Reusable Shopping Bags boost job creation

Brightly coloured Woolworths reusable shopping bags are easily recognised on the arms of local shoppers, and there is a story behind them that many are not aware of. Not only are they helping to reduce the amount of harmful plastic waste going into landfills, but they are also helping a small Cape Town company to flourish.

Isikhwama, a small BEE company, employs previously unemployed semi-skilled and unskilled people. Many people who worked in clothing factories lost their jobs in 2004, when many of Cape Town’s clothing factories closed. The company began that year in order to provide Woolworths with bags, and today employs some 85 people, producing over 20 – 30 000 bags for Woolworths every week.  Known as ‘green carriers’, the bags are made from 55% recycled plastic, harvested from waster that requires fewer non-renewable resources than ordinary plastic bags.

In 2007, Woolworths began their Good business journey – a comprehensive five year plan that aims to “help people and planet”. It incorporates a series of challenging targets and commitments centred on four key priorities: accelerating transformation, driving social development, enhancing Woolworths’ environmental focus and addressing climate change.

As part of its Good business journey, and the commitment to socio-economic transformation and social development in South Africa, Isikhwama is one of the small enterprises to benefit from its partnership with Woolworths. The company also assists Isikhwama’s cash flow through procuring the fabric and assisting with the purchase or upgrade of equipment. The initiative is not a profit-generating one, and the focus is on creating jobs and helping to establish a sound local South African business.

The bags are also helping Woolworths to raise awareness for its Good business journey initiatives. A bright blue and green bag promotes Woolworths Fishing for the Future, the sustainable seafood initiative along with SASSI (the WWF program for sustainable seafood) fish SMS line, and it has recently been joined by a yellow and green bag devoted to Woolworths sustainable farming programme, Farming for the Future.

The company has also taken steps to promote recycling within their corporate offices, and donate old equipment to relevant organisations. With big companies like Woolworths encouraging their shoppers to use bags that reduce environmental impact, another step towards the greening of South Africa has been taken.

Photographs courtesy of www.woolworths.co.za