WWF–Woolworths Partnership Review

The WWF–Woolworths Partnership Review documents the outcomes of a three-year collaboration (2012–2015) focused on reducing the environmental footprint of Woolworths' supply chain. Key achievements include the implementation of Life Cycle Analyses (LCA) for dairy, beef, and textiles to identify environmental hotspots, and the adoption of water stewardship and 'Water Balance' programs to replenish freshwater ecosystems. The partnership also advanced sustainable seafood procurement through WWF-SASSI and initiated research into food waste and greenhouse gas emissions. The report emphasizes the value of NGO-corporate collaboration in driving systemic change and sets the stage for a second phase expanding into other African countries and Australia.

• Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of dairy production revealed that the production phase (farming and feed) accounts for approximately 50% of the carbon footprint, while processing, retail, and consumer actions account for 33%. The study found that 97% of water in the dairy supply chain is used for growing feed and pasture, and producing one litre of milk requires roughly 1,000 litres of water.
• Textile LCA research indicated that cotton has the highest water consumption and ecosystem damage among the fibers studied (cotton, polyester, and viscose), requiring about 2,500 litres per reference T-shirt. Recycled polyester was identified as the most environmentally responsible choice as it avoids fossil fuel consumption.
• In the seafood sector, 92% of all wild-caught seafood sold by volume met 2016 sustainability targets. Woolworths became the first retailer in South Africa to stock ASC-certified products.
• The 'Water Balance' program, which focuses on the 'Review, Reduce, Replenish' (R3) steps, eradicated nearly 200 hectares of alien vegetation, creating approximately 4,000 person days of work for local communities.
• Research into food waste identified that the highest levels of loss occur at the farm level, where up to 60% of crops (such as spinach) can be ploughed back into the soil due to damaged harvests or over-planning.
• Woolworths' greenhouse gas emission targets were benchmarked using the Science-based Targets initiative, confirming they are aligned with the goal of limiting global warming to a 2 °C increase above preindustrial levels.
• The Biodiversity and Wine Initiative (BWI), which evolved into the Conservation Champions programme in 2015, achieved 100% accreditation of qualifying local supply farms by 2013.

APA

WWF South Africa (2016). WWF–Woolworths Partnership Review. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwsvreview.pdf?17061/Reflections-on-the-Woolworths-WWF-Partnership

Chicago

WWF South Africa. WWF–Woolworths Partnership Review. 2016. https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwsvreview.pdf?17061/Reflections-on-the-Woolworths-WWF-Partnership.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF South Africa |title=WWF–Woolworths Partnership Review |date=March 2016 |url=https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwsvreview.pdf?17061/Reflections-on-the-Woolworths-WWF-Partnership |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfsouthafrica2016wwfwoolworths, author = {{WWF South Africa}}, title = {{WWF–Woolworths Partnership Review}}, institution = {WWF South Africa}, year = {2016}, month = mar, url = {https://wwfafrica.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/wwsvreview.pdf?17061/Reflections-on-the-Woolworths-WWF-Partnership}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }