the role materials and site practices can play. The more of our branches that get involved, the more conversations take place, helping make biodiversity relevant at a local level.”
STARK UK shares how it continues to navigate increasing regulatory pressure when it comes to sustainability. BMJ learns more.
T
he construction industry is facing increasing regulatory pressure when it comes to sustainability. To navigate these challenges, builders merchant group STARK UK has pushed to embed sustainability into all of its processes. STARK’s head of sustainability, Sabrina Passley, explains: “The last 12 months have seen progress across two key areas; supporting our customers and reducing the impact of our own operations. At a Group level, STARK Group has achieved Platinum EcoVadis status for the fourth year in a row, which places the Group in the top 1% of companies globally assessed for sustainability performance. The Group has also had both its near-term and long-term science-based targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), reinforcing a clear, science-led commitment to emissions reduction.
“From a customer perspective, our focus in the UK has been on making sustainability tangible and accessible. A major milestone on this journey has been opening our first two Sustainability Centres in our Jewson Norwich and Luton branches. As regulations continue to evolve, customers are looking for clarity and confidence, and our role as a merchant is to help simplify that. These centres allow customers to see first-hand what more sustainable building can look
28
like in practice. They’re supported by trained Sustainability Ambassadors, who are there to share knowledge, answer questions and help customers explore solutions that work for their specific projects,” she says.
Homes for Nature
While the Sustainability Centres play a vital role, Stark is also weaving sustainability into daily operations across the entire branch network. Passley continues: “Our Homes for Nature campaign is one example of how we are bringing sustainability to the forefront of conversations within our communities. “For the first phase of this campaign, which launched last autumn, we helped to create hedgehog-friendly habitats, ensuring the animals had safe spaces to hibernate over the winter months. We donated materials, such as recycled wooden pallets, which were available to collect from any Jewson UK branch and from our other STARK UK brands, and created advice kits for colleagues so they could share tips on how to create biodiverse habitats throughout the year. We also held hands-on workshops with schools that engaged hundreds of school pupils in practical biodiversity activities, and we continue to support initiatives such as The Prickly Patch, a hedgehog rehabilitation project led by a young campaigner, Dylan Allman.” The focus on protecting hedgehogs was
A collaborative approach The core of the company’s approach is that collaboration is key, Passley says. “Meaningful progress happens through collaboration. From manufacturers and suppliers through to industry bodies and customers; by engaging with different stakeholders and taking the time to listen, we can learn from each other and strengthen what we do and how we do it. No one has all the answers, and shared knowledge and experiences help to raise standards and accelerate progress across the sector. “Sustainability can seem like a broad, daunting subject, so it is important to focus on what’s practical and achievable in day-to- day operations, while setting a clear direction for improvement. It’s important we support our teams with the right knowledge and give customers clear, straightforward information they can act on. Small, tangible steps build confidence and momentum over time. “The past year has been about moving from ambition to action, giving customers something real they can engage with and making sure we are reducing the adverse environmental impacts throughout our own operations. We have diverted 100% of waste away from landfill, 91% of our company car fleet is electric or hybrid and all our timber is sourced through approved schemes FSC and PEFC, to name just some of the milestones we reached in 2025 alone. Looking ahead, our focus is on building capability, strengthening collaboration, and working closely with supply chain partners. “Beyond our own business, we’ll continue to focus on education, collaboration and shared learning, working with customers and suppliers to navigate the next phase of the industry’s sustainability journey together.” BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net March 2026
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
