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Argos

About Argos

We are a unique multi-channel retailer recognised for choice, value and convenience. We sell general merchandise and products for the home from over 700 stores throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland, online and over the telephone. In the last financial year, our sales were £4.3 billion and we employ some 33,000 people across the business.

We serve over 130 million customers a year through our stores and take 26% of sales through the internet channel alone. Four million customer orders either online or over the phone. On average, 18 million UK households, or around two thirds of the population, have our Argos catalogue at home at any time. We intend to open approximately 20 stores this financial year. This website was the most visited high street retail website in the UK in 2008

Corporate responsibility (‘Responsible retailing’)

Details of our corporate responsibility policy can be found on www.thebasisofgoodbusiness.com

The site includes information on:

‘Keeping clean and green’ - how we deal with environmental issues such as waste management and energy consumption

‘Shopping for tomorrow’ – we are extending our product range to help you make more responsible choices, conserve resources and save money

‘Sourcing with care’ – we provide details of our timber sourcing policy; chemical strategy and ethical trading conditions in our supply chain

‘Being a good neighbour’ – how we support the local and national communities in which we operate

These are just some of the practical ways in which we try to be socially, ethically and environmentally responsible.

Check out our range of eco responsible products in our new 'ecohome' range

Easier shopping for customers with disabilities

We're committed to making our stores and services accessible to everyone. If you need any help shopping with us, please give us a call on 0845 640 3030 or ask in store and we'll do everything we can to make things easier.

You can also contact our 'minicom' service on 0845 640 0755 but you will need a text phone to access this service.

We offer an audio CD version of our services, with a selection of our products. Please call 01435 862 737 for a copy of this CD. (This number cannot deal with any other enquiries)

Information on access to facilities at all our stores is available on www.directenquiries.com  (Argos.co.uk is not responsible for the content of external websites)

Argos and the environment

At Argos we believe in taking a responsible approach to our environment and our local communities. We're committed to reducing the impact our business has on the environment as well as helping you to do the same. We're working hard to reduce the amount of resources we use and the amount of CO2 emissions we produce.

Some of our recent achievements

78% of the waste we produce is recycled

Home Retail Group plc (the owner of Argos) has been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard which certifies that we have genuinely reduced our carbon footprint

72 million fewer carrier bags given out this year than in 2005

80% reduction in waste sent to landfill sites

90% wood is sourced from sustainable or known and legal sources

Our future commitments

Reduce landfill tonnage by a further 25%

Achieve recycling rates of over 82%

Achieve 60% reduction in the consumption of carrier bags (vs 2005)

80% reduction in waste sent to landfill sites

Introduce packaging reductions on a fifth of the product range, targeting a 3,000 tonne packaging saving over the three years 2008/09 and 2011/12

Achieve a further 2% reduction in energy consumption (kWh/sq ft) year on year

Reduce our energy consumption by 40% by 2020( vs 2006)

We believe that working to meet these objectives is the best way to live up to your expectations of us as a retailer, enhance our reputation and manage our resources effectively in the face of rising costs.

For more information on how we operate in a responsible and sustainable way, take a look at our corporate responsibility pages at www.thebasisofgoodbusiness.com

Argos and recycling

Catalogues

With your help, we’re reducing the impact our business has on the environment.

Did you know:

your Argos catalogue is 100% recyclable

we source the paper from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources

our old catalogues are particularly sought after by newspaper print manufacturers

All our catalogues and flyers can be recycled, at any of the following places

Our stores - your nearest store will be happy to recycle the catalogues for you

Local authority collections - If your local authority provides you with newspaper collection services then they can take away our old catalogues

Local recycling points – if these are more convenient, take your catalogue to your nearest collection point - find your nearest recycling centre by visiting www.recyclenow.com

So when you're ready to pick up your new catalogue, please try and recycle your old one.

* Certified by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC). For more info contact: www.pefc.org (this is a separate website and will open a new window)

Waste packaging

Most waste packaging can be recycled. If you require, we will take away your waste packaging when we delivery your new large kitchen appliance. Visit www.recyclenow.com  to find lots of tips on what to do with waste packaging. Cardboard boxes are easy to squash flat and recycle!

