Our six capitals
Our ability to create long-term sustainable value for stakeholders
depends on the use of various capitals within our business. The
International Integrated Reporting
Financial
Human
Manufactured
Social and relationship
Intellectual
Natural
Our key stakeholders
The Group is committed to open and constructive engagement with all our stakeholders. Our business model and strategy are designed to consider and address the issues and concerns most relevant to our key stakeholders. Refer to the "Engaging with our stakeholders" section on pages 38 to 41 for more information.
Customers
Community
Employees
Suppliers
Franchisees
Shareholders
Our business acceleration pillars
The second stage of our strategic long-term plan is organised around seven business acceleration pillars. These pillars represent the material growth opportunities that can materially affect our ability to create value over the short, medium and long term. Refer to our "Strategic focus" section on pages 44 to 51 for more information.
Better for customers
A flexible and winning estate
Efficient and effective operations
Every product, every day
A winning team
Boxer–
a national brand
Rest of Africa – a second engine of growth
Our stakeholders have competing interests and needs. Similarly, there is interdependence between our capitals. Below are a few examples of some of the trade-offs that have been necessary in our business to create greater shared value for all:
We are committed to becoming leaner, fitter and better for customers. This requires ongoing streamlining of employee and other operational structures.
We maintained consistent on-shelf availability during 2018 – ensuring customers can always find what they need in our stores. This requires investment in higher levels of inventory, which can lead to wasted produce if customer demand does not meet expectation. Automated forecast and replenishment systems are improving our performance in this area.
We continue to invest in building a diverse and ethical supply base to support sustainable farming. Our investment includes the development of small emerging local businesses, including the growth of our private label range of products.
We are committed to providing customers with safe, high-quality food in a safe and secure shopping environment. This requires ongoing investment in best practice health, safety and security standards.
In 2018, the Group purchased shares to the value of R423.4 million under its employee share incentive schemes, delivering substantial wealth creation for employees at all levels.
We believe opportunities outside South Africa will provide us with a second engine for growth. However, expanding our footprint into the rest of Africa does not come without risk, including the operational challenges of trading in a new environment and the risk of foreign currency movements.
To find more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly ways to do business, we invest in energy-efficient lighting and refrigeration, rain water harvesting and recycling initiatives across our stores and distribution centres.
We create substantial economic development and
employment opportunity across our value chain through
the creation and distribution of wealth among our
various stakeholders.
We procure goods and services from suppliers and service providers. We provide direct employment to more than 80 000 people across our owned and franchise business. We give back to the communities in which we operate through investment in education and literacy programmes, housing, nutrition and poverty-relief schemes, and through the support of cultural and theatrical projects, sports development and environmental programmes.