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Enterprise Sustainability Analysis Final
Enterprise Sustainability Analysis Final
Name
Institution
Course
Professor
Date
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Contents
Part1 :Introduction...............................................................................................................2
Part 2:Implementation plan..................................................................................................4
Part3 :Sustainability in the industry.....................................................................................4
Part4:Sustainability of the Fair Price Group Enterprise......................................................6
Part5:Specific Sustainability aspects...................................................................................8
Part 6: Recommendations For The Fair Price Group Enterprise.........................................9
Part 6.1 :Reducing Single-Use Plastics...........................................................................9
Part 6.2: Enhancing Supply Chain Transparency and Ethical Sourcing.......................10
Part 7: Conclusion..............................................................................................................14
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Part1 :Introduction
NTUC FairPrice is Singapore's largest supermarket chain. The company cooperates with
Singapore's National Trade Union Congress (NTUC). As of 2022, the Group has more than 100
supermarkets across Singapore, including more than 160 Cheers convenience stores across the
island. In 1972, Singapore was suffering from the effects of the global oil crisis. People are
worried about global food shortages, and business people are raising prices for essential goods.
To combat inflation and stabilise food prices, NTUC began selling food and necessities
reasonably to the public, becoming a "people's supermarket"—a goal that continues today. In
November 1972, NTUC announced the establishment of a new consumer cooperative called
Welcome, which opened in February 1973. On July 22, 1973, FairPrice opened its first
supermarket in Toa Payoh Lorong (Ha & Loh, 2020).
As Singapore's leading food retailer, FairPrice Group strives to inspire bold action to
create unique change for future generations. To this end, FairPrice Group is focusing on 2030
and has proposed three critical pillars under the "Healthier Lives, Healthier Planet" plan. One of
the most notable characteristics of NTUC FairPrice is its commitment to affordability and value.
As a social enterprise, the company strives to keep prices competitive while maintaining high-
quality standards, ensuring that essential goods remain accessible to all segments of society,
including low-income families and senior citizens. Through initiatives such as the FairPrice
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Housebrand range and regular promotions, FairPrice endeavours to alleviate the financial burden
on Singaporean households and enhance their overall well-being.
For example, the Group has invested in a new state-of-the-art Fresh Food Distribution
Centre (FFDC), which will use new technologies to help drive the Group's cold chain capabilities
and support Singapore's food security objectives. The facility is expected to be fully operational
in 2024.FairPrice As a retailer, FairPrice selectively provides products that meet sustainable
standards, such as organic food and environmentally friendly cleaning products, to meet
consumers' needs for sustainable lifestyles. FairPrice launched the "Create Greater Value Every
Day" initiative. Its cost-saving measures include freezing prices on 50 popular daily shows,
offering monthly essentials and offering 50% off select items. Additionally, FairPrice offers
special discounts on essential items such as eggs, rice and cooking oil. FairPrice is committed to
team member welfare, ensuring the employment of disadvantaged groups, and providing good
working conditions, training opportunities, and welfare plans to enhance team members'
happiness and satisfaction.
The sustainability Group utilised a comprehensive range of credible resources for the
sustainability report on Fair Price Group Company. The sources include Sustainability/CSR
reports and annual reports provided by Fair Price Group to understand their sustainability
initiatives and financial performance. Besides, interviews with the heads of different departments
provided the team with insights into, but not limited to, the Fair Price Group's green agenda,
sustainable practices, and problems facing the supply chain company. Access to Fair Price
Group's website opened a channel of knowledge on their sustainability programs, sustainable
supplier engagement, and community development sections. Moreover, Fair Price Group's
websites and customer feedback underpinned the research, which aimed to understand public
perceptions of the program sustainability efforts of the Fair Price Group.
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Industry publications and news articles were analysed to identify broader trends and best
practices in sustainability within the retail industry. Websites and social media platforms were
reviewed to gauge public perception and customer feedback. Additionally, physical visits to
NTUC FairPrice outlets allowed for firsthand observation of store operations, contributing to a
deeper understanding of the company's retail strategies. This report ensures a comprehensive
analysis of NTUC FairPrice and its impact on the Singaporean retail industry by utilising diverse
sources.
