Plan A chief Mike Barry to leave M&S at end of month

Mike Barry is stepping down from his role as Director of Sustainable Business (Plan A) at Marks and Spencer.

He will be replaced by the retailer’s Sustainable Business Manager, Carmel McQuaid. Barry played a key role in formulating Marks and Spencer's Plan A strategy when it launched in 2007, detailing a series of commitments intended to make it the world's most sustainable retailer. These included making its stores, offices and warehouses in the UK and Ireland carbon neutral, ensuring they sent no waste to landfill, and cutting the use of plastic carrier bags by 80%.

“After 19 fabulous years am leaving M&S at the end of June. Have loved every day working for a very special business and with an exceptional group of people stretching every sinew to deliver for customers, communities and planet alike,” Barry said in a LinkedIn post.

“We have not got every part of the journey right but we’ve all achieved a lot together, learnt loads and shared with so many other good stakeholders the challenges and possibilities of sustainable change. A long planned succession will now see the incomparable Carmel McQuaid take the Plan A helm. Thank you all for your support.”

He now plans to take some time off before returning to sustainability-related work later this year.