28 November, 2025

For many businesses, the biggest decarbonisation challenge isn’t in their own operations. It’s in their supply chain. For M&S, that accounts for 95% of its total footprint. If net zero by 2040 is the goal, engaging suppliers is essential. 

That’s why M&S has launched RE:Spark, a programme developed with Schneider Electric to make renewable electricity adoption easier for suppliers. Switching to clean power remains one of the fastest and most effective ways to cut emissions, but for many suppliers, cost and complexity are big barriers. 

RE:Spark tackles this head-on. A new digital hub will allow suppliers to share energy and emissions data and access practical resources. Advice and support is available as they work through options including installing solar panels, choosing green tariffs, and using mechanisms to purchase and claim the use of renewable electricity: Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). To make PPAs viable for smaller suppliers, RE:Spark will allow suppliers to aggregate demand, giving them the scale to secure better deals. M&S RE:Spark will initiate regional collaborations in Vietnam, Turkey, India, China and Bangladesh. 

This is a smart move. Over the next few years, expect RE:Spark to expand and deepen its support past its high-impact regions. The programme is a practical illustration of how large businesses can engage suppliers to help decarbonise – and if others follow suit, it could create cascading impacts across industry.  

By Bertie Bateman