The supermarket industry, including the esteemed NTUC FairPrice, confronts many
sustainability challenges across the triple-bottom-line framework and Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs). Environmental sustainability ranks high among these concerns, notably due to the
industry's significant resource consumption, pervasive waste generation, and substantial
contribution to greenhouse gas emissions (Sullivan et al., 2018). Packaging materials, especially
single-use plastics, pose a particularly acute issue, exacerbating environmental degradation.
Additionally, the widespread food waste problem throughout the supply chain amplifies
resource inefficiency and adds pressure on landfills. In response, NTUC FairPrice has instituted
various initiatives to mitigate these challenges. The company actively promotes reusable bags
and incentivises customers to bring their containers for purchases. Furthermore, it implements
comprehensive food waste reduction strategies, including surplus food donation programmes, to
address these environmental concerns.
Social sustainability within the industry encompasses a broad spectrum of issues, ranging
from fair labour practices to community engagement. Concerns over worker rights, including fair
wages, safe working conditions, and opportunities for career advancement, are paramount.
NTUC FairPrice, as a cooperative entity, has ingrained a solid commitment to its workforce's
well-being. It ensures competitive wages and comprehensive benefits and offers training
programmes for skill development, nurturing a conducive work environment. Additionally, the
company actively engages in community outreach activities, supporting local charities and
partnering with social enterprises to address social needs and foster community resilience.
Economic sustainability challenges are evident in fair trade practices, supply chain
transparency, and economic inclusivity. The dominance of supermarket chains often leads to
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concerns regarding unfair trade practices, especially concerning smaller producers and suppliers.
NTUC FairPrice confronts this challenge by prioritising partnerships with local farmers and
small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), ensuring fair prices, and fostering long-term
sustainability for all stakeholders involved. Moreover, the cooperative structure of the company
promotes economic inclusivity by empowering members with shared ownership and equitable
distribution of profits, thus contributing to a more resilient economic ecosystem (NTUC
FairPrice, n.d.).
measures to minimise packaging waste, such as promoting reusable bags and incentivising
customers to bring their containers for purchases.
Regarding social sustainability, NTUC FairPrice has prioritised team member welfare
and community engagement. The company offers competitive wages, comprehensive benefits,
and training programmes for skill development, fostering a supportive work environment for its
employees. Moreover, FairPrice actively engages in community outreach activities, supporting
local charities and partnering with social enterprises to address social needs. These initiatives
contribute to SDGs related to decent work, economic growth, and sustainable communities.
FairPrice's dedication to social responsibility underscores its role as a responsible corporate
citizen and a contributor to community well-being.
Another area for improvement is in supply chain transparency and ethical sourcing.
While FairPrice prioritises partnerships with local farmers and SMEs, ensuring fair prices and
supporting local businesses, there may be opportunities to enhance transparency throughout the
supply chain. Implementing measures to trace the origin of products and ensure ethical sourcing
practices could strengthen FairPrice's commitment to social responsibility and sustainability.
The company's focus on waste reduction, team member welfare, community engagement,
and supporting local businesses demonstrates a commitment to sustainability and responsible
business practices. However, there are areas where improvements could enhance FairPrice's
overall sustainability performance, including reducing single-use plastics, enhancing supply
chain transparency, and setting clear targets for progress.
Fair Price Group has achieved notable advances in its sustainability initiatives, most
notably the plastic reduction strategies, environmental awareness education, and promotion of
the local community. However, there are aspects that the enterprise should address, including
waste management and supply chain transparency (Sullivan et al., 2018). The Group should
allocate its finances to renewable energy development and clean waste and promote a transparent
supply chain to improve sustainability. Through this, Fair Price Group can continue improving
sustainability across businesses and lead the industry in setting the standard and mitigating the
harmful impacts of climate change.
