As part of their FY24 results releases, both Coles Group and Endeavour Group released Sustainability Reports, detailing each company’s progress towards environmental, social, and governance (ESG) sustainability goals.
Endeavour Group’s social and governance sustainability
With more than 30,000 team members and a network of over 2,000 sites, Endeavour Group recognises its potential to make an impact across a broad range of issues, with sustainable initiatives aligning closely with its company values of being real, inclusive, and responsible.
Endeavour Group creates a supportive work environment for its employees by focusing on equity and diversity. This is evidenced by its gender distribution, with 45 per cent of senior leadership positions held by women, and a 0.7 per cent gender pay gap. In addition, Endeavour Group has received bronze tier status at Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQI Inclusion Awards.
Endeavour Group has also supported its local communities through group investments and team and customer donations, contributing $6m to charities and initiatives including Gotcha4Life and GIVIT. In addition, Endeavour Group works with Larrakia Nation, the peak body for the Larrakia people of the Darwin region and has invited members of the executive team to attend Country trips to experience Larrakia Country first hand.
Part of the company’s community initiatives include a commitment to responsible alcohol consumption and messaging. This is supported by the more than 300 no- and low-alcohol (NoLo) products available across Endeavour Group, which BWS showcased at the BWS Low & No Alcohol Bar at Darwin Festival in August 2023. Josie Brown, General Manager of Marketing, BWS, said that the event was a success, serving more than 900 NoLo drinks over the 18-day festival.
“The BWS Brand is all about bring a refreshing take on the world of drinks. Bold, zero per cent wines, fancy mocktails and tasty low-alcohol beers fuelling a major festival? BWS is absolutely here for it,” she said.
In addition, Endeavour Group has partnered with DrinkWise on campaigns such as Always Respect, Always DrinkWise and the inaugural Moderation Week in June 2024, and has an 88 per cent success rate for ID25 of mystery shoppers.
Endeavour Group’s environmental sustainability
Endeavour Group also recognises the importance of environmental stewardship across its stores, venues, and own brands. The key risks the group has identified include natural events such as bushfires and floods damaging stores, distribution centres, and vineyards, potential dangers to staff such as heat stress, and increased costs due to scarcity, policy changes, and supplier changes.
To address these challenges, Endeavour Group has committed to the goal of transitioning to 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030 and reaching net zero Scope One and Two emissions by 2050. As of FY24, Endeavour Group has 219 solar sites across the group, and Dan Murphy’s and BWS have replaced open fridges with cases with doors in 34 NSW and Victorian stores, reducing in-store energy consumption.
Across Endeavour Group’s products, eight of its own brand wineries are certified by Sustainable Winegrowing Australia or New Zealand. These wineries have their own sustainability initiatives, such as Isabel Estate in the Wairau Valley, which plants 400 native plants per year and shares the seeds with the local primary, Renwick School. Nick Best, Operations and Bottling Manager, whose children attend Renwick School, said that the initiative benefits the environment and the community.
“By instilling a sense of stewardship for the environment for our tamariki (children) and across different generations, we not only enhance biodiversity, we’re sowing the seeds of a deeper connection between the winery and the wider community,” he said.
Endeavour Group’s commitment to sustainability was further evidenced by its Earth Day initiative in April, which planted one square metre of native bushland for every bottle of wine sold during the month.
Additionally, Endeavour Group was the first retailer to join Sustainable Wine Roundtable, which Leigh Firkin, Head of Commercial Wine, Endeavour Group, said is a reflection of the business’s commitment to sustainability throughout the supply chain.
“By working together, we can create solutions and harness the knowledge of industry experts, from viticulturists and winemakers through to packaging processes and our supply chain to customers.”
Coles Group ESG sustainability
Across the different pillars of its business, Coles Group has made progress towards its diversity, equity, and inclusion goals, with 42.5 per cent of leadership positions held by women, 3.6 per cent of employees identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, and 7.5 per cent of employees identifying as having a disability. Additionally, Coles received gold tier status at Australian Workplace Equality Index for LGBTQI Inclusion Awards and is on track to reach platinum status by 2027.
In its efforts towards community responsibility, Coles has raised millions of dollars for various charities, including $9.5m for FightMND, $7m to SecondBite, $2.4m Redkite, and $1.9m Hosptials United for Sick Kids. As part of the group’s support for FightMND, a charity that raises funds to find a cure for motor neurone disease, Coles Liquor partnered with Brewmanity to release a limited-edition fundraising beer as part of the Big Freeze 10 campaign in June.
Coles Liquor has also promoted responsible drinking through ranging more than 200 NoLo products and partnering with DrinkWise on campaigns such as Always Respect, Always DrinkWise.
Coles Group has made progress towards its environmental sustainability goals, achieving a 1.5 per cent reduction in Scope One and Two CO2 emissions in FY24, with a total reduction of 34.5 per cent from a FY20 baseline. Currently, 45 per cent of the electricity used by Coles Group is renewable energy, with the goal to transition to 100 per cent renewable energy by FY25, as well as reduce Scope One and Two CO2 emissions by 75 per cent by FY30 and reach net zero by FY50.
A particular focus for Coles Group is reducing waste, with 87 per cent solid waste diverted from landfill. To support packaging recycling, Coles Group was a key player in the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme, which launched in November 2023.
Furthermore, Coles Group is addressing the impact made by transporting its products and has entered into a direct delivery partnership with Lion, eliminating the need for smaller fleets to transfer Lion goods from various distribution centres. Additionally, Coles has been working with Linfox to convert road transport to rail between South Australia and the Northern Terrritory, which will result in 16 times less emissions per kilometre travelled.
Alongside its own sustainable initatives, Coles Group has also supported its suppliers to invest in sustainable initiatives through the Coles Nurture Fund. In June, Coles provided $780,000 to Beachtree Distilling Co. and Rocky Ridge Brewing Co. to support the companies’ sustainable projects.