In the past year Woolworths has embarked on
an active stakeholder engagement process, in
order to identify, focus and deepen many of our
stakeholder relationships. Woolworths
conducted a comprehensive review of all
stakeholder needs and engagements.
Key stakeholders include: customers, employees,
shareholders, suppliers, franchisees, government,
organised business, unions, media, NGO’s and
community interest groups.
In the year under review, we have had a
particular focus on identifying and deepening
our stakeholder relationships and engagement
with key areas of government and organised
business. We have been directly involved in
engagements with government on the following:
content of the Wholesale and Retail Sectoral
Determination at the Employment Conditions
Commission; the task team on the Consumer
Protection Bill at NEDLAC; the Labour Law
Review under ASGISA; the workgroup on a
sector strategy for the local Textiles and
Clothing industry under the dti; and the
President’s Big Business working group.
Woolworths has also provided extensive input
to the Business Against Crime initiatives via our
work with the Consumer Goods Council SA.
The focus for the next period will be to embed
stakeholder engagement as an integral part of
our business operations and at different levels
within the business, and to continue to extend
and deepen our relationships with our
stakeholders.
| Customers |
In order to:
- understand our customer needs;
- enhance the Woolworths brand; and
- grow revenue.
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- consumer preferences; and
- consumer complaints and issues.
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Electronic and personal engagement with customers
including:
- focus groups and discussions with 30 000-strong
customer panel;
- desk research providing consumer insights and customer
profiles;
- customer surveys, mystery shopping surveys and research;
- marketing communication, advertising and direct
customer mail;
- Woolworths call centres; and
- meeting with consumer pressure groups, for example
CGCSA.
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- ongoing product development and innovation; and
- business focus on key issues, for example availability;
product choice, store location and service.
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Employees and service providers:
- individuals;
- collective;
- independent contractors; and
- service providers
|
In order to:
- attract and retain talent;
- develop a high performance organisation;
- improve competence and skills;
- optimise delivery and service; and
- enhance peoples’ sense of value and commitment.
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- business strategy;
- business issues, developments and new products and
campaigns that affect employees;
- employee development programmes; and
- employee concerns and issues.
|
- ongoing direct and indirect engagement – electronic,
verbal and written;
- communication and involvement forums, for example.
Woolies Way; and
- regular, formal communication including monthly
television broadcasts, publications and team meetings.
|
Ongoing review of:
- employee health and safety programmes, for example.
HIV/Aids programmes;
- employee development, remuneration and benefits for
example. Selling team employment proposition (STEP)
programme;
- communication and its effectiveness; and
- relevant business issues, for example shrinkage and
uniforms.
|
Shareholders:
- individual; and
- institutional.
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To create:
- an informed perception of Woolworths;
- more accurate expectations;
- a positive investment environment; and
- value in the business.
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- business performance;
- business expectations and strategy; and
- economic, social and environmental concerns.
|
- annual general meeting
- bi-annual analysts results reviews;
- individual, documented analysts meetings; and
- reporting including the annual report, sustainability
report, woolworthsholdings.co.za website.
|
- revised reporting formats as deemed necessary.
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Suppliers:
- local; and
- international.
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To deliver:
- new and innovative product;
- consistent quality and standards; and
- conformance to Woolworths supplier business principles.
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- issues that pose a risk to the Woolworths business
and/or brand;
- product development; and
- social responsibility standards.
|
- ongoing electronic and personal engagement including
supplier conferences and supplier visits; and
- best practice research international benchmarking.
|
- review of product offering;
- availability strategy; and
- regular social responsibility audits
|
Franchisees:
- local; and
- International.
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To:
- ensure a consistent customer experience;
- grow revenue; and
- build and extend the reach of the Woolworths brand.
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- business issues;
- initiatives; and
- opportunities.
|
- ongoing electronic and personal engagement including
meetings, an annual franchise conference; regular franchise
buying weeks; and
- Franchise Association meetings.
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- reviewing our processes for managing this business.
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Government departments of:
- Trade and industry (dti)
- Labour
- Agriculture
- Water affairs and forestry (DWAF)
- Environmental affairs and tourism (Deat)
- Health
- SANS
|
In order to:
- optimise opportunities and minimise risks of
regulation; and
- anticipate and assess potential policy and regulatory
impact.
|
Issues include:
- trade and industry policy on sector development,
trade issues and growth;
- labour market issues regarding flexibility, skills,
minimum standards, labour relations;
- food standards and agricultural issues;
- consumer credit and protection issues;
- education and nutritional development; and
- environmentally friendly practices.
|
- ongoing electronic and personal engagement;
- drafting of submissions;
- consolidation of information;
- participation in research;
- meetings with government officials and ministers; and
- negotiations and input via NEDLAC.
|
- consolidation of combined retail positions as input to
government;
- sharing of information on business practice with
government; and
- revision of processes to become compliant.
|
Organised business:
- BUSA
- Retailers’ Association
- Consumer Credit Association
- Consumer Goods Council SA
- Business Alliance on Clothing and Textiles
|
In order to:
- gain support and leverage on issues of common
interest; and
- get insight into other business and sector approaches.
|
Issues include:
- trade and industry policy;
- crime;
- labour market regulations;
- food supply chain regulations;
- textiles and clothing procurement policies;
- real estate issues; and
- consumer credit and protection regulations.
|
- ongoing electronic and personal engagement;
- meetings.
- negotiations; and
- drafting and input to documentation.
|
- refinement and shifting of positions to accommodate
broader interests;
- greater levels of organisation and alignment of
interests within retail;
- participation in Business Against Crime initiative; and
- co-ordination of retail input to textile and clothing
issues.
|
Unions and collective employee structures
including:
- internal communication forums
- SACCAWU
- COSATU
- FEDUSA
- NACTU
|
To engage on collective employment issues. |
Issues include:
- wages and terms and conditions of employment (UPN only);
- verification of union membership;
- retail issues; and
- textiles and clothing Issues.
|
- ongoing electronic and personal engagement;
- meetings; and
- participation in CCMA, ECC, NEDLAC and other
labour market institutions.
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- better understanding and response to employee
concerns; and
- revision of remuneration and benefits policies.
|
| Media:
|
In order to:
- influence stakeholder perceptions;
- build the Woolworths brands; and
- market the business and products.
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Issues include:
- business issues;
- consumer issues;
- macro-economic issues that affect retail;
- product information.
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- ongoing electronic and personal engagement;
- interviews;
- news releases; and
- publications including printed material and electronic
format on websites.
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- ongoing review and challenging of business practices;
- improved transparency; and
- improved information provision.
|
NGOs and community organisations
including:
- Food and Trees for Africa
- Heartbeat
- Association of Dieticians (ADSA)
- SAAFoST (food scientice and technology)
- Consumer pressure groups, for example SAFeAGE
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To contribute to the society in which we trade. |
Issues include:
- sustainable development;
- education and capacity building on relevant
community issues, for example nutrition;
- HIV/AIDS awareness; and
- input to our product strategy and range.
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- ongoing electronic and personal engagement; and
- joint projects.
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- ongoing modifications to product strategy and range;
- modification of HIV/AIDS strategy;
- greater transparency and communication, for example
labelling; and
- participation in specific initiatives, for example the
Energy Accord.
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