Focusing on two specific sustainability aspects, waste reduction and ethical sourcing, is
more critical. These aspects are selected because they are crucial for NTUC FairPrice and the
supermarket industry as a whole. Waste reduction is vital for NTUC FairPrice due to the
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supermarket industry's significant environmental impact from packaging and food waste.
Addressing this aspect aligns with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production),
emphasising sustainable practices to minimise waste generation and promote resource efficiency.
Given FairPrice's commitment to environmental stewardship and resource efficiency, waste
reduction is a crucial area for improvement.
Ethical sourcing is another critical aspect of NTUC FairPrice, considering the importance
of fair trade practices and supply chain transparency in the supermarket industry. This aspect
aligns with SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 12 (Responsible
Consumption and Production), emphasising the importance of fair wages, safe working
conditions, and ethical business practices throughout the supply chain. Improving ethical
sourcing practices is essential for FairPrice to uphold its commitment to social responsibility and
ensure transparency and fairness in its operations (Sullivan et al.,2018).
These aspects represent areas of significant importance and potential improvement for
NTUC FairPrice, reflecting the company's commitment to sustainability and responsible business
practices.
NTUC FairPrice can set clear targets to reduce the use of single-use plastics across its
operations. These targets should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound
(SMART). For example, the company could aim to reduce plastic packaging by a certain
percentage within a specified timeframe. The enterprise can achieve its goal of minimising
plastic usage through education and campaigns. Implementing in-store and online educational
campaigns can raise awareness among customers about the environmental impact of single-use
plastics and the importance of reducing their usage (Sullivan et al.,2018). Providing information
about alternative packaging options and the benefits of plastic reduction can empower consumers
to make more sustainable choices.
To enhance supply chain transparency and ethical sourcing, NTUC FairPrice can adopt
measures to trace the origin of products and ensure compliance with ethical standards throughout
the supply chain. Implementing blockchain technology, for example, can enable real-time
tracking of products from farm to shelf, providing greater transparency and accountability
((Krisnadewi & Soewarno,2019). Walmart has successfully piloted blockchain technology for
tracking food products, demonstrating its potential to improve supply chain transparency and
traceability.
Ethical Sourcing evaluates the conducting supplier timely data from suppliers,
Standards level of supplier assessments, audits, verifying compliance with
compliance with and evaluations to multiple standards and
NTUC FairPrice's assess compliance certifications, and effectively
ethical sourcing with ethical addressing non-compliance
standards, sourcing criteria. issues.
including labour Reporting can be
practices, done through
environmental supplier scorecards,
sustainability, compliance reports,
and social and annual
responsibility. sustainability
disclosures.
Percentage This Measureme Limitations include
of Products Sourced indicator tracks nt involves the availability of certified
from Certified the percentage of analysing products in the market,
Suppliers products sourced procurement data to potential challenges in
from suppliers determine the verifying certification
certified by proportion of authenticity, and the need for
recognised products sourced continuous monitoring to
sustainability from certified ensure ongoing compliance.
certification suppliers. Reporting
programs, such as can be done through
Fair Trade, sustainability
Rainforest reports,
Alliance, or procurement
Organic dashboards, and
certification. supplier
performance
reviews.
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These sustainability indicators are essential for monitoring NTUC FairPrice's progress in
reducing single-use plastics and enhancing supply chain transparency and ethical sourcing. By
tracking these indicators over time, the company can assess its sustainability performance,
identify areas for improvement, and demonstrate accountability to stakeholders.
However, managing these indicators comes with its own set of challenges and limitations.
For instance, measuring the quantity of single-use plastics used may be challenging due to
decentralised data collection processes and variations in reporting practices across different
business units (Naidoo & Gasparatos, 2018). Similarly, ensuring supplier compliance with
ethical sourcing standards requires robust monitoring and verification mechanisms, which may
be resource-intensive and time-consuming.
Part 7: Conclusion
15
References
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