Sainsbury's 20 by 20 Sustainability Plan sets out 20 ambitious targets to be achieved by 2020

Sainsbury’s is the only UK supermarket Retailer to be recognised as one of the "Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations" by Corporate Knights Inc, an independent media company focused on sustainable development. The list is announced each year during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and includes the corporations that have been most proactive in managing environmental, social and governance issues, and those with strong strategic management capabilities, capacity for innovation and ability to respond to changing competitive forces.

Sainsbury’s recently unveiled a new £1 billion plan, which will ensure the company remains at the forefront of sustainability between now and 2020. The Sainsbury's 20 by 20 Sustainability Plan sets out 20 sustainability targets to be achieved by 2020. The targets are based on Sainsbury’s five corporate values:

• Best for food & health – including Healthiest Baskets: We’ll continue to reduce salt, saturated fat, fat and sugar in our own brand products
• Sourcing with Integrity – including Best for British: By 2020, we'll double the amount of British food we sell
• Respect for our environment – including Operational carbon emission reduction: By 2020, we'll have reduced our operational carbon emissions by 30 per cent absolute and 65 per cent relative, compared with 2005.
• Great Place to Work – including 20 years service: By 2020, 20,000 of our colleagues will have reached 20 years service at Sainsbury's.
• Making a positive difference to our community – including New jobs and skills: By 2020, we'll create 50,000 new jobs in the UK.

Planned initiatives include carbon-saving technologies for new and existing stores that will drive down energy usage, thereby reducing energy costs. There will also be an increased focus on providing customers with more British food as the company seeks to double the amount it currently sells, as well as a target to increase sales of fairly traded products to £1 billion.

Stuart Wright, Corporate Responsibility Manager at Sainsbury’s, said: “We have long been recognised as one of the leading UK companies when it comes to sustainability. Our industry-leading 20 by 20 targets are intended to help shift everyday behaviour in favour of sustainability, while still providing the value and quality that UK shoppers demand. It will also help shoppers make more nutritious, sustainable and ethical purchasing decisions.”

To learn more about Sainsbury’s 20 by 20 Sustainability plan, please visit www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/responsibility

Notes to editors

Our strong ethical approach has been at the heart of our business, ever since we opened our first store back in 1869. Our five values provide the framework for how we do business at Sainsbury’s. They guide us in everything we do – from key business decisions to day-today activities. In the current economic climate our values remain just as relevant. Although customers are increasingly price-conscious, ethical and environmental issues remain important for them. We believe that by considering the wider social, environmental and economic impacts of our business, we are able to meet our customers’ expectations by acting responsibly on their behalf. This ultimately delivers long-term shareholder value by securing our future ability to grow as a profitable business.

Sainsbury’s 20 by 20 Sustainability Plan

Best for food and health

• Healthiest baskets: Between now and 2020, we'll continue to reduce salt, saturated fat, fat and sugar in our own brand products and we will lead on providing clear nutritional information, enabling our customers to make informed choices.

• No.1 for lighter alcohol, wines & beers: By 2020, we'll double the sales of lighter alcohol wine and reduce the average alcohol content (ABV) of own brand wine and beer.

Sourcing with integrity

• Sustainably sourced raw materials: By 2020, we'll source all of our key raw materials and commodities sustainably to an independent standard.
• No deforestation: By 2020, our own brand products won't contribute to global deforestation.
• Sustainable fish: By 2020, all the fish we sell will be independently certified as sustainable and we'll strengthen our position as the leading retailer for sustainable seafood.
• No.1 for Fairtrade: By 2020, our sales of fairly traded products will hit £1 billion.
• Best for British: By 2020, we'll double the amount of British food we sell.
• No. 1 for animal welfare: By 2020, all our meat, poultry, eggs, game and dairy products will be sourced from suppliers who adhere to independent higher welfare standards.
• Improve supplier standards: By 2020, our suppliers will also be leaders in meeting or exceeding our social and environmental standards.

Respect for our enviroment

• Water stewardship: By 2020, through robust water stewardship we'll ensure that our supply chain approach is sustainable in areas of water vulnerability.
• Positive waste usage: By 2020, we'll put all waste to positive use.
• Sustainable and innovative packaging: By 2020, we'll make sure that our own packaging has been reduced by a half compared to 2005.
• Operational carbon emissions reduction: By 2020, we'll have reduced our operational carbon emissions by 30 per cent absolute and 65 per cent relative, compared with 2005 (this is part of our broader target of an absolute carbon reduction of 50 per cent by 2030).
• Supplier carbon emissions reduction: By 2020, we'll have worked with our own brand suppliers to reduce carbon emissions across all of our own brand products by 50 per cent relative.

Making a positive difference to our community

• Active youth: By 2020, we'll have encouraged over 20 million children to enjoy physical activity in the decade.
• Charitable causes: By 2020, we'll have donated over £400 million to charitable causes in the decade.

A great place to work

• New jobs and skills: By 2020, we'll create 50,000 new job opportunities in the UK and at least half of our colleagues will have received externally accredited training.
• Long service: By 2020, 20,000 of our colleagues will have reached 20 years of service at Sainsbury's.
• Sharing in success: By 2020, we'll increase the number of colleagues with shares in our business by 25 per cent.

Work opportunities for disadvantaged groups: By 2020, we'll have provided 30,000 people from disadvantaged groups with work opportunities.

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's

Sainsbury's was founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury and his wife Mary Ann Sainsbury in London and has grown to become one of the UK’s largest retailers. The company today operates over 1,000 stores. It jointly owns Sainsbury’s Bank with Lloyds Banking Group and has two property joint ventures with Land Securities Group PLC and The British Land Company PLC.

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