Coles has released its 2023 Sustainability Report, presenting a record 40.1 million equivalent meals donated to people in need, up from 37.5 million meals last year, and an uptick of 41.5 per cent of women in leadership roles, against a target of 40 per cent.
The report also detailed Coles’ progress against sustainability topics that customers, investors and the community believed to be important, including climate change, food waste, plastic and packaging and circular economy.
During the year, Coles announced new renewable electricity agreements to bring the retailer closer to achieving its target of 100 per cent renewable electricity by the end of FY25, and entered a three-year agreement with Origin that will see the installation of 20 megawatts of solar panels on top of 100 stores, with batteries to be installed at one third of Coles stores to capture and store excess renewable electricity generated on-site.
It also introduced a new Scope 3 emissions supplier engagement target to work in partnership with at least 75 per cent of its suppliers by spend to set science-based emissions reduction targets by the end of June 2027, welcomed its first electric vehicle to its online fulfilment fleet, and released its Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard pork range into stores.
Coles also released its 2023 Modern Slavery Statement, outlining its approach to identifying and managing modern slavery risks in its operations and supply chain.
The 2023 statement focuses on Coles’ strategy to identify, address and remediate the risk of modern slavery within its operations and supply chain. Key areas included how Coles might integrate modern slavery risk management across its business, the development of proactive and retail specific responses to modern slavery, the importance of partnerships with suppliers and other key stakeholders in combating modern slavery and increasing transparency about the challenges and lessons learned.
Coles chief operations and sustainability officer Matt Swindells said Coles had an opportunity and a responsibility to make a difference within its operations and the community, and the record number of meal donations was a highlight of the latest Sustainability Report.
“We understand many of our customers are finding themselves in need of food relief services, and we’re pleased to have been able to provide the equivalent of 40.1 million meals to Aussies in need in the last financial year. Not only does this support the community, but it also helps to address the environmental impacts associated with food waste.
“We’ve also made strong progress when it comes to gender equality, with 41.5 per cent of women now holding leadership positions and a company-wide gender pay parity gap of less than one per cent.
“Creating a safe and inclusive workplace for our more than 120,000 team members is also a key priority and that’s been reflected in our decision to be a presenting partner of Sydney WorldPride and in our increasing number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander team members, now at 3.5 per cent,” said Swindells.
Other highlights achieved in Cole’s sustainability strategy included:
- 27.7 per cent reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions from FY22; and a commitment to reduce Scope 3 emissions by working with 75 per cent of suppliers by spend to support them to set emissions reduction targets by the end of FY27;
- 20.3 million kilos of unsold, edible food, valued at $133 million donated to vulnerable Australians through community partners SecondBite and Foodbank;
- removed soft-plastic shopping bags from in-store and online;
- $40.7 million provided in community support to ‘promote health outcomes and build resilience in communities’;
- $3.6 million awarded to small to medium sized businesses through the Coles Nurture Fund.
Coles 2023 Sustainability Report is available in full here.
