Corporate Social Responsibility

Responsible Sourcing

Supporting sustainable agriculture in Queensland

IGA stores are independently owned by local people in communities across Australia. They work with their suppliers to bring customers the best range of healthy, affordable produce at affordable prices.

In North Queensland, Peter Le Feur manages his family owned Mango farm. He supplies fresh, healthy mangoes to surrounding IGAs bringing their customers sustainable and nutritious produce direct from the farm gate.

Peter is passionate about organic farming, creating healthy ecosystems on his land by using minimal pesticides and fertilizers. He is passionate about educating the next generation on the importance of organic farming to human health and to our environment.

The overuse of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture results in soil contamination, habitat destruction and water pollution. Some pesticides are also damaging to human health.

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Supporting sustainable agriculture

The owners of IGA stores care about supporting local farmers using sustainable agriculture techniques.

Glenn and Katrina Morris from Figtree Organic Farms supply to surrounding IGAs bringing their customers fresh, sustainable and nutritious produce, direct from the farm gate.

Glenn is passionate about organic farming, creating healthy ecosystems on his land by using no pesticides or fertilisers. Katrina is passionate about education and teaching children the importance of understanding where their food comes from for their health and well-being.

The overuse of pesticides and fertilisers in agriculture results in soil contamination, habitat destruction and water pollution. Some pesticides are also damaging to human health.

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Community Co is helping to educate our community on responsible palm oil

Community Co was launched by the team at Metcash/IGA with a core purpose, to give back to local Australian communities and to contribute to better environmental outcomes across the supply chain.

Over 100 products are now on shelf in many IGA’s around the country and the business has now been recognised for its efforts in using sustainable palm oil, in a unique partnership with the Taronga Zoo’s new Tiger Exhibit and Choice Mart.

Metcash/IGA are committed members to the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil which is a not for profit, multi-stakeholder certification body, created in 2004, to provide companies with a choice to buy palm oil produced with minimum impact to the environment and communities.

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People and Community

A National Donor to Foodbank since 2010

Metcash has been a National Donor to Foodbank since 2010. During this time, Metcash has donated 1,910,146 kilograms of food and groceries to Foodbank, as well as giving staff the opportunity to volunteer at Foodbank warehouses.

Metcash is also working with Foodbank to provide spare transport capacity on a weekly basis from the Metcash Victorian Distribution Centre (DC) to the Metcash DCs in NSW, QLD and SA. Foodbank Victoria delivers pallets requiring interstate transfer to the Metcash VIC DC, which, over the course of the week, distributes that stock to the other sites in NSW, QLD and SA. Once a week Foodbank teams from NSW, QLD and SA collect these inbound deliveries and distribute the items to the charities in their respective States.

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Environment

Single-Use Plastic Bag Phase Out

Last year, IGA retailers nationally announced their commitment to becoming single-use lightweight plastic shopping bag free by 30 June this year.

To support their efforts, wholesaler Metcash now offers all IGA’s a wide range of alternatives such as paper bags, jute bags, calico bags, cardboard boxes, reusable bags and boomerang bags.

Boomerang Bags is a not for profit organisation working to reduce the use of plastic bags by engaging local communities in making bags – community made, using recycled materials.

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Metcash/IGA take a stand against plastic bags

Many IGAs across the country have already banned plastic bags because of their detrimental impact on the environment. Plastic bags pollute soil and water, harming millions of marine animals yearly.

John Bishton from IGA Bingara banned plastic bags in his store seven years ago in response to customers’ environmental concerns. He is proud to be one of the first supermarkets in Australia to take a stand against plastic bags.

Metcash and IGA have committed to phasing out single-use plastic bags in stores and Distribution Centres by 30 June 2018.

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