corporate social investment
The Woolworths Trust provides focus for Woolworths csi activity by:
- aligning our initiatives with national priorities;
- making capacity building core to our approach thus enabling more meaningful social transformation;
- forging meaningful partnerships with non-governmental organisations government and media; and
- improving alignment of initiatives with our business strategy.
Woolworths key investments in the community during the year were as follows:
- R167m (2005: R155m) worth of food and clothing donated by Woolworths stores to charity organisations nationally;
- R 2.2m (2005: R2.2m) through the Woolworths Trust towards carefully selected and mostly national initiatives, the flagship project being the Woolworths Trust EduPlant programme;
- R16.3m (2005: R8.6m) through the MySchool card fundraising for schools nationally; and
- time invested by Woolworths employees in different initiatives country-wide which raise money to support local charities of their choice.
Note: Woolworths made no donations to political parties in this financial year.
food and clothing donations
Woolworths donated food and clothing, valued at R167m to charities throughout the country. The food is distributed, via the stores, to local charities of their choice. The clothing is collected centrally and redistributed to needy charities across the country.
EduPlant programme
The Woolworths Trust EduPlant programme, in association with the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Landcare and SABC Education, continues to be Woolworths flagship csi programme, now in its fourth year of operation. More than 4 000 educators from 396 schools across the country attended 48 one-day workshops on food gardening using permaculture principles. A further 9 four-day workshops were held at schools in each province for parents and surrounding communities reaches more people in the community. 63 finalist schools were selected. Entry into the programme is only the beginning – the ongoing benefits of this programme are experienced by the schools and their communities through improved food security, better health and nutrition and better understanding of environmental management.
MySchool
MySchool enables schools to raise funds through having parents, friends and family members purchase goods from Woolworths stores using their MySchool card. A percentage of their purchases is donated to the school of their choice. In the past three years, Woolworths has contributed in excess of R27.5m to the MySchool programme.
| Schools participating in “Making the difference” |
Woolworths donations through MySchool to schools | |
| 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006 | 1 000 | R15 million |
| 1 July 2004 to 30 June 2005* | 600 | R8.9 million |
| 1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004 | 180 | R3.7 million |
*Figures for prior year restated due to difference in reporting period.
| Making the Difference | 2005 reach | 2006 reach |
| Parent talks | 24 talks involving 5 174 parents | 55 talks involving 7 125 parents |
| Woolworths supplier visits | 50 tours involving 1 668 learners | 79 tours involving 4 740 learners |
| Woolworths store tours | 48 tours involving 3 828 learners | 65 tours involving 2 619 learners |
| Woolworths distribution Centre visits |
8 tours involving 1 826 learners | 15 tours involving 1 054 learners |
| Resource packs supplied | 600 packs | 1 000 packs |
“Making the Difference” through nutrition
Currently 1 000 schools nationally participate in the Making a Difference programme, with one third of these schools identified as being “underresourced” schools (2006 target: 600 schools with one third underprivileged). Participating schools receive a teachers’ resource pack, which was developed in conjunction with the Western Cape Department of Education and the Sports Science Institute and includes seven learning modules covering health promotion, physical development and movement. An additional experiential component includes field trips to stores, suppliers and distribution centres, an Eduplant garden and parent talks.
“Making the difference” through design education
Woolworths launched the design education resource guide that is being used by educators in the further education and training subject in design – this replaces the current Senior Certificate examinations in various design-based disciplines and is one of the new choices to be offered in the learning field of Arts and Culture for Grades 10-12. The “Making the difference” design module has been developed with input from some of South Africa’s leading designers and creative people and in association with the Department of Educatation, Design Indaba and Sappi. This programme has been piloted since January 2006 in 121 schools in the Western Cape, before being rolled-out nationally.
supporting South African Design
In addition to Woolworths support of design through the “Making the difference” design module, Woolworths continues to promote and support local, South African design through initiatives such as:
- SA Young Designers at Woolworths
Now going into its third year, Woolworths collaboration with some of South Africa’s bright young fashion designers including Maya Prass, Stoned Cherrie and Stephen Quatember, continues to be a feature in select Woolworths stores; and
- Design Indaba
Woolworths sponsorship of the SA Design Indaba enters its 4th year. This year’s Design Indaba Conference in Cape Town had a record 2 155 delegates attending from around the world (2005: 1 946). The Design Indaba Expo – a three-day public showcase of the best original South African design - attracted over 15 500 visitors (2005: 12 000).
Wilderness leadership school
R171 000 was donated this year (2005: R150 000) from the sales of Woolworths spring water to the Wilderness Leadership School to enable them to take children from disadvantaged areas on environmental education trips to Kirstenbosch and Table Mountain.
