Sustainability

A safe place to work and shop

We care about the physical and psychological safety and health of our customers, team and business partners. We are committed to creating a safe work environment, where people arrive home from work and shopping free from injuries and illness.

We believe: 

  • Being proactive is better than being reactive
  • Nothing is so important that you cannot take the time to do it safely
  • It is okay not to feel okay, and it's absolutely okay to ask for help
  • We are all accountable for a safe work environment

To view our Safety, Health and Wellbeing Policy please click here.

Woolworths provides safe and appropriate work for all team members, including young workers, through policies, procedures and onboarding and induction processes at the corporate, business and site levels. Additionally, there are implemented processes which sit within business safety and health management systems, such as:

  • Being proactive is better than being reactive
  • online education
  • safety information
  • instruction
  • communication; and
  • consultation.

Onboarding supervision programs and "buddy" systems include on the job training in emergency and first aid procedures, manual handling, hazardous chemical use and equipment handling, equipment licensing and certification.
Managers and supervisors use training, activity and workplace monitoring checklists to guide team members through the various elements of their role and complete periodic performance check ins, provide refresher training and competency sign off. Team members are only able to complete tasks within their role once they have completed training and are deemed competent by their workplace coach.

The safety, health and wellbeing of our team members when it comes to hours of work are governed by the applicable industrial instrument and/or Awards which provide the parameters around rostering principles and set out maximum hours, meal breaks and breaks between shifts. We also comply with health and safety laws in relation to hours of work. Further, our line managers monitor the workplace to ensure that our team is doing the right thing in ensuring our team has required breaks.

Holistic Wellbeing

At Woolworths Group, we care deeply. We are committed to the holistic wellbeing of our team and to having a positive impact on customers and the community. It is one of many ways we create better experiences for a better tomorrow.

I am here represents our complete wellbeing offering providing team members and their families with a personalised level of care, including resources for:

  • Mental Wellbeing

  • Financial Wellbeing

  • Social Wellbeing

  • Physical Wellbeing

  • Community Wellbeing

To give our team easy access and a direct connection to our offering, we have partnered with Sonder - a 100% confidential, 24/7 support network, available via an app and over the phone.

 

Our partner, Sonder, provides our teams with 24/7 access to safety, mental health, physical health and wellbeing support. Sonder provides an in-house network of registered nurses, mental health clinicians, experienced emergency responders and other wellbeing experts to support our team, no matter how big or small the issue.

Through the Sonder app, our team can live-chat or talk on the phone with people that care, access resources and use one-of-a-kind safety features. 

Woolworths Group wants to provide peace of mind and therefore also offers Sonder access to team members' immediate family, free of charge.

Like all of our partners, Sonder is an independent provider, where privacy is of the utmost importance. The team’s interactions with Sonder are 100% confidential, and will never be shared with Woolworths Group. 

For our progress against this goal, see our 2024 Sustainability Report. For more information on our metrics, see our 2024 Sustainability Data Pack.