Asda signs new sustainable supply chain deal
By Jon Whiteaker - 02:17PM - Thu 9th February 2012
Leading supermarket chain Asda has today announced plans to improve its water, energy & waste efficiency by initiating a peer-to-peer learning and problem solving scheme.
Sustainable business community 2degrees has created an online collaboration space called Asda Sustain & Save Exchange where suppliers can share best practice techniques and explore opportunities to work with the grocer.
The new platform is part of Asda’s Sustainability 2.0 strategy which involves the retailer shifting focus to targets for its products and supply chain.
Julian Walker Palin, Head of Corporate Sustainability at Asda, said: “Sustainability isn’t a bolt on or standalone element of people’s lives – it’s simply part of them. Green values don’t belong to a single part of the population.
“Our customers have told us they want retailers like us to provide affordable, sustainable products as the norm, not make it a complex choice with a premium attached.
“By helping our suppliers to become more sustainable and efficient at the same time through the Sustain & Save Exchange we are helping to ensure everyone can afford to make sustainable choices.”
The British Retail Consortium published a report last week that showed retailers had made great strides in meeting government set environmental targets in almost all areas, but the volumes of product and packaging waste created through the supply chain was one area where little improvement had been seen in recent years.
In response to the figures Razat Gaurav of JDA Software told Retail Gazette that significant systematic changes were needed within the industry if the level of waste created in the supply chain was going to be reduced.
Asda itself has recently produced a report called ‘Green is Normal’ which admits that its customers are increasingly demanding sustainable products but do not expect to pay a premium for these more environmentally friendly goods.
Martin Chilcott, Founder and CEO of 2degrees, commented: “The Asda Sustain & Save Exchange represents a shift from the more traditional model of transactional activity with suppliers to a more collaborative way of working – a trend that we are seeing right across the retail sector.
“2degrees will provide a managed programme with a private space for collaborative problem-solving and peer-to-peer learning for Asda and its suppliers.
“The programme will equip them with relevant and valuable ideas and tools through webinars, case studies and forum discussions to help them increase their water, energy and waste efficiencies.”