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CUSTOMERS

Why?

We aim to deal honestly with our customers and secure their loyalty and trust through the provision of outstanding quality, price and service. Only by gathering feedback on our performance from our customers can we raise our standards of service and keep our customers satisfied.

Key interests

• Customer satisfaction.
• Quality and value.
• Sustainable products and services.

Examples of engagement

• Focus groups.
• Customer satisfaction and opinion research and surveys.
• Feedback through customer service teams and online feedback forms.
• Customer forums on waitrose.com.

Outcomes and actions

• Waitrose Customer service recorded 1,684 contacts (via phone, email, letter and in person) regarding its trading policies last year; 56.7% were enquiries, 33.4% were complaints and 9.9% were praise. Of those, 45.8% concerned boycotts, 27.9% were about environmental issues such as palm oil and excessive packaging, and 15.4% concerned animal welfare. Other topics raised included carrier bags, Fairtrade, GM and organics.
• We received a number of customer service awards (see page 19).


SUPPLIERS

Why?

We aim to build lasting relationships with our suppliers, as well as their employees and their suppliers, based on honesty, fairness and courtesy. This increasingly extends to our other business partners too. We are committed to working with them to help them to build sustainable businesses and provide long-term, satisfying employment.

Key interests

• Increasing the sustainability of their products and their companies.
• Long-term relationships.
• Fair treatment and pricing.

Examples of engagement

• Supplier conferences, forums and workshops.
• Day-to-day communications between suppliers, buying teams and technologists.
• Supplier Working Groups and partnered projects.
• Waitrose ‘Meet the Buyer’ and ‘Meet the Farmer’ events.
• Dedicated online supplier data exchanges.

Outcomes and actions

• Waitrose supported the launch of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) Supermarkets and Suppliers’ Protocol.
• A John Lewis supplier conference, the first of its kind, focused on the provenance of materials and innovation, and how suppliers can support our growth ambitions. It also marked the launch of the John Lewis Foundation (see page 18), requesting suppliers to support projects.
• A Waitrose milk supplier hosted a visit to his farm by the Waitrose Buying Manager, Dairy, two local Waitrose supermarket assistants and another dairy farmer who was also representing the Waitrose producer group. This reinforced the importance of the premium Waitrose pays its milk producers in enabling farmers to protect and improve farm biodiversity.


NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS AND CAMPAIGN GROUPS

Why?

We recognise the benefits and importance of proactively engaging with NGOs to understand their views on a range of issues. We continue to work proactively with NGOs and campaign groups on issues that are relevant and material to our business operations or fit with our business principles.

Key interests

• Establishment of mutually beneficial relationships.
• Environmental protection, social and economic development.
• Sustainability of raw materials.
• Supply chain labour standards.

Examples of engagement

• Conferences and speaking engagements.
• Correspondence.
• Face-to-face discussions.
• Communicating our position on a range of social, ethical and environmental matters.
• Responding to information requests and surveys.

Outcomes and actions

• Waitrose’s internal CSR conference – which covered such topics as emissions and food waste – was well attended and gave the opportunity for a range of speakers to directly inspire and engage with our Partners.
• Concerned about the issues associated with flystrike and the practice of mulesing in Australia, John Lewis has engaged with the Australian Wool Industry, via the BRC.
• Engagement with WWF on palm oil contributed to the setting of an ambitious target for using Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (see page 17).