Anna Ford introduction

As chair of the CR Committee, I report to the Board twice a year on our plans and the progress made against each of our values. Sainsbury’s approach to Corporate Responsibility is not just an add-on; these values are embedded in the company’s daily planning and actions and are right at the heart of its policy and decision-making. This work has already been recognised by awards from a variety of professional bodies.

We know that the last year has been particularly difficult for many families, but despite this, our customers are just as interested as they ever were in health, the environment, Fairtrade, responsible sourcing and the sustainable use of natural materials. In fact the bar has, if anything, been raised as issues like climate change and sustainability have moved into the mainstream.

So what have we achieved this year?

As part of our drive to be Best for food and health, we re-launched both our ‘Be Good to Yourself’ and ‘Freefrom’ ranges, increasing the number of new and improved lines by 60 and 100 respectively. 

As an example of our commitment to Sourcing with integrity, we were named the largest retailer of Fairtrade in the world by the Fairtrade Foundation, with sales topping £218m in 2009/10. We are also the largest retailer of RSPCA endorsed ‘Freedom Food’ in the UK, both by value and range, reflecting our commitment to being the number one supermarket for animal welfare. 

We also made significant progress in showing Respect for our environment, by increasing the number of our eco-stores and launching environmental innovations within these stores, such as Europe’s first biomass generator and creating Bee-Hotels to protect the UK’s decreasing bee population, which in turn protects many species of plants and flora. 

Making a positive difference to our community has long been part of the Sainsbury's ethos. Over the past year we have successfully launched our ‘Local charity partnerships’ and as a result, all our stores, offices and depots now support their own dedicated local charity. At the same time, we created over 6,500 new Sainsbury's jobs by opening 38 new supermarkets and 51 new convenience stores across the UK, playing our part to help build growth back into the UK economy.