WoolWorths holdings limited 2013 good BUsiness JoUrneY report

Environment
WASTE
By using recycled material into our packaging, we are helping create a
high value market for consumer waste, supporting the local recycling
economy and minimising our dependency on limited natural resources.
South Africa is running out of landfill space
in many cities. It is estimated that more
than a third of waste going to landfills
in South Africa is domestic waste, much
of which could be recycled. Recycling is
not only better for the environment and
people’s health, but creates opportunity
for employment.
We have committed to reducing the
amount of waste sent to landfill from
our own operations, as well as making it
easier for our customers to recycle, whilst
driving a market for recycled materials by
using them in our operations, packaging
and products.
PACKAGING
Woolworths is committed to driving
innovative, safe and legally compliant,
fit-for-purpose food packaging, that
protects, informs and sells at the lowest
overall cost. Woolworths recognises
that packaging plays an important role
in helping to deliver a wide range of
products to its customers. Woolworths
also understands that most used
packaging becomes waste and this is
undesirable.
Our approach to packaging is about
achieving the right balance. We want
to ensure our products remain protected
in transit so that additional waste is not
created. In the case of food, we also
want it to remain safe and hygienic,
and to extend its shelf life for as long as
possible so that additional food waste
is not created. To us, this means using
packaging responsibly.
Packaging reduction is an important
environmental factor we are trying to
address, but it needs to be balanced with
the impact this can have on not protecting
products properly, thereby increasing
food waste. We have also included
three other important environmental
factors in our packaging development
considerations. Where possible, we
would select locally recyclable packaging
formats and consider their ease of
recyclability in the pack design. We would
also aim to give preference towards
inclusion of post-consumer recycled
materials in packaging and the use of
sustainable and renewable materials with
certified chain-of-custody. Our packaging
focus is supported by customer education
and working with our partners to promote
recycling activities.
We have revised our targets to focus
on a certain number of packaging
improvements on an annual basis. These
improvements can take the form of
packaging light weighting, substituting
virgin material with recycled material,
using certified renewable raw materials,
and designing packs to be easier to
recycle. We have achieved 185 packaging
improvements over the past year.
We have set clear targets for recycling
and reuse. These include:
• Selecting technically recyclable
packaging materials and designing our
packaging for local recyclability;
• using recycled material in rigid
product packaging;
• including recyclability labelling on
packaging to assist recycling efforts
in South Africa;
• involving and influencing the packaging
industry to develop more sustainable
packaging options; and
• recycling all store equipment including
food trays and hangers.
PROGRESS TO DATE
• 98.7% of the materials we use for our
main food packaging containers are
technically recyclable. This helps divert
valuable material from the already limited
landfill space and supports employment
opportunities through recycling.
• 41.5% of food products sold in rigid packs
contain recycled packaging materials.
By reusing recycled material back into
our packaging, we are helping create a
high value market for consumer waste,
supporting the local recycling economy
and minimising our dependency on
limited natural resources.
• Woolworths continues its efforts to
specify the use of forest products that
are independently certified as coming
from well managed forests and other
controlled sources (e.g. paper and board
with certified chain-of-custody by the
Forest Stewardship Council – FSC).
• Over 95% of our food lines have symbols
on packaging to help recyclers easily
identify and sort packaging materials
for recycling.
WHL 76 / 2013 GOOD BUSINESS JOURNEY