Pick n Pay wins another green award

Pick n Pay's recycling econo bins.

This award follows the company receiving a Sunday Times Top Brand Grand Prix Award in 2009 for being the company that has done the most to promote 'green' issues, as well as the social upliftment of communities. In the same year, the group became the first retailer in Southern Africa to be invited to join the Clinton Global Initiative. It is also a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact and the Copenhagen Communiqué.

"We have achieved rapid progress following the launch of our five-year sustainability vision in 2007, which sought to refine our sustainability approach around the concept of four pillars, focusing on the priority areas of economic sustainability, transformation, social development and environmental responsibility," says Pick n Pay director of sustainability, Bronwen Rohland.

Rohland says these achievements reflect a shift the company's sustainability strategy. "We are no longer laying the foundations, but are actively promoting and putting sustainable practices into our core activities. The emphasis now is on fresh thinking and innovation, informed by clear analysis of the significant risks and opportunities we face in creating a resilient business in a time of increasing uncertainty. Tougher trading conditions and tighter margins provide an appropriate context for ensuring increased integration of our thinking and sustainability initiatives."

Efficiency measures

Pick n Pay has introduced significant measures to improve efficiency, which have resulted in major savings on electricity and water.

• Integrating sustainability criteria into the internal audit process;
  
• Improving sustainability data capture and management across all departments;
  
• Reviewing procurement policies to drive responsible practices throughout the supply chain;
  
• Establishing an action-oriented committee to coordinate and drive internal initiatives such as new ethical/sustainable products;
  
• Packaging;
  
• Operational environmental issues such as waste, carbon footprint, chemical and energy use;
  
• Internal training, as well as marketing and consumer take-back policies.

"We will continue to research, innovate and apply our findings to our business practices and ultimately share our journey with our valued customers in order to assist them in reducing their own impact on the environment through adopting more sustainable lifestyles," concludes Rohland.