The UK secretary of state for international development, Justine Greening, has launched a new initiative alongside Waitrose managing director Mark Price this week, which aims to boost the living conditions of foreign workers within the global fresh produce supply chain.
The first project tobe supported by the Trade and Global Value Chains (TGVC) initiative will be a partnership between the Department for International Development (DFID) and the Waitrose Foundation, which aims to increase the skills of 16-25 year-olds in the horticulture value chain across South Africa.
“Despite UK retailers profiting from imports of fruit and vegetables in recent years, it is true that foreign workers have not always prospered, so this is a chance to create a win-win situation for both workers and retailers in order to create a more sustainable supply chain,” said Greening.
The TGVC, which will also be piloted in Bangladesh and Kenya, will see DFID provide £3m (€3.4m) over three years. Firms taking part will have to provide match funding for each individual project.
Waitrose boss Price has called on other UK retailers to add projects to the initiative, with audience member Hazel Macrae of M&S expressing an interest in finding out more information about how the upmarket retailer could also sign up.
“With unemployment of 16-24 year-olds at a high in South Africa, this two-year programme will have real benefits and create good business across the whole supply chain,” said Price.
Since its launch seven years ago, The Waitrose Foundation has raised more than £5.5m and funded over 300 projects to help improve the lives of the farmworkers and smallholders who grow its produce in the likes of South Africa, Kenya and Ghana.
And, in wake of the recent farm worker protests and subsequent violence across South Africa, Price believes theinitiative, which will provide training for young workers and improve conditions and healthcare in their communities, can help to ease tensions.
“I’m pleased to say that the troubles have not affected Waitrose and we are aware of them, but in a business and supply chain where everybody feels connected, and everybody gets a fair slice, there is less chance of this happening,” concluded Price.
