Kesko included again in Dow Jones Sustainability Indices
KESKO CORPORATION PRESS RELEASE 12.9.2013 AT 12.00 1 (2)
Kesko was included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices DJSI World and DJSI Europe for the 11th time. Kesko's total score increased from the previous year and Kesko received the highest score in its sector in economic dimension.
The Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) are the most respected worldwide sustainability indices. Kesko has been included in them since 2003.
Kesko's President and CEO Matti Halmesmäki sees Kesko's long presence in the indices as proof of the fact that sustainable development is taken into account in all of Kesko's business operations.
"Assessments by independent international parties tell about the level of the company's responsibility work to all stakeholder groups, such as customers, investors and shareholders. For Kesko and K-retailers, responsible operations are part of their daily work. We are proud that our long-term work for responsibility is appreciated worldwide. This sets increasingly high standards for our work and its constant development," says Matti Halmesmäki.
The best companies in the world in each sector are included in the list
Companies are selected to the DJSI Indices on the basis of the sustainability assessment carried out by RobecoSAM. The assessment is an extensive analysis, in which the company replies to around one hundred questions concerning economic, social and environmental responsibility.
More than 3,000 publicly traded companies were invited to RobecoSAM's 2013 assessment and the best companies in each sector were included in the DJSI Indices. In addition to Kesko, six companies from Finland were included in them.
Kesko received the best score in the sector in supply chain management
Kesko's total score increased from the previous year and Kesko received the best score in its sector (Food and Staples Retailing) in economic dimension and in supply chain management in this dimension. In economic dimension, the criteria in which companies were assessed also include codes of conduct/compliance/corruption and bribery, and risk and crisis management. In environmental dimension, Kesko's score improved in operational eco-efficiency, in particular.
The responsibility programme contains objectives up to 2020
Kesko is engaged in long-term and committed work for responsibility. Kesko's 13th Corporate Responsibility Report was published in spring 2013. Kesko's responsibility programme, which was updated in early 2013, contains both short-term objectives and objectives up to 2020 for the operations of Kesko and the K-Group. Some examples of the objectives:
· We improve our annual energy efficiency by 65 GWh by 2016.
· Every building and home improvement store has at least one trained Energy Expert and a service cooperation network.
· We reduce food wastage by 10% by 2020.
· We offer a wide selection of Pirkka responsible products; 500 Pirkka products meeting a responsibility criterion and 200 Pirkka organic products by 2015.
Kesko is included in several sustainability indices
Kesko has been included in the FTSE4Good index since 2009 and in the STOXX Global ESG Leaders index since 2011. CDP selected Kesko to the Nordic Climate Disclosure Leadership index for the second time in 2012.
In the RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook 2013, Kesko received the Bronze Class distinction in the Food and Drug Retailers sector. Kesko has been included in 'The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World' list since 2005.
Further information:
Corporate Responsibility Advisor Marjut Lovio, tel. +358 10 53 23302.
http://www.sustainability-indices.com/
Kesko (www.kesko.fi) a retail specialist whose chains have about 2,000 stores in the Nordic and Baltic countries, Russia, and Belarus. Through our stores we offer quality to the daily lives of consumers.