Carrier bags

At Argos we’re committed to helping the environment so although we are happy to provide a plastic carrier bag if you request one, please play your part by helping us cut our carrier bag usage by 60%. Reuse our carrier bags as often as possible and when you’ve finished with them, look out for a local recycling scheme or dispose of them safely so that they don't cause a litter problem.

Furniture

If you have an item of furniture that you no longer need following your purchase from Argos, there is a charity near you that can put it to good use. Local charities take unwanted furniture and make it available for people on low incomes. A national helpline is run by the Furniture Re-use Network or you can look for groups on the internet. Website: www.frn.org.uk (this is a separate website and will open a new window).

Disposal of electrical waste products

Argos will collect and recycle your old large kitchen appliance or selected TVs when you buy a new one – just ask our contact centre colleagues at the time of ordering. For all other electrical items, Argos has contributed towards a national fund to assist local councils to improve their existing waste electrical equipment collection facilities. You can take all your other waste electrical goods for recycling to your local council site (and avoid damaging the environment and the potential harmful effects on health).

Look out for the crossed out wheelie bin symbol on electrical goods. The symbol means that you should not put this item in your normal household waste bin.

Not all council sites are suitable to collect all types of waste electrical goods, but to find out your nearest participating site, please visit www.recycle-more.co.uk  (Argos.co.uk is not responsible for the content of external websites).

Batteries

Waste batteries can be returned to our stores free of charge, using the small waste battery bins in store. Batteries should never be put in general household waste or recycling bins - look out for the crossed out wheelie bin symbol on the packaging or the battery itself.

Argos in the community

Argos is proud to be supporting Teenage Cancer Trust until July 2012 after being chosen by an overwhelming majority in our staff vote. Together we will be helping more young people fight cancer by building specialist cancer units in NHS hospitals designed to feel like a ‘home from home’.

Teenage Cancer Trust

Teenage Cancer Trust believes teenagers shouldn’t stop being teenagers because they have cancer. So they fund and build specialist units for young people in NHS hospitals. The units bring teenagers with cancer together with loads of new friends of their own age so they can support each other.

They also provide a medical team of teenage cancer specialists. They are supported by Nurse Consultants who provide clinical care, develop research, deliver professional education and ensure that standards remain as high as possible.

The vision

To ensure 100% of teenage cancer patients have access to specialised support in a Teenage Cancer Trust unit.

Supporting the vision

There are currently 16 Teenage Cancer Trust units across the UK. Argos colleagues and customers will be helping to build a further 18 Teenage Cancer units and help transform the lives of young people with cancer.

You can help in the following ways:

Fundraising: Look out for fundraising activities in your local Argos store

In store donation: Make a donation to Teenage Cancer Trust by simply ticking the box on the selection slip when buying in-store and 20pence will be added to your total.

Online donation: you can make a donation on-line now, please use the donate button*.

For more information about Teenage Cancer Trust visit www.teenagecancertrust.org

Argos.co.uk is not responsible for the content of external websites

Community policy

As a major retailer we receive many requests for support from charities, community groups and not for profit organisations. To respond to these requests we have introduced a scheme in which three randomly selected organisations will benefit from a gift voucher donation of either £250 or £150 or £100 – every month. (Redeemable in Argos and Homebase stores). Find out more at www.thebasisofgoodbusiness.com

Stock donations

We also receive many requests for donations of stock from local charities, community groups and not for profit organisations. In response to this kind of request, we make an annual donation of stock to InKind Direct – a registered charity which manages the distribution of stock to a network of registered charities.

Volunteering

This year we are launching a volunteering programme in Argos to develop links between Argos stores and local secondary schools and to help students learn more about the world of work. The programme will be suported by our volunteering policy and colleagues will be able to request two paid days off per year to get involved and to give something back to their local communities.

Other areas of Home Retail Group

Homebase

As part of the Home Retail Group, our sister company Homebase offers a large range of kitchens, bathrooms and home furniture. Homebase also provides DIY advice and how-to guides across a broad range of home enhancement and DIY categories.

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