Customers trust us when we say our products are sourced sustainably. To preserve that trust we have created independently reviewed standards. This ensures that everyone, from customers to suppliers, knows where they stand.

Working with trusted partners

We have been working on a programme with our trusted partners to develop a credible set of standards that highlight key hotspots on sustainability issues. We are now piloting our sustainability standard for farmed prawns in Thailand and Belize.

This new independently reviewed prawn standard covers environmental factors, such as water quality, and other areas such as social impact, worker welfare and productivity.

To create it, we’ve worked with prawn farmers in Thailand and Belize and non-governmental organisations, such as the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership and the Marine Conservation Society.

We’ve also introduced a unique tool, which farmers and suppliers can use as they seek to improve their businesses, according to Dominique Gautier, Director of sustainability for Sainsbury’s supplier Seafresh Group.

More action planned

The pilot of our prawn standard is the first of many. In fact, we’ve been working with industry standards and compliance company SAI Global on an overarching sustainability standard as well as standards for specific raw materials such as cocoa and timber.

At the end of 2016/17, 29 Sainsbury’s standards had already been peer-reviewed by external organisations. By the close of 2017/18, our target is to have many more pilots up and running.