Whats in it for Waitrose?
In order for Waitrose to continue to buy fruit from South Africa in the long term, it is vital we invest in the farm workers that grow and pick our fruit. South Africa is an important source of fruit for Waitrose; its diverse climates and landscapes, enable a wide range of produce to be grown. It’s important for us to secure the future of this source as the country moves through great changes. The Waitrose Foundation is an example of how Waitrose works in partnership with its supply base to build sustainable relationships. The ‘bottom-up’ process of distributing Foundation Funding to farm worker needs coincides with the South African Government’s Agri BEE (Black Economic Empowerment Policy), where the goal is to have 30% of land owned by black South Africans by 2014. The South African Government has recognized that before land transfer can take place, workers must be empowered and given skills that will allow them to take more economic responsibilities in the future. There are two dist
