Interim report 1 Jan. -30 September 2024: A turn for the better in building and technical trade
Best voluntary sustainability commitments receive awards – K Group’s material efficiency and nutrition commitments were among those recognised
The Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the National Nutrition Council and Ympäristömerkintä Suomi Oy presented awards to the best sustainable development commitments of 2023. K Group’s material efficiency and nutrition commitments were among the award-winning commitments.
Senior manager, sustainability Laura Ihanainen and environmental manager Hanna Lehmuskoski receiving awards. Photo by: Samuli Heliste, The Prime Minister’s Office
Promoting the circular economy and facilitating choices that promote customer wellbeing are among the key focus areas of K Group’s sustainability work.
“We are committed to ambitious and goal-oriented sustainability work. Promoting the circular economy and facilitating choices that promote customer wellbeing are top priorities. The awards were received as a result of the excellent implementation of this strategy in the grocery trade businesses,” says Timo Jäske, Vice President of Sustainability at K Group’s grocery trade.
K Group is committed to reducing food waste and increasing the recycling rate
As part of the food industry’s material efficiency commitment, K Group has set a target to halve food waste by 2030 from the 2019 baseline. By the end of 2023, the relative food waste generated at K-food stores had decreased by 20%. K Group’s aim is also to increase the recycling rate of waste generated in its own operations and at the K-food stores by 4% by the end of 2026 from the 2019 baseline, when the recycling rate was 74%. At the end of 2023, the recycling rate at K-food stores was 79%.
K Group’s health and nutrition programme helps customers make food choices that promote wellbeing
The goal of the K Group health and nutrition programme, announced in January 2023, is to make food choices that promote wellbeing as easy as possible for the customer using three clear and measurable targets. The aim is to encourage Finns to eat at least half a kilo of vegetables a day, to reduce the amount of added salt, sugar and saturated fat in the Finnish diet by reformulating Pirkka and Pirkka Parhaat products, and to increase the number of products and recipes that have been granted the Heart Symbol. By the end of 2023, the Heart Symbol had been added to 85 own-brand products.
The Sitoumus2050 (Commitment) platform is an important part of Finland’s sustainable development work
The voluntary sustainability commitments have been made through the Finnish government’s Sitoumus2050 service. They are a way for the Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development and its partners to get everyone involved in the promotion of sustainable development. The Sitoumus2050 service brings together a wide range of commitments and green deal agreements between ministries and industries promoting various dimensions of sustainable development.
The most effective commitments and green deal agreements of 2023 were awarded at The State and Future of Sustainable Development seminar organised by the Finnish National Commission on Sustainable Development and the Committee for the Future of the Finnish Parliament on 12 June. The awards were presented by Kai Mykkänen, the Minister of Climate and the Environment.
In addition to K Group, the City of Jyväskylä, Tampere-talo Oy, the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), the City of Helsinki and Skanska all received awards. Through their actions, the recipients are promoting the transition towards social, environmental and economic sustainability.
All commitments and green deals can be found in the Sitoumus2050 service, where it is also possible to make your own sustainability commitment.
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