Next PLC – Lobbying Governance & Transparency

Sign up to access all our data and the evidence and analysis underlying our overall scores. Once you've created an account, we'll get in touch with further details:

Lobbying Governance

Overall Assessment	Analysis	Score
Moderate	Next PLC discloses a defined internal process to manage how its policy engagement on climate is conducted and overseen, indicating moderate governance. The company explains that "engagement activities relating to the climate change agenda are centrally managed through the Product Legislation and Sustainable Development Department which reports directly to the Group Finance Director," and that "enquiries/correspondence that enter the business through other routes are passed to this team for review and management," demonstrating a mechanism to channel and screen lobbying-related interactions. Alignment with climate strategy is explicitly sought, as the process "ensures Next can deliver a common approach both internally and externally and ensure the approach is consistent with our overall climate change strategy." Oversight is clearly assigned: "The Head of Product Legislation and Sustainable Development… provides updates to the Audit Committee as a standing agenda item," while "the Board has delegated oversight of ESG activities to the Audit Committee," establishing a formal governance body that reviews these activities. The disclosure also notes that "an ESG Steering Group meets quarterly to oversee the delivery of our action plan and improvement roadmap," reinforcing internal monitoring. However, the company does not disclose any systematic review of the climate positions of its trade associations, nor does it describe corrective or escalation steps if misalignment is found, and it states "No" to having a public commitment to conduct engagement in line with the Paris Agreement. No independent lobbying audit or public reporting on alignment is provided. Therefore, while there is a documented process and named oversight that covers direct climate-related engagement, transparency on indirect lobbying and detailed monitoring outcomes is not disclosed. View Sources	C

Overall Assessment

Analysis

Score

Moderate

Next PLC discloses a defined internal process to manage how its policy engagement on climate is conducted and overseen, indicating moderate governance. The company explains that "engagement activities relating to the climate change agenda are centrally managed through the Product Legislation and Sustainable Development Department which reports directly to the Group Finance Director," and that "enquiries/correspondence that enter the business through other routes are passed to this team for review and management," demonstrating a mechanism to channel and screen lobbying-related interactions. Alignment with climate strategy is explicitly sought, as the process "ensures Next can deliver a common approach both internally and externally and ensure the approach is consistent with our overall climate change strategy." Oversight is clearly assigned: "The Head of Product Legislation and Sustainable Development… provides updates to the Audit Committee as a standing agenda item," while "the Board has delegated oversight of ESG activities to the Audit Committee," establishing a formal governance body that reviews these activities. The disclosure also notes that "an ESG Steering Group meets quarterly to oversee the delivery of our action plan and improvement roadmap," reinforcing internal monitoring. However, the company does not disclose any systematic review of the climate positions of its trade associations, nor does it describe corrective or escalation steps if misalignment is found, and it states "No" to having a public commitment to conduct engagement in line with the Paris Agreement. No independent lobbying audit or public reporting on alignment is provided. Therefore, while there is a documented process and named oversight that covers direct climate-related engagement, transparency on indirect lobbying and detailed monitoring outcomes is not disclosed.

View Sources

Lobbying Transparency

Overall Assessment	Analysis	Score
Comprehensive	Next PLC provides an exceptionally full picture of its climate-related public-policy engagement. It names a broad suite of specific measures it has worked on, including the 2018 CBI consultation on business energy efficiency, the 2019 BEIS call for evidence on an energy-efficiency scheme for SMEs, the Plastic Packaging Tax, DEFRA’s Waste Strategy review and proposals for Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility, the Waste Prevention Programme for England, consultations on single-use plastics and on the Single Use Products Directive, as well as submissions to the Environmental Audit Committee on the environmental impact of the fashion industry. The company is equally explicit about how and where it lobbies. It describes responding to government consultations, submitting evidence directly and through the British Retail Consortium, taking part in BRC-arranged meetings with DEFRA and HMRC, corresponding by e-mail, and giving testimony to the Parliamentary Environmental Audit Committee. The relevant policymaking targets—BEIS, DEFRA, HMRC and the Environmental Audit Committee—are all identified. Finally, the disclosures spell out the policy outcomes sought. Next supports modulated packaging fees that reward recyclability, wants consistent kerbside collection services across the UK to improve recycling rates and stimulate secondary material markets, backs the development of Extended Producer Responsibility for textiles and related measures to promote better product design and information, and calls for financing mechanisms to help businesses invest in energy-efficiency improvements. By detailing concrete objectives, the company clarifies both the direction and purpose of its lobbying. Altogether, the disclosures demonstrate a comprehensive level of transparency across policies engaged, mechanisms used and outcomes pursued.	A