What: El Corte Inglés has achieved Zero Waste certification across all its department stores, food formats, outlets and logistics platforms in Spain and Portugal.

Why it is important: The milestone demonstrates how waste recovery, employee training and logistics optimisation can turn sustainability goals into everyday retail execution.

El Corte Inglés has completed its 2026 Zero Waste road map by securing AENOR Zero Waste certification across all department stores, logistics platforms, Supercor, Sanchez Romero and Outlet sites in Spain and Portugal. More than 300 establishments and platforms were certified in 2025, confirming that the company has embedded circular economy practices across its retail and logistics network. The system requires more than 90% of managed waste to be recovered. El Corte Inglés exceeded that threshold by recovering more than 100,000 tonnes of waste, equal to over 94% of the total managed, and avoiding more than 61,000 tonnes of CO₂e emissions. The programme covers more than 50 waste categories, including paper, cardboard, plastics, organic waste and electrical and electronic equipment. The company says the system also supports food-waste reduction through donations and emissions cuts through logistics route optimisation and improved vehicle loading. Its model relies on annual internal and external audits, staff training, regional environmental officers and Zero Waste managers at each centre to ensure ongoing improvement.

IADS Notes: El Corte Inglés’s Zero Waste milestone confirms that circularity has become a structured operating model across its stores, food formats, outlets and logistics platforms in Spain and Portugal. In June 2026, RHH Digital reported that the group had achieved AENOR Zero Waste certification across more than 300 sites, valorising over 100,000 tonnes of waste and avoiding more than 61,000 tonnes of CO₂e emissions, supported by audits, staff training, environmental delegates and Zero Waste managers. This builds on the broader Sustainability Plan covered by Modaes in August 2025, which linked circular economy initiatives, governance innovation and environmental impact reduction to the goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. Digital Leon’s March 2026 coverage of Earth Hour showed how El Corte Inglés uses climate campaigns and employee communication to reinforce ESG awareness, while the June 2026 company press release placed sustainability within a wider agenda of operational excellence, logistics innovation, store modernisation and disciplined investment. The relevance extends beyond Spain: Falabella’s July 2026 Sustainability Report similarly positioned measurable ESG action as a driver of omnichannel efficiency, customer trust and long-term competitiveness.

El Corte Inglés meets its Zero Waste road map