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How Shoprite is fighting food insecurity and job losses during the Covid-19 pandemic

IOL Reporter|Published

shepang Mkhabela of Bakgatla ba Mosetlha Farming Corporation shows off her beetroot. The Shoprite Group has invested a cumulative R26.5 million in community food gardens across South Africa since 2015.

Durban - Giant South African retailer, Shoprite Group donated surplus food to the value of R95 million in the last financial year and invested R26.5 million into community food gardens.

This is according to the group’s 2020 Sustainability Report which showed efforts being made to combat food security and job losses.

According to Shoprite, the group also invested just over R490 million in training and skills development programmes rolled out to both employees and non-employees.

Furthermore its employees enjoy job security as none of its 141 245 employees were retrenched even as the Covid-19 pandemic continues unabated.

Committed to reducing its environmental impact while promoting operational efficiency, the retailer has aligned its goals focused on climate change, water security, sustainable packaging, waste management and responsible sourcing, with that of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

The retailer also formulated position statements on climate change and water security in the last year.

“Our approach to the problem of climate change is twofold: In the first instance we try to mitigate its effects by for instance increasing our reliance on renewable energy sources and rolling out energy efficient lighting in our stores. The other way is through adaptation, where we seek to strengthen the resilience and adaptive capacity of our operations and that of the communities in which we operate by ensuring food security through the extensive support of community food gardens, surplus food donations and disaster relief through our fleet of mobile soup kitchens,” said Sanjeev Raghubir, the Group’s Sustainability Manager.

“We are extremely proud of the sustainability milestones reached in the last financial year and look forward to doing more to support the communities we serve, to safeguard our environment and to continue to provide job opportunities,” he added.

Here are highlights from the Sustainability Report:

  • 3.5 million training hours of which 2.2. million hours were spent on e-learning training
  • 4 759 people graduated with a national qualification
  • Customers donated more than R1.7 million via the Group’s in-store donation facility, the Act For Change Fund, to the Solidarity Fund
  • Reused and recycled 37 312 tons of cardboard
  • More than 600 of our trailers are powered by solar panels
  • Increased the use of solar energy by 25%
  • Converted 938 656 litres of used cooking oil to biodiesel
  • Invested R135 million in CSI projects and programmes.
  • Served more than 34 million meals to communities in need.
  • Grew the number of food gardens supported to 119 Suppliers
  • Directed 4.4% of supplier spend to black women-owned businesses.
  • Invested a further R9.5 million in a fund, established to support SMEs, bringing the total investment to R94.5 million to date.

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