Page 26 Supplier relationships


Waitrose Foundation
As an importer of large amounts of fruit from South Africa, we are keen to contribute towards the sustainable development of the communities where the fruit is grown. We do this through an agreement with importers, export agents and growers, which enables us and our suppliers to pass back a proportion of the profit for every product bearing the Waitrose Foundation logo. Extended from citrus fruit, the scheme now includes all categories of fruit sourced from South Africa.

The Waitrose Foundation is an independent charitable organisation, established three years ago, which allows us to develop and support schemes that contribute to the communities where our suppliers live and work. In line with the South African Government's aspirations for black economic empowerment, the programme will ultimately offer grants for buying land, to be held in trust on the workers' behalf.

Since the Foundation's launch, 58 social, educational and health projects, selected by the worker councils on the farms, have been set up, improving the quality of life for more than 19,000 workers (up from 5,000 workers in 2005) on 32 farms. The projects cover training in literacy, IT, technical and life skills to help workers to earn a living outside the fruit growing season.

Examples include:
> Katco's Adult Basic Education Training (ABET), which has 240 farm workers engaged in its literacy programme, and a new sewing project to meet the local demand for work overalls
> La Colline Farm's capacity building programme, which has seen 17 farm workers enrolled in it's ABET adult literacy programme
> an AIDS awareness campaign hosted by Bavaria Farm, with locals from the surrounding farms and communities coming to learn more, be tested and receive counselling and treatment
> a crèche in Westfalia, where all the young children from the farms can now receive both first-stage education and nutritious food
> bursaries for college education.

"The Waitrose Foundation is set to make a sterling contribution to the development of human capital and empowerment of people in South Africa. Its programme is innovative, pioneering and appears genuine in the face of the social and economic challenges of the country. We are most pleased with this initiative and support it with much anticipation."
Mohammed Karaan Vice-Chairperson of the South African Government's National Agricultural Marketing Council

Further information

> www.sedex.org.uk
Supplier Ethical Data Exchange

> www.gla.gov.uk
Gangmasters Licensing Authority

> www.bitc.org.uk
Business in the Community

> www.waitrose.com/foundation
Waitrose Foundation