Sainsbury’s is to launch three new crop sustainability groups as it moves its work into produce for the first time.
The new groups, an extension of the retailer’s existing crop action groups, will work across the complete sustainability agenda, including climate change, water, soil health, carbon, biodiversity and worker welfare in fresh produce and related supply chains.
The groups - divided into field crops, protected crops and orchard crops - were generated following discussions with suppliers and growers regarding how the sustainability challenge could be tackled and following the success in other sectors of working in partnerships.
Annie Graham, Sainsbury’s head of agriculture and brand sustainability, said: “It is clear that no single part of the food chain can meet the sustainability challenge on its own, and we believe that forming genuine partnerships is the most effective solution. We have found our development groups to be a fantastic way to bring us closer to our growers and producers, helping us to work together more effectively. We believe that initiatives such as this will help us to deliver a sustainable and industry-leading fresh produce business over the coming years.”
The groups were formally launched at Laverstoke Park Farm on Wednesday and Thursday in Hampshire.
Keynote sessions tackled the potential impact of future legislation and the practical application of recent soil health research.
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