Kesko's work to combat climate change produces results
KESKO CORPORATION PRESS RELEASE 3.5.2013 AT 10.00
Kesko's new Corporate Responsibility Report is published on 3 May. The theme of report is Let's do good. Together. The 2012 report provides information on the objectives, actions and results of Kesko's responsibility programme and work. Particularly good results have been achieved in improving the energy efficiency of retail stores.
The 2012 Corporate Responsibility Report is Kesko's 13th report. This year, more than before, Kesko's report highlights employees and K-retailers who work for responsibility as well as key stakeholders' views in the addresses by a customer, a chamber of commerce, a pension insurance company and a non-governmental organisation. Tax reporting has been expanded: in addition to the income and real estate taxes, indirect taxes collected and remitted by Kesko are also reported.
As many as 70 percent of the energy savings target already achieved
Kesko signed the trading sector energy efficiency agreement in 2008 and made a commitment to improve its annual energy efficiency by 65 GWh through various saving actions by the end of 2016. Kesko's determined work is proceeding faster than expected: by the end of 2012, Kesko had already achieved around 70 percent of this objective.
Energy efficient construction
Pioneering solutions are used in new stores: the BREEAM environmental rating of the Veturi shopping centre in Kouvola is 'very good', the energy efficiency of K-rauta Skanssi in Turku clearly exceeds the required level and the Kodin1 department store for interior decoration and home goods in Raisio is the first passive commercial building in the Nordic countries.
Aim at zero landfill waste
The objectives of Kesko's responsibility programme include directing all the waste generated to recycling and energy recovery. Anttila's logistics centre in Kerava recovers nearly all waste, the recovery rate being around 99%. The K-stores which have adopted the new waste management model have increased their recovery rates to 90%.
Energy savings with refrigeration solutions
Energy-saving solutions in use include lids and doors of K-food stores' refrigeration equipment, recovery of condensation heat, cooling systems using the CO2 technology as well as adjustable and spot lights. Emissions from Keslog's transportation are lowered with economical driving, route planning and two-tier trailers.
Kesko is a significant tax payer
In 2012, the income taxes paid by Kesko to Finland were 70.5 million and to other countries 5.3 million. Kesko paid 3.8 million in real estate tax to Finland and 4.2 million to other operating countries in 2012. Kesko also collects, reports and remits indirect taxes. In 2012, Kesko remitted value added taxes to Finland to the amount of 319.8 million, and 42.0 million to other countries.
A common management model for wellbeing at work
In 2012, Kesko's wellbeing at work programme focused on the development of supervisory work and working communities. Approximately 500 managers and supervisors participated in the training events, the themes of which were performance and development reviews and the models for early intervention. In the personnel survey, the wellbeing at work index increased to 3.81 from 3.75 in the previous year (scale 1-5). In Finland, 51% of all supervisory positions were held by women.
One of our areas of emphasis in 2013 is to improve youth employment and the attractiveness of the K-Group as an employer. Kesko is participating in the Youth Guarantee initiative, which drives youth employment and prevents social exclusion.
Special attention to working conditions in factories in high-risk countries
In 2012, Kesko's Finnish companies' direct purchases from suppliers in risk areas accounted for 1.3% of Kesko's all purchases. At the end of 2012, Kesko's suppliers in high-risk countries had 209 factories or farms within scope of the BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) process. Kesko's aim is to do business only with suppliers that have passed a social responsibility audit.
Responsible selections expand
In the autumn of 2011, a target was set to double the selection of Pirkka organic products to around one hundred by the end of 2012. There were 99 Pirkka organic products in the selection at the year-end, and the new target is to offer 200 Pirkka organic products by 2015. The number of products that meet a responsibility criterion will increase: the target for 2015 is to have 500 Pirkka products that are Fairtrade, MSC certified or UTZ certified products or have environmental labelling.
Responsible actions made visible to customers
In 2012, special attention was paid on how to make responsible actions increasingly visible to customers in stores. During 2013, the K-Group's responsibility work will be visible in stores and marketing under with theme Let's do good. Together.
Kesko's Corporate Responsibility Report for 2012 has been published in Finnish and English in print and online version. It is available at www.kesko.fi/responsibility and at corporateresponsibility2012.kesko.fi, and can be ordered at www.kesko.fi/media.
Further information:
Matti Mettälä, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Stakeholder Relations, Kesko Corporation, tel. +358 1053 22200
Satu Kuoppamäki, Corporate Responsibility Advisor, Kesko Corporation, tel. +358 1053 22649.
Kesko (www.kesko.fi) is one of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World. We are a retail specialist whose chains have about 2,000 stores in the Nordic and Baltic countries, Russia, and Belarus. Our stores offer quality to the daily lives of consumers.
