The German cash and carry retailer Metro AG signed the declaration on Climate Action Plan 2050, along with 40 other companies and associations.
The declaration aligns with Metro AG's own climate action goals for 2030 - which involve a plan to curb its carbon output by 50% compared to 2011 levels - as well as the goals of the Paris Climate Change Conference.
The Climate Action Plan will give companies a framework to help them become international leaders of sustainable innovation. It will target an 80 to 95% reduction of greenhouse gas emission by 2050. The plan will also detail sector targets for 2030, and pledges a quick shift to 100% renewable energy sources.
"The responsible use of natural resources to protect the climate represents a central element of our sustainability strategy. We are convinced that climate action in addition also creates jobs and enhances the competitiveness and sustainability of companies", says Heiko Hutmacher, chief human resources officer of Metro AG.
Metro AG has installed efficient light sources and photovoltaic solar panels in many of its stores, and operates a combined heat and power plant in Russia, which uses organic materials to create energy.
It has also acheived top-ranking of the leading international indices Dow Jones Sustainability World and Europe in the retail sector.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Fabian Novakovics. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
