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CSR overview


 


About this report


This is a Partnership-wide report of our CSR performance, achievements, aims for the future and external recognition, including the operations of both John Lewis and Waitrose. Our report covers the areas we have identified as most material to our business and focuses on the areas of our business where we have operational control. Therefore, stores in the Middle East operated by Fine Fare Food Market LLC, and arrangements with Boots and Welcome Break are excluded from our CSR reporting boundary and key performance indicators.


 


Our report covers our operations’ activities from summer 2010 to spring 2011 and unless stated otherwise, figures in this report relate to our trading year running from February 2010 to January 2011. We produce our CSR report annually; our last report was published in August 2010, and our reports are available on our website. 


Looking forward, our aspiration is to better align the publication of our CSR report with our Annual Report and Accounts, published in April. 


In reporting our performance, we are guided by the Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) G3 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines and consider this report to be aligned with a GRI checked level B. For information relating to the Guidelines, please see our GRI index. This report is produced for our key stakeholders as detailed in Our stakeholder engagement.


 


Governance and risk management


Effective governance and risk management are essential for running our business responsibly, and benefiting our stakeholders over the long term.


 


Our business’ governance system focuses on being both commercial and democratic, and includes three governing authorities: the Partnership Board, the elected Partnership Council and the Executive Chairman. The Board is responsible for our overall management and performance, and approving our long-term objectives.


 


Led by our Chairman, Charlie Mayfield, our Responsible Business Group is the heart of our CSR governance arrangements and is supported by steering groups. It has made great progress in driving change across the Partnership with recent highlights including our new carbon reduction plan and community investment review.


 


In 2010/11, we enhanced our CSR governance to drive forward our programmes. For example, we strengthened our Environment Steering Group with a Carbon Reduction Group. In 2011, we will be reviewing the role and purpose of the Responsible Business Group to ensure it remains robust in supporting us as we further develop our CSR agenda.


 


Managing risk


Our Audit and Risk Committee meets four times a year to review the effectiveness of the Partnership’s internal controls and risk management systems. Read more about our business risk management online.


 


We have a formal process to assess and prioritise our CSR risks, which helps us to decide where to focus our efforts and identify opportunities. In 2010, we conducted an internal assurance audit on CSR to assess our key CSR management controls. As a result, we continue to implement new processes and ways of working to improve our internal control. For example, we are implementing a new database for improved tracking of the CSR risks and opportunities we face and our internal audit team will participate in our assurance process for this, and future, CSR reports.


 


We welcome your feedback on this report and our approach to CSR. If you have any comments or questions, please email us at csr@johnlewis.co.uk.





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