Case Study – M&S: Enhancing sustainable farming practices

We have been working with major food producers in the UK market for several years, and one of our biggest and most successful projects to date is being undertaken with Marks and Spencer (M&S).  

With a mission to achieve net zero emissions by 2040, M&S approached AgriSound for our innovative Polly™ technology, which we swiftly deployed across 18 M&S farm sites.  

By delivering real-time data on pollinator activity, our tech empowers farmers to make informed decisions that enhance habitats and align with sustainability goals. This collaboration not only bolstered M&S’s “Plan A” initiative but also set a new standard for data-driven, nature-friendly farming. 

1. Challenge

Marks and Spencer (M&S), one of the UK’s largest food retailers with a revenue of £11.9 billion in 2023, committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2040 through its “Plan A” initiative. With 72% of the company’s carbon footprint coming from agricultural practices, and pollinators facing a sharp decline with a 60% reduction in wild insects across the UK over the past 20 years, M&S was looking to revolutionise and modernise standard agricultural practice on its farms.  

M&S sought to enhance pollinator habitats on its farms, improve soil quality, and ensure the agricultural practices of its farmers were aligned with sustainability goals. 

2. Solution

To address these challenges, M&S collaborated with AgriSound as part of its “Five-Year Farming with Nature” program, which focuses on regenerative and nature-friendly farming. AgriSound deployed Polly™ – our advanced bio-acoustic listening device – across 18 M&S farm sites, covering 1,000 hectares and 120 habitats.  

Polly™ monitors pollinator density in real-time using acoustic technology and environmental sensors. The data collected from these devices is transmitted via mobile networks and made accessible through a web app, allowing M&S to monitor pollinator activity remotely and make informed decisions to support its biodiversity targets. 

3. Results

Our collaboration has provided M&S with real-time insights into pollinator activity across its farms, empowering farmers to take data-driven actions to improve pollinator habitats and soil health. The fleet of Polly™ devices continue to deliver M&S farmers key insights to identify areas for biodiversity enhancement, to ensure sustainable agricultural practices are followed.  

Over the first three months of the project, our devices have monitored M&S farms for 1500+ continuous hours each, to a total of 160,000+ hours of monitoring. We have recorded 100,000 seconds of bee activity on average per device and found that the best day of summer was the 9th July, with 3,900 seconds of average time of foraging bee activity recorded. 

We have also run workshops in collaboration with M&S to educate the company’s Select Farmers on strategies to attract more pollinators, further strengthening the company’s commitment to sustainability. 

M&S and AgriSound representatives had this to say about the project:  

Andrew Clappen, Technical Director at M&S Food, said:   

“At M&S, our Plan A target is to become a net zero business by 2040. M&S Food makes up the majority of our emissions, with 72% of this coming directly from agriculture. Sustainable farming is not just a nice to have but a necessity for our business. Improving biodiversity is at the forefront of our plans to help farmers become more resilient to the impact of climate change.  

“Pollinators are the unsung heroes of British farming – helping to improve yields and quality while benefitting the wider environment. Since we launched Farming with Nature, we’ve been hosting workshops offering advice to our M&S Select Farmers on the best ways to attract more pollinators. Now, by expanding out our partnership with AgriSound, farms like East Seaton will have real-time data and valuable insights into what’s working and what’s not.”  

Casey Woodward, Founder and CEO of AgriSound, said:   

“The M&S roll-out has marked a turning point for AgriSound technology, where we’ve strived to create an even more powerful network of information about its Select Farms. The development of our Polly™ devices has taken years of dedicated research, and it is really exciting to see our technology continuing to deliver unique insights into pollinator activity for huge names in the food production industry. I look forward to working closely with the Select Farmers to help protect local pollinator communities and boost nature-friendly practices.”