Bakers Delight takes out FCA’s Social Responsibility Award

Bakers Delight has been awarded the ‘Franchisor Social Responsibility Award’ at the Franchise Council of Australia MYOB Excellence in Franchising Awards, held last night at the 2009 FCA Gala Awards Dinner in Perth.

The award recognises Bakers Delight’s commitment and contribution to regional, national and global communities and the natural environment, demonstrated through its commitment to health and wellbeing of Australian’s 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 aren’t a faceless brand – bakeries are run by real people from real communities.

“Bakery employees get a lot of satisfaction from going back to the local communities they serve. There is a feeling of making a real difference to the lives of so many – it brings staff and the community together.”

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 children’s hospitals around Australia.

Bakers Delight also actively supports environmentally conscious practices through a range of initiatives and is currently rolling out new ‘Green’ 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 has been a major corporate partner of Breast Cancer Network Australia for nine years, raising almost $3.7 million within this time. Through its bakery network, the company donates approximately $143 million in bread to charities each year. In 2009, Bakers Delight was recognised for its commitment to community, health and environmental practices taking out the Franchise Council of Australia ‘Franchisor Social Responsibility Award.’

For further information or images:
Rebecca Stalker or Carla Carafa
Keep Left Public Relations
Tel: 03 9510 3910
Mob: 0433 099547 (Rebecca) / 0413 106 506 (Carla)
Email: rebecca@keepleftpr.com.au  / carla@keepleftpr.com.au  

About Bakers Delight:
Bakers Delight, Australia’s most successful bakery franchise business, was established in 1980 as a single bakery on Glenferrie Road in the Melbourne suburb of Hawthorn. An Australian owned company, Bakers Delight boasts over 650 bakeries across Australia/New Zealand and over 700 worldwide, employing more than 15,000 people, serving 2.5 million regular customers per week throughout Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

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