Csr French Connection

corporate social responsibility

The Board recognises that the long term profitability of the business depends, amongst other things, on appropriate protection of the Group's assets, reputation and brand names. The risk register and the process for the review of internal controls therefore include the potential impact on the business of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) issues.

The Board considers that the principal CSR issues which face the French Connection group are:

Ð'* the provision of a safe and healthy environment for our employees and retail customers;

Ð'* the business's direct and indirect impact on the environment; and

Ð'* the employment, environmental and social practices of the business's suppliers.

Safe and healthy environment

The business aims to comply with all locally applicable health and safety regulations in the countries in which we operate. This includes the provision and maintenance of safe environments for our employees, appropriate design of our stores, health and safety training for appropriate personnel, electrical installation reviews, risk assessments and risk monitoring in our offices, stores and warehouses.

Impact on the environment

The Group's major manageable environmental impacts stem from the use of disposable packaging both at retail and for wholesale shipping and the use of power in our premises. In the UK, the business meets its responsibilities under the packaging waste regulations through membership of Valpak. Further, a review is underway to consider the use of reusable cartons for in-country distribution as both a cost and waste reduction measure. The business has recently changed its large sites power supply