A shared passion for our communities


We are committed to making a positive difference to the communities where we do business.


OUR KEY AIMS


Develop a Partnership community vision and strategy, and better measure the outputs and impacts of our community investment.


Contribute at least 1% of pre-tax profits to community initiatives.


Provide support to overseas disasters through the British Red Cross.


Increase the number of Golden Jubilee Trust secondments in line with business growth.


 


2.59% - Share of pre-tax profits donated to charitable and community initiatives


 


LOCAL COMMUNITIES


When considering the location for a new shop, we explore all potential aspects and impacts, from transport to architecture to public safety, with local authorities and developers. We also engage with community groups to ensure our shops suit their surroundings, offer long-term value and attract local people into rewarding, fulfilling jobs. The communities where we operate benefit from the many ways in which we support local charities and community groups.


OUR COMMUNITY STRATEGY


In 2009/10, our charitable and community contributions totalled £7.9 million, which is equivalent to 2.59% of our pre-tax profits. Although many and varied, our community programmes have evolved in an organic way so, since May 2010, we have been working on a Partnership-wide strategy. This work will enable us to more clearly define what community means to our Partners and our business, agree a framework for all our community activity, and find better ways to evaluate and report its value and impacts.


PARTNER-LED ACTIVITIES


Our community programmes offer opportunities for our Partners to mobilise others behind good causes.


• John Lewis’ 2010 Charity of the year, Beating Bowel Cancer, benefitted from a charity fundraising week in April 2010, which featured everything from abseiling to fashion shows to leg-waxing.


• Corporate Partners raised more than £31,000 when fundraising for their 2009 Charity of the year, the Alzheimer’s Society.


• Waitrose’s Community Matters scheme donated over £2.5 million in 2009/10 to more than 8,000 worthy causes.


Photograph by Dave Francis, www.skydiveweston.com



PARTNER VOLUNTEERING





By volunteering, our Partners can use their skills to meet the needs of their communities and also get the chance to develop new skills. Through our flagship scheme, the Golden Jubilee Trust, Partners volunteered 21,399 hours to UK charities. In total, 441 Partners have given over 181,500 hours to more than 400 UK charities since it was established in April 2000, and to celebrate its 10-year anniversary, we are providing an additional £50,000 to the Trust to fund 10 additional secondments this year.


Read our full CSR report online at www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/csrreports

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