Interview with Gonzalo Anguita, responsible for quality and sustainability of Leroy Merlin

Within the requirements of the products, we consider their technical specifications, including those that will ensure adherence by our suppliers to environmentally friendly practices. It is also very important for us that our suppliers guarantee a rate of service that would ensure the availability of products in the shop in the period of replenishment that we have established.

Leroy Merlin has developed a new way to interact with their environment in the commercial operations of our facilities will be known soon. This work is done by the direction of expansion and development of the company.

By way of example, Leroy Merlin promotes forest certification through the FSC scheme, which has an important social dimension, both in his scheme of Government and in the form of exercise logging practices.

That is why the role of the distribution companies is vital, because our main task is the serve of pedagogy, commitment and awareness-raising, as well as facilitate consumer products and alternative solutions contributing to creating more sustainable homes. In short, provide our customers with products and solutions that contribute to being accomplices and protagonists of the commitment of society by reducing the consumption of basic resources.

Leroy Merlin signed an agreement with WWF Adena already two years ago, to find ways of collaboration that could move forward in our commitment, more and more products of wood or wood products certified at our linear. Made it through a work of awareness-raising and negotiation with our suppliers, also of joint participation in business missions, forums and seminars in the field of wood, and active dissemination of our commitment to the media.

There are two problems with respect to the wood clearly differentiated. Products manufactured with wood of commercial species coming from European countries or not European but with a certain level of development, and those products which are manufactured with tropical timber.

The first is easier, although not in all cases, Subscribe to sustainable forestry practices such as the FSC standard. As an example of products marketed with these woods we have all our products for the exterior of the home, such as tiles of wood of pine and spruce, the pergolas, fences, the lattices, and the poles. Also many references of laminate floors, friezes, ribbons and accessories, kitchen wardrobe, some references management cabinets. Also joining these Woods certified in other products which contain wood. Two examples are handles some references of hand tools, portable gas BBQ.

Examples of products made with certified wood of tropical forest are some references of Venetian blinds, and where the summer garden, some references of garden furniture campaign. We are working to expand our range in these woods, which is much more difficult task.

• Renewable energy: facilities to take advantage of wind and solar energy.

• Energy efficiency: technology Inverter air conditioning, programmers of light and movement detectors.

• The water savings: have been described already in other previous question.

• Healthy life: ranges of paintings with European eco-label, textile without chemicals, either certified wood products.

There is much variety of tropical timber: jatoba, merbau, teak, acacia, ipé, etc. The demand is still conservative in the Woods, fact that relates to the lack of knowledge.

The commercial operation of Leroy Merlin stores, is very dynamic and always oriented to the demands of its customers.