Key performance indicators

The chapter “key performance indicators” provides information about METRO’s sustainability performance in the form of key performance indicators (KPIs). It is divided into figures showing the company’s economic performance, staff-related KPIs, key indicators regarding the “sustainable operations” area of responsibility, which covers the responsible use of resources, key indicators for the “sustainable procurement” area of responsibility, KPIs on sustainable consumption and social engagement.

Reporting period

The reporting year is the same as the METRO financial year, that is from 1 October to 30 September. Key performance indicators are reported for the previous 3 financial years.

Reporting of the climate protection target also includes the target’s reference year, 2011. The figure for the reference year relates to the period from 1 January to 31 December 2011. A different reporting period is used in this case because METRO changed its financial year from the calendar year to the 12 months from October to September in 2013.

Approach to data collection and reporting

The key performance indicators reported are based on data that is gathered using various internal reporting systems. As a rule, this data is systematically recorded for each sales line and each country every quarter, in some cases every month. The KPIs are based on data collected for METRO as a whole, that is for all of the stores, back offices and warehouses and for the head office in Düsseldorf. It is necessary to extrapolate and estimate consumption data for some KPIs in cases where the primary data available is incomplete. This applies to the KPIs on sustainable operations.

The greenhouse gas emissions relating to purchased goods and services, assets and leased assets which are reported in accordance with Scope 3 are modelled because recording primary data for these is highly complex. The modelling is based on the KPIs regarding METRO’s economic value added and an economic input-output model that draws on the economic flows of goods and services.

The selling space figures used as a basis for the KPIs are averages for the year.

As a general rule, the KPIs include the data for all locations and their respective employees. The KPIs we report for work-related accidents and continuing professional development do not currently cover all employees. We do not have the relevant data for all sales lines and organisational units in proper quality. We report work-related accidents for the German METRO companies. The KPIs for continuing professional development include all companies except for a few service companies. We show sales in the area of sustainable consumption exclusively for our German sales lines Real and METRO Cash & Carry Germany.

All of the sustainability KPIs have been audited by KPMG AG Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft.

Deviations from previous reports

With the Progress Report 2016/17, METRO presents a report on its achievements in the area of sustainability for the first time. There are therefore no deviations from previous reports.