What: Harrods has appointed Natalie Deacon as head of sustainability to support the next phase of its ESG strategy.

Why it is important: The appointment shows how luxury department stores are making ESG a senior leadership priority tied to operations, governance and long-term resilience.

Harrods has appointed Natalie Deacon as head of sustainability, marking a reinforced senior leadership focus on the luxury department store’s long-term ESG goals. Deacon joined Harrods last month after spending 20 years at Avon, where she most recently served as executive director for purpose and sustainability. Her appointment is intended to support Harrods’ next phase of sustainability, with the retailer aiming to embed ESG more deeply across everyday operations. The move follows the publication of Harrods’ third annual ESG report, which highlighted progress including a decade of zero waste to landfill, a 9% year-on-year reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and the closure of its median gender pay gap to 0.2%. The report also emphasised social sustainability and governance measures, including trained mental health first aiders, charity days, employee fundraising, menopause, domestic abuse and fertility policies, and a new Partner Code of Conduct for suppliers. Managing director Michael Ward said Harrods is building a more responsible and resilient future while moving forward from its previous ownership.

IADS Notes: Harrods’ appointment of Natalie Deacon as head of sustainability builds on a wider shift from ESG reporting toward operational execution, governance and reputation rebuilding in luxury department stores. In July 2026, Drapers reported that Deacon’s role will support Harrods’ next ESG phase by embedding sustainability across everyday operations, customers, colleagues and long-term goals. Fashion Network’s March 2026 coverage of Harrods’ renewed partnership with Traid showed how the retailer is translating circularity into surplus management, staff engagement, donations and workshops. The governance dimension is equally important: Drapers reported in June 2026 that Harrods sought court-appointed oversight of Mohamed Al Fayed’s estate to support fairer compensation channels, while BoF’s March 2026 coverage of the closure of Harrods’ compensation scheme highlighted the ethical and reputational complexity of addressing legacy misconduct. The wider UK luxury context is reflected in Fashion Network’s January 2026 report on Selfridges and MyGroup’s beauty and fragrance recycling programme, which showed how department stores are embedding sustainability through customer incentives and circular-economy infrastructure.

Harrods names new head of sustainability