Climate and environmental protection, environmentally and socially optimised supply chains and demographic change are some of the most pressing global challenges. Continued long-term economic growth requires us to treat our environment and society in a responsible manner. Successful sustainable management not only sets the stage for a liveable future - it also forms the future foundation for successful business activities.
cbi:///cms/190217Sustainability firmly anchored in core businesscbi:///cms/190218
METRO GROUP has firmly integrated its sustainability strategy into its core business. Our long-term business decisions consider both environmental and social aspects. Starting with the establishment of our Sustainability Board in 2009, we have continued to professionalise our sustainability management. In 2010, we launched "Go sustainable 2012", an initiative aimed at expanding and focusing our Groupwide commitment to sustainability. In the process, we continually pinpoint relevant social and environmental challenges facing the trade and retail industry, formulate tangible targets for all areas of activity and develop appropriate measures.
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Significant strides in sustainability managementcbi:///cms/190220
We continued to make significant strides in our sustainability management over the past year, with Group-wide achievements including the reduction of our company’s carbon footprint, the promotion of sustainable fisheries and the improvement of our international supplier relationships. Specific energy consumption, the most important environmental impact of our business activities, was reduced further.
cbi:///cms/190221Among our workforce, we are committed to active diversity management. As a matter of course, older as well as disabled employees are valued as important members of our corporate community. In addition, we invest in innovative health management programmes as well as employee training and further education schemes. This enables us to effectively address the looming shortage of qualified workers resulting from demographic change.
cbi:///cms/190222The impact of our sustainability strategy reaches far beyond the limits of our business activities. By auditing and supporting our suppliers and through targeted projects, we have been able to improve the living and working conditions of many people in developing and emerging countries.
cbi:///cms/190223Commitment to sustainability extended internationallycbi:///cms/190224
Sustainability is a dynamic process that we continue to advance. We underscore our commitment to environmental and social sustainability by actively contributing to national and international initiatives. In January 2011, for example, we joined the world’s largest corporate sustainability network, the UN Global Compact. As a member of this United Nations network, we are committed to integrating the network’s ten principles into our daily work processes, our strategy and our corporate culture. The principles reflect a catalogue of universally accepted values covering human rights, work standards, environmental protection and the fight against corruption. Thanks to our long-standing commitment to responsible and ethical business conduct, we have long met many of the requirements of the UN Global Compact.
cbi:///cms/190225In November 2010, together with 20 other German companies, we signed the German "Code of Responsible Conduct for Business", pledging to pursue a form of corporate management based in equal parts on success and value in the spirit of the social market economy. This includes sustainability, social partnerships as well as fair competition. The initiative sets verifiable standards that the signatories are tasked to implement.
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Also in 2010, we underscored our commitment to environmental sustainability by signing the first joint Environmental Code of the European trade and retail industry in Brussels. Under the EU code, companies pledge to foster environmental protection in the areas of procurement, resource efficiency, transport and distribution, waste management and communication through concrete measures, and to provide regular progress reports.
METRO GROUP already fully complies with the code.
cbi:///cms/190230Positive evaluations by independent institutes and analystscbi:///cms/190231
External market observers and analysts as well as independent sustainability experts and specialist institutes explicitly recognise
METRO GROUP’s environmental and social commitment. They applaud the fact that we understand sustainability as a strategic pillar of our company and an integral component of our business activities. A growing number of ratings and indices assess companies not only in terms of economic factors, but also in terms of environmental and social criteria. Our achievements in this area are reflected in a renewed improvement in our valuation in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World): in 2010,
METRO GROUP achieved better scores than a year earlier in all three categories - economic, environmental and social aspects - and was ranked well above its sector average.
cbi:///cms/190233We also received high marks for our climate reporting. This makes us eligible for inclusion in the CDP Germany 200 Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index. Only companies with an in-depth understanding of climate-related challenges are included in this index, which recognises exceedingly transparent climate reporting.
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Oekom research, one of the world’s leading rating agencies in the area of sustainable investments, has also recognised our commitment. In February 2011, oekom research first rated
METRO GROUP as a sustainable company and thus recommended the company to investors who place particular value on environmental and social criteria.
cbi:///cms/190238A number of other national and international awards also endorse our responsible corporate management approach. The CRF Institute, an independent research company, named
METRO AG one of "Germany’s leading employers 2010". In Poland, the Metro Education training programme received the "Laurels of Responsibility" award for its sustainable approach.
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Transparent stakeholder communication is a precondition for rendering our commitment to sustainability publicly visible. At the same time, only a candid dialogue will show us where our stakeholders expect us to assume special responsibility. It is on this foundation that we continue to intensify our commitment.
cbi:///cms/190243Sustainable management has emerged as a key decision-making factor in today’s capital market environment. Shareholders and investors expect transparency and credibility from the companies in which they invest.
METRO GROUP meets these demands through an open dialogue. We also explain our commitment to sustainability at international investor conferences in London, New York and Paris. In addition,
METRO AG’s Investor Relations Department conducts in-depth one-on-one talks with analysts and rating agencies. The Stock Exchange Day ("Börsentag") in Cologne, Germany, serves as a forum for a direct discussion with retail investors in Germany.
cbi:///cms/190244We also engage in an ongoing dialogue with the media and the public. Sustainability now ranks among the five key themes in media reports about our company. Capital markets’ positive response bolsters our communication efforts, positioning us increasingly as an opinion leader in the area of sustainability.
cbi:///cms/190245Our sales divisions, in particular, communicate directly with customers and consumers. They provide information on sustainability issues in various formats or carry out targeted environmental or social product checks. They also conduct detailed regular customer satisfaction surveys. The aim of these measures is to strengthen communication between our company and its customers and to extend the transfer of knowledge in both directions. In Hungary,
Metro Cash & Carry established a proprietary customer academy in 2010, which specifically answers to the needs of customers in this dynamic market.
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