John Lewis Partnership Annual Report and Accounts 2015

Annual Report and Accounts 2015

John Lewis Partnership plc

65

The Waitrose Farm Risk Assessment

We continue to ensure transparency in our supply chains and work with suppliers to identify challenges and solutions. An example of this is our Waitrose Farm Risk Assessment, which we started in 2011. Our trained assessors engage with over 1,000 farmers in 43 countries to fully understand current sustainability performance and identify potential solutions. We publicly disclose our findings so that others can benefit from our analysis.

Treating People Fairly Human rights and working conditions

At Waitrose, we are committed to working with our suppliers to uphold the highest standards of human rights and working conditions in our supply chain. In addition to the Partnership’s Responsible Sourcing Code of Practice, Waitrose has a Code of Practice on Responsible Labour Provision. This requires suppliers to ensure effective procedures are in place to prevent any exploitation of workers, for example through strict requirements around the use of licensed labour providers.

Collaborating for change

Waitrose continues to work with Stronger Together, a multi-stakeholder initiative which tackles hidden labour exploitation in the UK. In 2014, more than 140 of our UK suppliers attended Stronger Together workshops to increase their understanding of issues such as forced labour, exploitative practices by labour providers, human trafficking, and the role of organisations such as the Gangmasters Licensing Authority.

In 2014, we collaborated with other supermarkets, importers, the Ethical Trading Initiative and Oxfam, to improve working conditions in the Moroccan strawberry sector. We have seen improvements in conditions for workers in some areas including health and safety standards, although there is still a long way to go. We also supported Project Issara in Thailand, in collaboration with other supermarkets and Anti-Slavery International. This aims to improve human rights and working conditions in the Thai seafood sector.

Fairtrade

In 2014, we expanded our Fairtrade certified own-label tea range and our Waitrose brown baking sugars and the Seriously block chocolate range are now all 100% certified.

We also entered into a ‘first of its kind’ partnership with the Fairtrade Foundation to increase the social and economic impact of our respective supply networks. The work of the Waitrose Foundation will be recognised and validated by the Fairtrade Foundation.

In 2014, we became members of Cruelty Free International. They now certify all of our own label cosmetic and household products.

We are committed to going beyond certification in our respective supply networks. See www.waitrose.com/fairtrade for the latest information on our commitments, and page 66 of the report to find out more about how we are supporting local communities in our supply chain overseas through the Waitrose Foundation.

Supporting our farmers

a Partnerships with Farming Futures and Duchy Originals Future Farming Programme deliver efficiencies to our farmers.

a Our ‘farm gate’ milk and beef pricing policy protects farmers’ incomes.

a We champion British with the biggest range of English wine in the UK, and 100% British fresh beef, pork, chicken, eggs and milk.

a We transfer knowledge with briefings including those from veterinary specialist and bankers.

a We source more UK high-protein beans to replace imported soya for our livestock feed.

Animal welfare

In 2014, our improved reporting of our high standards placed us in the top tier of Compassion in World Farming’s Business Benchmark on Animal Welfare. This year we will be striving to further develop our welfare reporting strategy ahead of the 2016 Benchmark report.

Introduction

Partnership difference

Principles

Strategy

Performance

Governance

Financial statements

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