This book includes a plain text version that is designed for high accessibility. To use this version please follow this link.

Our stakeholder engagement


Collaborating and building relationships with our stakeholders is critical to our continued business success. We seek open dialogue with our stakeholders to help us to understand their views on issues that impact our business.


 


During 2010, internal stakeholder and governance groups were involved in a review of our stakeholder engagement activities, which included prioritising and developing both new and existing relationships. Read more about why and how we engage with our stakeholders.


 


Partners 


• We used the results of the 2010 Partner Survey to inform our Partner Strategy priorities as we recognise that our success centres on maintaining a clear view of what Partners feel about their experience of the Partnership.


• 2010/11 Partnership Council meetings included interactive sessions with Councillors giving feedback on our business plan, business strategy, and Partner issues such as pay policy and our learning and development offer. We also gained valuable input during a session on CSR at our March 2011 meeting.


• The Partnership ran focus groups with Partners to help to shape our community programme going forward. See A strategic review.


 


Customers 


• In the Institute of Customer Service’s UK Customer Satisfaction Awards 2011, John Lewis won the ‘People’s Choice’ trophies for Most Trusted Organisation and Most Reliable Organisation, while Waitrose won Most Responsive Organisation and Valued Customer.


• John Lewis and Waitrose launched official social media channels including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter to connect with customers, share news and gather feedback. John Lewis has also launched a website which delivers a mobile optimised version of Johnlewis.com for smartphone devices. Waitrose has launched an official iPhone app and the waitrose.com Forum continued to spark discussions on issues including health, nutrition and sustainability.


 


Suppliers


• In India, John Lewis works with a group of suppliers that invests in local environmental and community projects, and ensures children of weavers do not work on looms but attend a school that John Lewis supports.


• In 2010/11, we had more than 200 Waitrose Foundation projects running in South Africa, Kenya and Ghana to support farm workers and their communities.


• Working closely with our suppliers has resulted in 120 sustainable packaging projects. See Packaging, waste and recycling.


 


Government and regulators


• The Partnership is engaged in a dialogue with Ministers and parliamentarians on the new National Planning Policy Framework, highlighting the benefits of a ‘town centre first’ approach that supports the long-term development and regeneration of town and city centres.


• The Partnership is providing evidence to the Prime Minister’s Task Force on Childhood and Families, the UK Department for Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) Consultation on Modern Workplaces and Labour’s Policy Review into Family Life on its experience of family-friendly working practices.


• The Partnership has an engagement programme supporting our Carbon Reduction Plan, which seeks to simplify the UK Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme and influence policies that will drive investment in renewable technologies for both business and consumers.


 


NGOs and campaign groups


• Waitrose, along with other supermarket retailers, commissioned Africa Now, an international development organisation, to investigate child labour in vanilla production in Madagascar.


• We are supporting the national ‘Close the Door’ campaign to help save energy. See Energy.


• The Partnership engaged with Forum for the Future when setting our new carbon reduction target. See Climate change.


 


Local communities 


 


• Waitrose and John Lewis hosted a successful pilot event to help branches develop deeper relationships with local government and decision-makers. Attended by 50 external stakeholders, the event included valuable round-table discussions on working together to deliver growth, promoting social wellbeing and driving competitive regional advantage.


• We interviewed various community partner organisations in our review of our community programme. See A strategic review.


• For our shops adjacent to the Olympic Park, we are engaging with local communities and government agencies to train and recruit unemployed people. See Local investment.


• Our ‘at home’ shop openings in Croydon, Tunbridge Wells and Swindon all involved a number of stakeholders from the local community and we hosted preview events for key stakeholders.


 


Media 


• The Partnership created various short films about our business, available online.


• The John Lewis autumn–winter press show was a great success with hundreds of journalists, bloggers and retail analysts visiting over the two-day event.


• The unveiling of the new Oxford Street womenswear fashion floor was attended by a range of journalists and designers.


• Waitrose held an event for media to launch its range of nutritionally balanced foods, LOVE life.


• Waitrose held an event at Highgrove to launch the Duchy Originals from Waitrose brand.







Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42