This page contains a Flash digital edition of a book.
Annual Report and Accounts 2015


John Lewis Partnership plc


73


In June we held a summit where 75 of our key timber and paper suppliers joined our buyers at briefings on the EUTR regulation, our timber policy and the compliance process. We also invested significantly in redeveloping our data platform to make it easier for suppliers to share data with us.


In 2016 we will report on our performance against our new ambition to source all the wood and paper used in our John Lewis branded products sustainably and responsibly by the end of 2020 to help tackle global deforestation, and give more details of how we are going to achieve this.


Human rights in the supply chain


John Lewis is committed to respecting human rights throughout our supply chain, working with our suppliers to raise labour standards, improve working conditions, and create meaningful, fairly-rewarded employment. Our Responsible Sourcing Code and sourcing policies reflect this.


We source our products from around the world so it is important for us to have a full picture of where and how our products are made. In 2014, we invested in a new, externally hosted database to give us greater visibility of our entire supply chain. This has helped us with our reporting, improving the speed and accuracy of our data.


Building up a real time picture of our supply base is crucial in order for us to identify any risks and help us shape our improvement programmes. Building on our support for the Modern Slavery Act (see page 117 for more), we have also enhanced our audit programme for our UK factories in order to identify and address any concerns raised relating to employment practice.


In order to ensure that our Partners are equipped to manage our risks in the supply chain, in 2014 more than 85% of our buying and merchandising Partners successfully completed an online responsible buying training module.


Going beyond audits


We understand that improving working conditions in the supply chain goes beyond the audit of the factories we work with. We also support a number of projects overseas which reach and support workers at all tiers in the supply chain.


One example is our rug project in India which aims to improve working conditions and to create meaningful employment for workers in this complex and multi-layered supply chain. During 2014, we worked with the John Lewis Rug Supplier group (known as SAKAAR) to provide support and build knowledge, empowering the group to self-assess all tiers in the local supply chain to improve working conditions. See page 74 for more projects which support our supply chain through the John Lewis Foundation.


The challenge to ensure our standards are upheld throughout the supply chain will remain a priority for us in 2015. We will continue auditing our supply base, improving communications with them in order to further embed our approach to responsible sourcing. We will build our ‘beyond audit’ programme to empower suppliers to take ownership of worker standards, building capacity for long-term sustainable change.


Collaborating with like-minded organisations will also remain a priority for us, so that we can contribute towards sustainable solutions, and continue to deepen our understanding of human rights issues faced by the industry as a whole.


In 2016 we will report on our performance against our ambition and give more details of how we are going to achieve this.


Read more on our standards and policies across the Partnership on page 56.


For more on our sourcing: www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/sourcing


Collaborating on human rights


In 2014, we continued working with the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh. This multi-stakeholder group aims to make sustainable improvements to working conditions in the Bangladesh garment industry. Building, fire safety and electrical inspections have been carried out in all of our factories and we are working with the Accord and our suppliers to implement improvements where necessary.


WORKING WITH OUR SUPPLIERS TO RAISE LABOUR STANDARDS WILL CONTINUE TO BECOME MORE OF A PRIORITY FOR US. THIS MEANS GOING BEYOND COMPLIANCE TO EMPOWER OUR SUPPLIERS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF WORKER STANDARDS.


Stephen Cawley Head of Sustainability and Responsible Sourcing, John Lewis


Introduction


Partnership difference


Principles


Strategy


Performance


Governance


Financial statements


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  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184