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Suppliers
WHY WE ENGAGE
Our relationships with our suppliers are based on honesty, fairness, courtesy and prompt attention. Our aim is to build lasting relationships with suppliers.
We have always recognised that our responsibility to them extends to their employees and suppliers. We are committed to working with our suppliers to help them build sustainable businesses, commercially, ethically and environmentally, and provide long-term, satisfying employment.
HOW WE ENGAGE
• Supplier conferences, forums and workshops
• Day-to-day communications between suppliers and our buying teams and technologists
• Supplier Working Groups
• Partnered projects
• Waitrose ‘Meet the Buyer’ and ‘Meet the Farmer’ events
• Dedicated supplier online dataexchanges and specific initiatives such as our responsible sourcing programme
OUTCOMES
In 2008, we ran a supplier workshop with Business in the Community as part of their Plough to Plate project. Focus areas for this discussion were raising awareness of where food comes from and supplier–retailer collaboration to reduce environmental impact.
Partnered projects include Waitrose working with fresh produce suppliers to assess carbon in the supply chain as well as working with LEAF to use the LEAF Marque at a global level, and John Lewis working to understand the cotton supply chain and how it impacts those working within it.
We have developed an online e-learning tool on ethical sourcing as well as a workbook to support UK growers. Both these projects aim to help suppliers better understand the elements of our Responsible Sourcing Code of Practice. In 2009, John Lewis held a Supplier Timber Day with furniture suppliers to communicate its ambition and for suppliers and buyers to discuss targets for the future proportion of indoor furniture ranges to be FSC-certified.
To promote awareness of our suppliers internally and externally we publish supplier feature articles in the Gazette and JLP e-zine. Suppliers also play a key role at the annual Waitrose Spring Food Festival.
Government, local authorities and regulators
WHY WE ENGAGE
As a responsible company we aim to meet the spirit as well as the letter of the law. We engage with governments and regulators to raise awareness of the nature and uniqueness of our business and to provide a considered view on issues that impact our business, particularly those that may affect our Partners, our customers and the communities in which we operate.
HOW WE ENGAGE
• Government consultations, Select Committee sessions and meetings
• Engage in regular dialogue with policy makers on key issues affecting our Partners, our customers and the communities in which we operate
• Sit on various business leader forums and policy advisory groups
• Work with trade associations such as British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) and other industry groups
• Work closely with local authorities during the planning and construction of all our new builds
• Work closely with regulators such as the Environment Agency and the Health & Safety Executive to make sure that the Partnership operates in compliance with the law
OUTCOMES
Representatives from the Partnership provided evidence at a number of Government Select Committees covering waste, health, farming and town centres first policy.
We responded directly or through the BRC and its Scottish counterpart the SRC to government consultations covering issues such as carrier bags, packaging and waste.
We are active on a number of business leaders forums and government policy advisory groups, including the Climate Change Leaders Group, the BRC and the Retail Energy Forum.
We have worked on industry initiatives such as the BRC’s A Better Retailing Climate initiative, launched in April 2008. This sets out the retail industry’s collective environmental ambitions. We have also been signatories to two voluntary agreements aimed at reducing the number and environmental impact of single-use carrier bags.
Our Corporate Communications team has introduced an online parliamentary e-newsletter for MPs on areas of government policy. This has included regular updates on our responsible business practices.
NGOs, campaign groups and consumer associations
WHY WE ENGAGE
We recognise the benefits and importance of proactively engaging with NGOs to understand their views on a broad range of issues.
We continue to work proactively with non-governmental organisations and consumer associations by entering into constructive engagement on campaign issues that we believe should be supported or that are relevant to our business.
HOW WE ENGAGE
• Meetings
• Collaboration on joint projects
• Surveys and research
• Information requests about our performance
OUTCOMES
We have ongoing partnerships with a wide range of organisations such as the Marine Conservation Society, Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Wildcare, LEAF and the Prince’s Rainforests Project.
We have responded to a number of NGO surveys and benchmarks covering issues such as refrigeration, beef sourcing and palm oil.
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