NAME : KATHERINE HESLING
COMPANY : WAITROSE — PART OF THE EMPLOYEE-OWNED JOHN LEWIS PARTNERSHIP ( JLP )
INDUSTRY : FOOD RETAILER JOB TITLE : SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR
Sustainability is like learning to ride a bike ; once you get it , it changes how you think and , one of the silver-linings from the pandemic is that people have had time to reflect on their shopping habits . I truly believe that many customers have now made the link between the products they buy and the impact these have on animals , people and the environment .
Here at Waitrose we are passionate about minimising the negative impact our products have on the planet and one of our key sustainability goals is eliminating unnecessary plastics . By 2023 , we are committed to replace all our own brand packaging with widely recyclable or home-compostable materials . We realise that single use plastic is a huge concern for our customers and one we are determined to address .
The companies we work with are currently testing alternatives such as the fully recyclable and home compostable ' linerless ' cardboard replacement for Kiwi fruit packs , which would save 1.2 tonnes of single use plastic and we ’ ve just launched a new sustainable packaging trial for strawberries – saving 16.89 tonnes of plastic waste over the British summer .
These cool initiatives tie in with another of our main sustainability objectives , which is diverting as much waste as we can from landfill while providing our customers with creative and innovative solutions to reuse products or dispose of them responsibly . We know this matters to our customers and that ’ s why in March we announced we wouldn ’ t be selling children ’ s magazines containing disposable plastic toys any longer and we urged magazine publishers to replace plastic toys with more sustainable alternatives .
I am so proud to be part of an organisation that is committed to improving the lives of the JLP Partners , customers and incredible people who work on our food supply chains . In March we produced our first ever ‘ Women in JLP Supply Chains ’ report to start tackling gender inequality .
The report focuses on the challenges women face globally within the world of work , but also highlights the positive moves Waitrose are already making , and what the plans are for the future .
We believe it ’ s very important to be honest and open about the issues our supply chain workers face and despite us making every effort to safeguard our workers , harassment , child slavery and low pay still exist . Much of this work falls under the remit of the Waitrose Foundation , which is a unique supply chains programme designed to improve lives and create better opportunities for the people and communities who grow , pick and pack our fresh produce by supporting education ,
46 September 2021