The board of directors at Finnish retailer Kesko has approved a new group corporate responsibility strategy.
The strategy sets clear goals for the responsibility of Kesko and all three of its divisions, the retailer said in a statement.
Kesko Responsibility Strategy
The focus areas of the responsibility strategy are climate and nature, responsibility in the value chain, responsibility for people, and good governance.
Within the areas of climate and nature, Kesko is focusing on reducing emissions from its own operations and the entire value chain, in line with its new strategy.
The retailer's goal is to be carbon-neutral in 2025 and zero-emission in 2030 across its own operations.
The new strategy will also see an increased focus on the importance of biodiversity.
Kesko will look to bolster its circular economy credentials, with packaging and reducing food waste at the heart of the group's efforts.
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Kesko will also seek to support customers' responsible choices, challenging suppliers to set their own emissions targets, increasing supply chain audits, and increasing the share of sustainable products in net sales in order to develop its value chain.
With regard to good governance, the key issues include the implementation of the K Code of Conduct, a commitment to rewarding management, and the development of the responsibility skills of all personnel.
“Responsibility is at the heart of Kesko's entire strategy," said Riikka Joukio, Kesko's director of responsibility and public relations. "Our goal is to enable our customers to make responsible choices by promoting change throughout our value chain, from production to consumption.
"The purpose of the new responsibility strategy is to ensure that we remain at the forefront of development in the intensifying competition, also in terms of responsibility."
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest Retail news. Article by Conor Farrelly. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
