Assignment 1 - Step 3: Find Your Company

Visit The Warehouse Group's website to learn more about the firm and their mission in providing for Kiwis: https://www.thewarehousegroup.co.nz/

The Warehouse Group is a retail chain based and operating primarily in New Zealand, and selling a wide variety of household goods, from food, clothing and cleaning products, to stationery, furniture and toys. It was established by Sir Stephen Tindall in 1982 and today owns subsidiary companies such as The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery, Noel Leeming and Torpedo7, as well as online shopping website 1day and The Market, an online shopping brand.

One focus of The Warehouse Group and its subsidiary companies is on environmental sustainability, and being able to provide for the nation whilst being considerate of the planet and its population in all aspects of the firm’s functioning. Their commitment to the environment is evident through partnerships with national projects, such as The Hydrogen Project which trials hydrogen technology to reduce carbon emissions, as well as emphasis in the following areas:

· Energy efficiency

· Water conservation

· Waste reduction

· Ethical treatment of employees working in factories, including working conditions, wages, access to healthcare and health education, etc.

· Ethically sourcing materials to be used in the production of goods

Currently, The Warehouse Group have over 260 retail stores across New Zealand with a combination of approximately 13,000 employees, making them the largest retail group in New Zealand. They pride themselves in offering a safe and fair workplace, embracing the diversity of customers and employees alike, and the individual skills and abilities of each team member.

The Warehouse Group’s most recent FY22 Third Quarter Trading Update highlights a number of successes for the firm, particularly;

· $86.6 million in online sales, including $36.9 million made via Click and Collect

· Gross profit margin increased by 0.01% in comparison to the same quarter in FY21, bringing the percentage to 35.6%

· Click and Collect sales comprising 47.3% of the group’s total online sales

· $771.6 million in sales for the quarter, which has increased a total of 37.1% since the same quarter in FY19

Unfortunately, the Coronavirus pandemic impacted and continues to impact heavily on the firm. With multiple strict national lockdowns being enforced throughout 2020 and 2021, The Warehouse Group have noticed a significant decrease in foot-traffic in all group stores. Whilst more customers are now beginning to visit stores due to eased restrictions, the foot-traffic numbers have not yet reached what they once were. Inflation, product shortages and freight delays are also consequences of the pandemic The Warehouse Group are struggling with, resulting in a reduction of gross profit margin. However, despite these factors, The Warehouse Group along with its subsidiary companies continue to maintain the prices of household essentials to ensure families in New Zealand have access to quality items at reasonable prices.

The Warehouse Group Annual Reports 2019 - 2021