How important is the concept of corporate social responsibility to the John Lewis Partnership?
As a business partnership we have responsibility in our soul. It’s the whole point of our business, we’re based on the notion that if we treat our partners well, it will lead to good customer service. It should be a virtuous circle although we always strive to improve. On the supplier front, we’ve managed to develop great products through our long-term relationship with trusted suppliers. We’ve been sourcing our synthetic duvets and pillows from the same supplier for 30 years. We always take a strong stance on sustainability. At John Lewis, we haven’t used it as a lead marketing message, but we audit our performance against competition. For example, we have a sustainable building policy which isn’t very glamorous but it is essential for our reputation as responsible. Waitrose has used its supplier relationships as a lead marketing message with success. In the current market where consumers are craving authenticity and origin of products, it has a strong appeal. Are your customers aware
