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Our material issues


We care what our stakeholders think. That’s why our key CSR issues are those which we identified as most important or ‘material’ to our stakeholders and to our business.


 


This identification process involves regularly assessing the topics we discuss with key stakeholders and is guided by the recommendations of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).


 


Our most material issues include:


• employing and retaining people of ability and integrity, who support our business principles of honesty, respect and encouragement


• engaging our Partners and customers to promote sustainable living


• dealing fairly with our suppliers and selling responsibly sourced, quality products


• making a positive difference to the communities where we do business


• responding and adapting to climate change


• minimising the impact of our built operations


• reducing the waste we generate and increasing the proportion that can be used as a resource.


 


Assurance and independent recognition


Our co-ownership structure, built on the principles of openness and transparency, supports our commitment to open and honest disclosure and reporting. We do not currently seek formal external assurance for our CSR reporting in its entirety. Our Internal Audit department conducted an assurance review of this report, and some elements of our data were externally reviewed. For example, Corporate Citizenship, a specialist corporate responsibility consultancy, reviewed and assured our community investment data collation processes. Read its assurance statement online.


 


We also believe that our involvement in external initiatives such as BITC’s Corporate Responsibility Index, as well as stakeholder feedback and the best-practice standards and independent certification schemes we use, add value and credibility to our CSR programmes and reporting.


 


The Partnership was named a Platinum company by scoring 95% in the 2011 Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility Index, the UK’s leading benchmark of responsible businesses. Results were published in June 2011.







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