Kesko’s climate work rated world-class: our next step is to encourage the whole supply chain to cut emissions

CDP is a global environmental non-profit organisation that annually collects detailed data from companies, on behalf of investors in particular, on their efforts to combat and adapt to climate change.

Kesko’s ambitious emissions reduction targets and actions meant that in 2021, Kesko made the best A list in CDP’s international climate change questionnaire for the second year in a row.

The A List companies are seen to provide comprehensive disclosure, awareness and management of environmental risks and demonstration of best practices associated with environmental leadership, such as setting ambitious and meaningful targets.

Globally, a total of 200 companies made the CDP Climate A List. Besides Kesko, Finnish companies on the A List included Kone, Metsä Board and TietoEvry. More than 13,000 companies responded to CDP’s 2021 climate change questionnaire.

Encouraging our suppliers to also cut their emissions

In addition to emissions from our own operations, K Group’s biggest climate impact comes from emissions from the value chain of products. Indirect Scope 3 emissions come from the lifecycle emissions of products and services sold, including the primary production of raw materials, manufacture of products, packaging, transport, and product use.

K Group aims to reach carbon neutrality by 2025 and to cut emissions from our own operations and transports down to zero by 2030. In addition to our own operations, our emission reduction targets extend to our whole value chain. Our objective is to have science-based reduction targets set for two-thirds of Kesko’s direct supplier emissions by 2025.

“Earlier this year, we used the CDP Supply Chain programme to invite our suppliers to cut their emissions and report them to CDP. We are happy to see that many of our partners already have ambitious emissions reduction targets,” says Riikka Joukio, EVP, Sustainability and Public Affairs, Kesko.

Energy solutions for stores at the core Kesko’s climate efforts

K Group’s key actions to achieve its emissions reduction targets include using 100% renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and switching to biofuels in transports in Finland.

All electricity purchased by Kesko for K Group stores and other Kesko properties in Finland has been produced with renewable energy since 2017.

Key tools in improving store energy efficiency include modernising refrigerating equipment and lighting, our heat recycling system, and innovations such as utilising artificial intelligence in analysing a store’s energy consumption.

All K Group divisions have the opportunity – and as large operators, the responsibility – to offer customers solutions that help them reduce their climate impact, as living, food, and transportation are the biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in private consumption. We have, for example, launched a K-Ostokset service, which offers customers the possibility to track e.g. the carbon footprint and nutritional values of their grocery purchases.  

Further information:
Riikka Joukio, EVP, Sustainability and Public Affairs, Kesko, tel. +358 105 323 712, riikka.joukio@kesko.fi  
Matti Kalervo, Vice President, Corporate Sustainability, Kesko, tel. +358 50 306 4081, matti.kalervo@kesko.fi
K Group media desk (Mon-Fri 9-16), tel. +358 105 350 200, viestinta@kesko.fi

https://www.cdp.net/en/scores

Kesko and K-retailers together form K Group, whose retail sales total €14 billion. K Group is the third biggest retail operator in Northern Europe and it employs some 39,000 people. Kesko operates in the grocery trade, building and technical trade, and car trade. Its divisions and chains act in close cooperation with retailer entrepreneurs and other partners. Kesko's net sales total €11 billion and it employs approximately 18,000 people. Kesko has around 1,800 stores engaged in chain operations in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Kesko’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. The company's domicile and main premises are located in Helsinki. Kesko is the world's most sustainable grocery trade sector company (The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World). www.kesko.fi