CSR and Diversity
Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a modern term, but it perfectly encapsulates the ideals and principles on which the Partnership was built – and which remain the cornerstone of our business today.
As a responsible retailer, we believe that the long-term future of the Partnership is best served by respecting the interests of all our stakeholders: Partners, customers, suppliers and the wider community.
What’s more, we actively look for opportunities to improve the environment and to contribute to the well-being of the communities in which we trade.
Below you will see the CSR principles we follow and the programmes we have developed.
Principles:
Shared responsibility
Social and environmental responsibility involves everyone. In our own case, the Partnership's unique structure means that Partners share the responsibilities of ownership as well as its rewards.
Honesty and accountability
We communicate our environmental policies, objectives and performance openly and honestly to our Partners, customers and suppliers. We encourage them to communicate with us and will seek their views.
Sustainable progress
We take into account technical developments, changing scientific evidence, costs and customer concerns and expectations in the development and implementation of all new social and environmental policies and procedures.
Demonstrable compliance
As a minimum, we will meet or exceed all relevant legislation. Where no legislation exists we will seek to develop and implement our own appropriate standards.
Programmes:
Environment
We take all reasonable steps to minimise our environmental impact and to promote good environmental practice. We set and follow high standards in food production, quality and safety. We continue to promote responsible and sustainable methods of agriculture, animal husbandry and biodiversity. We regularly review our business practices to identify how we can improve our energy efficiency, minimise packaging and reduce water usage, waste disposal and air emissions.
Relationships
We conduct our business relationships with integrity and courtesy, and honour our trading commitments. Our aim is to build long-term relationships with our suppliers and provide support for small, local, specialist producers. We are committed to trading fairly with all our suppliers, and will communicate our responsible sourcing expectations to them in the areas of health, safety and worker welfare, sustainable and profitable agriculture, high animal welfare standards, biodiversity and good environmental practice.
Communities
We build relationships with our customers, suppliers and the local communities which we serve by encouraging our Partners to consider the needs of others and involve themselves in public service. We will obtain a wide range of views on our social and environmental policies and performance.
Partners
We respect all of our Partners and encourage their development and training. We promote equality as differences in responsibilities permit and consider the interests of our Partners including their welfare, health and safety. We aim to empower our Partners and we will recognise individual contributions and reward our Partners fairly. Our ultimate aim is the happiness of our members through their worthwhile and satisfying employment in a successful business.
Visit our corporate website for more CSR information.
Diversity
The John Lewis Partnership operates without discrimination and embraces diversity; this is reflected in all that we do.
Diversity forms part of our Partner Commitment to build relationships based on fairness, honesty and respect. We encourage Partners to create and nurture a culture which values the differences of those who are engaged in the Partnership, whether as Partners, customers, suppliers or part of the wider community.
Our aim is to be a business where our leaders feel confident with, and have a full understanding of the diversity in their teams, so that they can ensure Partners have a consistent and motivating experience of the Partnership. This goes to the heart of our ultimate purpose and drives business advantage.
Tracey Killen, Director of Personnel
During the application process, the information you will be asked to provide will enable us to monitor our processes and ensure that we provide equality of opportunity for all. It will be treated in strict confidence and will not identify you.
