The framework for our actions and at the same time the driver for all our activities aimed at increasing sustainability for our customers is our sustainability approach METRO SUSTAINABLE. METRO’s core objective is to drive the transformation towards responsible and sustainable business practices – within our own business operations, but above all in our collaboration with our suppliers and customers. By reconciling our business imperative and goals with the needs of nature as well as current and future generations, we can remain successful in the long term and overcome the conventional limits of growth for us, our stakeholders and society as a whole.
In financial year 2020/21, we already conducted a materiality analysis in accordance with the requirements of the German Commercial Code (HGB) and verified our sustainability approach. The result was reconfirmed this financial year by the members of the Sustainability Committee to ensure that current developments and regulatory requirements continue to be adequately reflected. The aspects and issues identified in the analysis are the content of this NFS and comply with the requirements of the HGB for the reporting of non-financial content.
Embedded in our corporate strategy, with METRO SUSTAINABLE we are pursuing our operational sustainability strategy. The goal is to address the issues that are most material to us to ensure that our sustainability activities cover the aspects and concerns that have the greatest impact on our business and that we can leverage through our business activities – together with our partners and customers. With regards to our customers, we have been transferring this strategy to our concept ‘My sustainable restaurant’ since financial year 2019/20 in order to promote sustainable hospitality as a partner of independent businesses and make it tangible and realisable. With our focus on the food sector, our strategy sets out 3 sustainability priorities. Climate and carbon, ethicals and trust, equity, inclusion and well-being:
- Climate and carbon: We reduce emissions and waste in our own business operations and contribute to a low carbon food system, for example by offering regional, seasonal or plant-based products as well as raw materials that are not associated with deforestation.
- Ethics and trust: We want to be a trustworthy partner for our own employees, suppliers and customers. Therefore, we hold safe and fair working conditions in our own business operations in high regard and promote supply chains in which business is conducted in an ethically appropriate and transparent manner. A key element here is the consideration of human rights and potential impact on the environment.
- Equity, inclusion and well-being: In line with the inclusive ‘ONE METRO’ culture and based on the understanding that our employees are essential to our business, the focus is on creating a safe, equal and inclusive work environment and promoting the health and well-being of employees.
Our engagement with sustainability-related issues within these fields is complemented by the discourse with internal and external stakeholders such as employees, customers, suppliers and business partners, local communities, NGOs, political representatives, investors, competitors and committees. Examples include the collaboration with industry partners and NGOs in the Consumer Goods Forum as well as the political dialogue within the setting of the work of the Public Policy Team in Düsseldorf, Berlin and Brussels. Currently, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine are creating challenges that are related to the issues above and have become more prominent. In particular, aspects such as the protection of the health and physical integrity of customers, employees and suppliers as well as functioning supply chains have become more important.
- For more information go to Employee interests – Occupational safety in times of Covid-19 as well as Social matters – Global labour and social standards in the supply chain.
