Sainsbury’s corporate responsibility and sustainability director Judith Batchelar has announced her resignation from the Big 4 grocer.
According to an internal note, Batchelar has been with the company for the past 16 years, but has decided to leave Sainsbury’s to pursue a range of other interests, said chief marketing officer Mark Given, whose remit also included public affairs.
Batchelar will remain with Sainsbury’s until November in an advisory role.
“As well as successfully running the Sainsbury’s Brand division Judith has been at the heart of all our work on sustainability and the environment for many years,” Given said.
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“Her knowledge of the food supply chain from the farm to the plate is unparalleled in the industry.
“She has been the embodiment of ‘passion for food’ in our business, has been our voice to the government through the pandemic and Brexit and was instrumental in agreeing our first set of Net Zero commitments last year.”
From the end of May, the corporate responsibility and sustainability (CR&S) team will be led by group head of CR&S Ruth Cranston, according to the retailer.
Cranson will report directly to Given, whereas, the public affairs team will report to Rebecca Reilly, who has been promoted to corporate affairs director.
Reilly has been with the Big 4 grocer for seven years and currently holds the position of group head of communications and responsible for all of Sainsbury’s internal and external communications.
She will continue to report directly to chief executive Simon Roberts.
“I would like to thank Judith for the major contribution she has made to our business and our brand over the last 16 years and I’m hugely grateful for her dedication and leadership of our corporate responsibility and sustainability programmes,” Roberts said.
“On behalf of my colleagues I wish her all the best for the future.
“Rebecca’s promotion is a huge vote of confidence in her leadership.
“Having our external communications, colleague communications and government engagement all under Rebecca will help us land one strategic narrative with these key audiences.”
