WoolWorths holdings limited 2013 good BUsiness JoUrneY report

the broader whl group
COUNTRY ROAD GROUP
The Country Road Group aims to create one of Australia’s largest
speciality fashion retailers with leading complementary brands
and a market leading position in the mid to upper tier of specialty
fashion. This supports the WHL group’s strategic objective to be
a leading fashion retailer in the southern hemisphere, and will
contribute to the segment’s target of more than R14 billion in
sales by 2016. To achieve this, we are doing the following:
– Differentiating the brand
– Improving fashion
– New and enhanced product categories
– New store formats
– Better online sales service
On 2 October 2012 Country Road acquired all of the ordinary
shares of Witchery Australia Holdings (Pty) Ltd (“The Witchery
group”) from Gresham Private Equity for a total value of
R1 555 million (A$180.9 million). The Witchery group operates
under both the Witchery and Mimco brands. The expansion of
the WHL group’s presence in Australasia strengthens our southern
hemisphere presence and provides a natural rand hedge for the
group. It gives the group greater operational scale, diversified
revenue streams and industry-leading margins.
The Country Road Group owns four brands: Country Road,
Witchery, Trenery and Mimco. In 2012, Country Road operated
174 stores, Witchery 210 stores and Mimco 96 stores.
Corporate Social Responsibility is embedded in our strategy.
We strive to innovate and create social, ethical and
environmental change.
PEOPLE
Country Road Group is committed to attracting, developing and
retaining an inspired, high performing workforce, and providing
a healthy and safe work environment.
In order to further understand and address our employees’
priorities, an externally hosted alignment and engagement
survey was run this year. The results of the survey revealed
an employee engagement score of 74% and alignment of 56%.
Areas of strength were in the areas of Team Effectiveness and
driving an Accountability Culture. Areas for improvement and
focus are Senior Leadership, Investment in People and External
Customer Focus.
Country Road Group remains committed to the principle of equal
opportunity in employment for all regardless of age, career status,
disability, industrial activity, physical features, political belief or
activity, pregnancy, race, religion, gender or sexual preference.
We have formalised our commitment by implementing
a Diversity Policy, with measurable objectives. Country Road
is please to deliver a Diversity rating of 80% against the key
objectives within the first 12 months of operation. Country Road
has 3 370 employees.
COMMUNITY
The Country Road Group is committed to supporting the
communities in which we operate. In addition to annual
community donations and fundraising contributions, our
Community Policy offers employees volunteering leave and the
opportunity to participate in workplace giving. Each of our four
brands supports different community partners, which enables
both customers and staff to make a difference to issues that
are important to them. As a group, we are proud to have
donated more than $2.8 million of value to our community
partners this year.
Country Road
Redkite
Since 2008, we have been in partnership with Redkite, one of
Australia’s leading childhood cancer charities and have donated
more than $681 000, including $167 728 in the last year alone.
Focus; Red Bag, staff fundraising; fun run, silent auction, BBQ ,
packing day, and customer fundraising; gold coin donation for
Christmas gift wrap, re-usable cloth bags.
Red Cross (Australia and New Zealand)
Together with Red Cross, we operate Fashion Trade in Australia
and New Zealand, a unique clothing exchange programme
that rewards customers with a Country Road gift voucher for
donating pre-loved clothing to Red Cross. This year Country
Road and trenery donated 4 282 units of apparel, to the value
of $21 410, and Country Road donated a further 26 750 items to
the value of aproximately $1.5 million Through other fundraising
activities the group raised $17 342 for the Australian and New
Zealand Red Cross.
MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet
MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet is one of South Africa’s most
successful fundraising programmes, focussed on improving
education and social development, by raising and delivering
essential funding to schools and charities. Country Road and
Trenery stores in South Africa participate by allowing customers
to use their MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet supporter cards
whenever they make a purchase. We then donate a percentage
of each purchase to the customer’s chosen beneficiary. This year,
our three standalone stores in South Africa contributed $111.548
to South African schools and charities via MySchool MyVillage
MyPlanet.
For more on MySchool MyVillage
MyPlanet see page 41
2013 GOOD BUSINESS JOURNEY / WHL 95