The Wilderness Society Australia’s Post

Great to be part of a formidable - and fun! - presence inside and outside the Coles Group AGM in Naarm / Melbourne today, alongside colleagues from Greenpeace Australia Pacific and Australian Conservation Foundation Coles has a deforestation problem. A lack of transparency, and of proper monitoring, means that consumers are in the dark about Australian deforestation, and the groceries on Coles' shelves. Customers should not have to worry about whether everyday groceries are made from the destruction of Australia's forests -- but they do. Coles has a responsibility to shoppers: to make sure groceries are not costing the homes of koalas, quolls, or swift parrots. Yet everyday, more and more forests and bushland is destroyed to make some beef, timber, packaging and aluminium products. Meanwhile, Coles has still not committed to clean up its supply chains of Australian deforestation. The positive is: Coles can act on this. By aligning with international best practice, and using verifiable definitions, Coles can make credible policy commitments, and take robust action. Thanks to wonderful The Wilderness Society Australia Society supporters, there were also 1/ roaming bicycle billboards circling the AGM showing video footage of Australian deforestation, 2/ all around the country volunteers have held actions outside Coles' stores, and 3/ there are comments a plenty on the Coles' Instagram -- add yours to the hundreds of other comments already at the link in the comments below. For people, for nature, and for climate, Coles must go deforestation-free. Kelly O'Shanassy David Ritter