Sustainability milestones
During the reporting period, the group managed to boost its previous commitment to protecting the environment, further expanded its role as a leader in the circular economy by using resources responsibly, and achieved significant advances with its group-wide plastics strategy REset Plastic. As one of the few retailers that covers the entire value cycle, the Schwarz Group was able to manufacture its first products made of recycled material and establish a bottle life cycle in Germany: Each of the plastic disposable bottles manufactured by Schwarz Produktion in Germany under the Lidl and Kaufland private labels is made entirely of recycled bottles (excluding label and lid).
“There is no alternative to sustainable action. We are confident that, as a large company, we can make a real difference. We take this responsibility seriously and therefore align our actions to the group-wide sustainability strategy with ambitious objectives,” explained Gerd Chrzanowski, General Partner of the Schwarz Group. The report illustrates the Schwarz Group’s corporate due diligence. The retail group pledges to continue upholding and promoting the ten principles of the UN Global Compact (UNGC) and to ensure sustainable and responsible action when it comes to human rights, social standards, environmental protection, and fighting corruption.
