Sustainability management
The purpose of sustainability management is to systematically embed sustainability in our core business and organisation, taking into account reciprocal effects between economic, environmental and social aspects in an efficient and solution-oriented manner. Through the formal notification and assessment of sustainability-related risks and opportunities, sustainability management is closely linked to our risk and opportunity management system. This means that the Management Board is in a position to systematically identify, analyse and manage any deviations from our sustainability targets, in other words to manage risks and opportunities.
For more information about risk and opportunity management, see chapter risk and opportunity report in the METRO Annual Report 2017/18.
The Sustainability Committee provides the strategic framework and defines targets that apply to the group as a whole. Within this framework, the METRO companies manage the operational implementation of sustainability so as to meet their specific market and customer requirements. They are responsible for working on relevant sustainability issues, defining specific aims and measures and monitoring their success.They report to the Sustainability Committee on their progress.
The committee is chaired by 2 representatives from METRO’s top management who alternate on a regular basis. Other members of the committee are:
- Corporate responsibility officers of METRO AG
- Representatives of key functions – Purchasing, Own Brands, Communications and Expansion & Operations
- Representatives of Real
- Representatives of the METRO Wholesale national subsidiaries
Ad hoc expert groups prepare specific issues at operational level and present them to the Sustainability Committee for a decision. The participants include experts from Real, METRO Wholesale national subsidiaries and the head office, depending on the topic under discussion.
The round table on corporate responsibility with members representing the sustainability areas of METRO AG, the METRO Wholesale and Real sales lines as well as the cross-divisional service companies METRO-NOM, METRO LOGISTICS and METRO PROPERTIES constitutes another interface for sustainability between the strategic and the operational level. The round table is for discussion and, along with the ad hoc expert groups, helps implement decisions taken by the Sustainability Committee. Individual measures employed by the sales lines to help achieve METRO’s overarching sustainability targets are synchronised during round table discussions. Synergies are revealed, for example when the participants discuss how they view certain topics and deal with them. These can help the operating divisions to manage their specific issues.