Management and Business Studies
PhD Researcher in Management and Business Studies (ESRC 1+3)
School of Economics, Finance and Management, University of Bristol
Start date: October 2019
Research topic: Salvage and sustainability: the impact of professionalisation on the sustainability potential of UK charity shops
Charity shops currently make a significant contribution to UK sustainability, diverting thousands of tonnes of goods from landfill annually. However, this environmental benefit is a side-effect of the fundraising activities of charity shops, rather than a goal in itself. High donation levels, precipitated by the scale of contemporary consumption and growing consumer concern regarding responsible disposal, allow charity retailers to implement highly selective stock processing procedures, particularly in the increasingly prevalent ‘boutique-style’ charity shops. My research evaluates the ambiguous role of professionalisation on the salvage of goods donated to charity shops, and its consequences for the sustainability agenda.
Research supervisors: Professor David Evans, Professor Dale Southerton