Known to generations of South Africans as ‘Woolies’, Woolworths is the only retailer of its kind in the country, offering fashion, food, beauty and homeware under its own brand name, as well as some carefully selected, well-known brands including Country Road and Trenery. As our main partner, Woolworths donates more than R1.5 million every month on behalf of customers to schools and charitable organisations. Woolworths also offers a range of financial services in partnership with Absa Bank.
Since its founding in 1931, Woolworths has earned its unique position in the South African landscape by remaining true to its core values of quality, integrity, style, innovation and sustainability and to its promise of offering high quality and exceptional value, and by constantly working to make ‘the difference’ for its customers every day.
Their Business
Woolworths is passionate about quality, value, service, innovation and sustainability and about putting their customers first. This means they are always working to deliver on trend, top quality products that offer great value and finding ways to make a difference to the lives of our customers.
Quality and Value
Leading through innovation
In every area of our business, they're bringing you the best they can find - from revolutionary new fabrics and exciting new foods to pioneering sustainability initiatives and making sure their products are responsibly sourced. Woolworths ‘Farming for the Future’ initiative is all about improving soil and water quality, saving water and encouraging biodiversity – without adding to the price. As part of their Good business journey, they’re working with our farms to give back to nature and preserve our precious resources for generations to come.
Sustainable growth
Because Woolworths believes in the principles of responsible citizenship, they’re focused on environmental and economic sustainability and building successful partnerships with their suppliers and communities to make sure our community is healthy, safe and secure. They’re actively engaged in economic upliftment projects around South Africa and work with numerous small (often community-based) enterprises who supply them with everything from fresh herbs to beautiful bed and table linen.
Making the difference
Staying true to their core values means they depend on their strong tradition of integrity and culture of service. Their focus on innovation and passion for excellence ensures that they make a difference to all South Africans, now and in the future.
Fast facts
- They are the first South African retailer to sponsor the Organic Exchange to drive South Africa’s first commercial organic cotton crop
- They send over 700 tons of plastic clothes hangers for recycling each year
- Almost a third of our in-store signage is made of recycled materials and new stores use new shelving made from 90% recycled paper and 10% begasse from sugar cane
- Woolworths donates over R250m of surplus food and clothing to needy charities each year
- Their stores have energy efficient light fixtures and automated lighting systems to cut their electricity consumption and carbon footprint
- They’re the only retailer that’s part of the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) Water Neutral Scheme, which means we balance the water we use with projects to supply fresh, clean water into the environment
- They’re trailling two new, environmentally refrigeration technologies – one in our stores and another in some of the trucks that deliver our food to our stores
- They transport our fresh foods in plastic crates so there are no cardboard boxes to throw away – we’ve been doing this since 1967
- Established the EWT Rhino Fund in conjunction with MyPlanet and the Endangered Wildlife Trust to help save our rhinos.
When you shop at Woolworths, remember to swipe your blue card before your purchase items are rung up.
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