A message from our Chairman, Sharon White

A message to our customers from Sharon White, Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership.

When John Spedan Lewis handed over his business to his employees to create a Partnership he described it as a ‘radical experiment’.

Seventy-five years on and the experiment continues. As Chairman, I’m Chief Trustee of the Partnership, responsible for ensuring the Partnership model not only survives, but thrives for another 75 years. 

The strength of our brands - John Lewis and Waitrose - isn’t an accident of being a Partnership. 

It is because we are a Partnership. 

It is the reason that brilliant customer service, quality, value and sustainability are at the heart of everything we do. 

Our Partners (we don’t call ourselves employees) give more because we own the business, and have a say in how it is run; as we also operate as a democracy. 

Our customers trust us because they know when they shop with us that they are getting independent, impartial and expert advice from Partners who own the business. 

Being a Partnership is what got us through the pandemic. It’s what’s getting us through the biggest cost of living crisis in generations. 

And I’m hugely grateful to our customers, for staying loyal to us. I do not take that for granted. 

The Partnership has a rich history of taking bold steps. Offering healthcare to Partners before the NHS was established.  Selling products online before many people had even heard of the internet.  Diversifying into housing and financial services - where trust matters.  And now supporting young people who have grown up in care to find jobs in the Partnership. 

We have always been open to new partnerships with investors or like minded companies to support our growth. A recent example is the partnership with abrdn, the investment fund, who are investing in our residential property business, which will eventually provide 10,000 rental homes for communities. 

In seeking what's best for our business and our Partners, if we were to consider working with others that had implications for how we’re set up, we’d of course discuss it with our Partners first. 

As Chairman, I have the responsibility - and the privilege - of ensuring everything we do is in the best interest of the Partnership.

The Partnership will continue to evolve and change shape, as it has since its creation.

What will remain a constant is our ownership of the business.