Bakers Delight a joint winner for social responsibility

Sarah Stowe

Bakers Delight has been named as the national joint winner of the Franchisor Social Responsibility Award, alongside the Back in Motion Health Group, at the Franchise Council of Australia MYOB Excellence in Franchising Awards.

The joint award recognises Bakers DelightÕs commitment and contribution to regional, national and global communities and the natural environment, demonstrated through its commitment to health and wellbeing of AustralianÕs offering a broad range of freshly baked products, ongoing sponsorship, community engagement and environmental commitment.

Chris Caldwell, general manager of marketing & operational support at Bakers Delight, said the network is continually developing and implementing community, social and environmental initiatives.

“Our commitment to local communities is pivotal to our connection with the Australian market. Having strong community links also reinforces that we arenÕt a faceless brand — bakeries are run by real people from real communities.”

Bakers Delight has been a major corporate partner of Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) for nine years, raising almost $3.7 million in this time. Through its bakery network, the company donates approximately $143 million of bread to charities each year.

Other community engagement programs include the Top Sports grants program which saw Bakers Delight invest over $250,000 in 60 grassroots sporting clubs and 20 schools across Australia, and the Bundraiser campaign where bakeries donated $1 from every six pack of Hot Cross Buns sold to purchase valuable equipment for childrenÕs hospitals around Australia.

Bakers Delight also actively supports environmentally conscious practices through a range of initiatives and is currently rolling out new ÔGreenÕ artisan ovens, which will result in a 25 per cent reduction in energy resources. The network is also committed to the use of environmentally friendly calico bags and encourages paper bags where possible or the reusing of plastic bags, in an effort to reduce landfill.

Bakers Delight was also the finalist for the FCA MYOB Excellence in Marketing Award with its integrated recruitment campaign to attract 500 apprentices.

The bakery’s franchisees Jo Patterson at Caneland QLD and former franchisees from Geraldton WA, Gerard and Carol Cafferkey, were finalists in the National Franchisee Community Service Award; Adam and partner Jaclyn Schoene from Bakers Delight Bondi Junction were also finalists for the Single-Unit Franchisee of the Year Award.