/ 25 October 2007

Vying for supergreen

The United Kingdom’s three biggest supermarket groups, which are battling to be viewed as the most environmentally friendly, are all searching for new directors of corporate social responsibility to lead their green crusades.

The vacancies are the result of resig-nations at Sainsbury’s and Asda and a decision by Tesco to recruit a new specialist to work with the grocer’s government affairs director, who is responsible for improving Tesco’s green credentials.

In the past two years the big grocers have announced a stream of initiatives on everything from using fewer carrier bags to generating wind power and fighting child obesity. The CSR director has changed from being regarded as something of a box-ticking backwater of a job to a high- profile position as consumers have become more aware of the supermarkets’ effect on the environment.

Sainsbury’s CSR specialist, Helen Lo, has resigned. She is still employed by the grocer but has moved to work on a special project. Sainsbury’s director of communications, Pip Wood, is overseeing Lo’s previous responsibilities.

Asda’s environmental specialist, Ian Bowles, has also quit, after more than five years. The search for his successor is being led by Paul Kelly, Asda’s new director of corporate affairs.

Tesco is searching for a new director of CSR to work with David North, the grocer’s director of government affairs. North previously worked at 10 Downing Street advising Tony Blair on rural affairs. — Â