Jerónimo Martins group has become the only Portuguese retailer to be integrated into the Euronext Vigeo-Eiris Europe 120, a select list of the 120 'most advanced' firms in terms of sustainability practices.
The distinction covers more than 300 indicators on such diverse topics as Human Rights, Human Resources, Community Involvement, Corporate Governance, Environment and Business Conduct.
Several commitments assumed by the Jerónimo Martins group were highlighted. These include a reduction in carbon footprint of 5% between 2018 and 2020; the reduction of the group's food waste by 10% in the same period; and the purchase of at least 80% of food products from local suppliers.
Significantly, Jerónimo Martins is in fact the first retailer in Portugal to disclose its food waste footprint.
Advanced Status
In both Euronext Vigeo-Eiris indices in which it is included – the Eurozone 120 and Europe 120 - Jerónimo Martins is now in the 'Advanced' category, the highest performance level.
As part of its sustainability practices, Jerónimo Martins favours production methods with lower consumption of natural resources and impact to ecosystems. The promotion of animal welfare, the protection of biodiversity and a reduction of delivery distance are an integral part of its strategy.
At Biedronka, all chicken sold under its private label brand is reared without the use of antibiotics or GMO feed.
In Portugal, the company is committed to eliminating, until 2025, the sale of private label eggs sourced from caged chickens, while all lamb sold in its Pingo Doce supermarkets are fed natural pasture.
In terms of sustainable seafood, Jerónimo Martins has defined action lines to reduce pressure on threatened species. These include prohibiting the and sale of endangered and vulnerable species.
© 2019 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Branislav Pekic. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
