Four years ago, Lynne Walker stepped into the then brand-new role of director of Primark Cares, the high street fashion brand’s strategy and platform to explore and deliver sustainable development across its operations and supply chains.

Over the course of those four years, and under the leadership of Lynne, Primark Cares has spearheaded swathe after swathe of progressive and positive changes to redress its relationship with fashion. 

Projects launched under Lynne’s watch to date include the launch of Primark’s first circular product collection, its recently launched durability and repair initiatives, and possible its most successful to date – the continued growth and expansion of its Primark Cares Sustainable Cotton Programme, delivering education into regenerative farming practices to cotton farmers around the world.

That’s not bad going for just four years. But it does mean Lynne works to a very hectic schedule. We manage to crowbar ourselves into it to catch up with Lynne to chat all things inspirational about women leadership in sustainability.

It’s lovely to chat with you Lynne. Four years now into your role as director of Primark Cares and it must be incredibly rewarding to head up what has essentially been setting an entirely new course for retail and high street fashion. What do you love most about what you get to do?

As the director of Primark Cares, I’ve had the privilege of leading a transformative journey for Primark in the past four years. What I find most fulfilling in my role is the opportunity to leverage the scale of our business for good. It’s truly inspiring to witness the impact we can make when a brand like Primark commits to becoming a more sustainable and circular business.

One aspect I particularly love is how we’re offering our customers a growing choice of more sustainable products at affordable prices. We really believe that making more sustainable choices shouldn’t come with a big price tag and whether it’s through our collaborations like Rita Ora X Primark, The Edit, or our everyday essentials and basics, we’re proud to offer a wide range of options that are accessible to everyone. 

Seeing our ambition to become a more sustainable and circular business become ingrained in our everyday culture and expand throughout our network of colleagues and suppliers is also incredibly rewarding. We’re making strides in areas such as circularity, durability, and repair, and it’s exciting to see our efforts scale and become integral parts of our operations. 

Most importantly is the passion and learning that the teams demonstrate to achieve our sustainable ambitions. 

We’d love to learn more about your pathway into the sustainable development of one of the world’s biggest high street fashion brands. How did you come into this world of sustainability?

My background is in fashion buying, and my last role prior to Primark Cares Director was the role of Menswear Trading Director for eight years. 

Before joining Primark, I spent 16 years at Next, where I held various roles within Buying across Men’s, Women’s, Children’s, and Home departments. Here I developed a deep understanding of retail operations and consumer trends, and the potential for positive change. It laid a strong foundation for what I’m doing today. 

Being part of Primark’s sustainability journey allows me to merge my expertise in buying and design with my passion for environmental and social responsibility. It’s a privilege to be responsible for driving meaningful changes to our business that make a positive impact on the planet and people’s lives.

So, with such a successful career to date at Primark and before that, Next – what perspective of the global fashion scene – and the need to drive sustainable change within that – has that given you? 

There is a growing urgency for the fashion industry to address its environmental and social impacts. Customers, governments, legislators, and regulatory bodies are all expecting much more from retailers like Primark.   

Change is not just an option but a necessity for the industry’s long-term viability – and because of our scale, every small change we make will have a big impact. 

Driving that change within the fashion industry involves not only rethinking where we source our products and how they are made, but also fostering a shift in consumer behaviour and challenging industry norms. It requires collaboration across the entire supply chain, from suppliers and manufacturers to retailers, and a joint commitment to transparency and accountability.

Using business as that tool for global change… from the outside that looks and sounds like a huge job! What mantra or rule do you adopt to tackle the topic day-in day-out? 

My approach is guided by three key principles: resilience, bravery, and empathy. Each day I try to harness these principles to tackle the challenges we face head-on, knowing that our unwavering commitment to making a positive impact fuels our determination – and on some days, there are moments when we should pause, take a breath, acknowledge our progress, and remember that we are making a difference. 

I draw inspiration, resilience and of course laughter from the people that stand alongside me to drive change within this business – my team are some of the most passionate people I have met. They pick you up on difficult days and we all support each other, as change can be hard, but worthwhile. 

Where do you draw inspiration from to keep nudging things forward and helping the business establish new parameters to operate within?

I find inspiration in the rapidly changing industry landscape – keeping an eye on emerging trends, best practices, and success stories and ideas from other brands excites me about the possibilities for Primark. 

I’m equally inspired by the passion and dedication of my colleagues, stakeholders, and the partners that we work with. Collaborating with like-minded people truly motivated to make a difference fuels my determination to drive meaningful change within our business.  

Looking at brands, licensing, and retail in general – from your perspective, what power do these things collectively have to change the face of business today?

Brands and fashion retailers like Primark have a significant responsibility here. We’re influencing what products consumers buy, how they buy them, and what they do with them at the end of their life. Prioritising sustainability and ethics should be a core business principle. 

But one brand can’t do this alone. If we want to drive meaningful change we must inspire collective action. By collaborating and sharing best practice as well as some of the challenges and lessons we are learning along the way, brands and retailers can accelerate progress towards a more sustainable future.

Lynne, thank you for chatting with Products of Change and congratulations on all the work you and the team have accomplished so far. Before you shoot off, what advice or thought would you offer to the next generation coming into the retail and brand industries looking to make change?

Be unafraid to make a difference, build the environment that you want to experience everyday,, and remember to bring others with you for support and joy!