Stakeholders' voice is heard in Kesko's Corporate Responsibility Report

KESKO CORPORATION PRESS RELEASE 24.04.2014 AT 11.00 1(2)

Kesko's revised, online Corporate Responsibility Report provides information on the objectives, actions and results of Kesko's responsibility programme and work according to the new GRI G4 reporting guidelines. The report includes several case examples and videos illustrating employees' and stakeholders' views and expectations.

Kesko's Corporate Responsibility Report for 2013 has been published in Finnish and English at yhteiskuntavastuu2013.kesko.fi and corporateresponsibility2013.kesko.fi.

"In describing the company's impact and footprint on society and the environment to stakeholders, the significance of the corporate responsibility report equals, if not surpasses, that of the annual report. With our revised report, we want to increase open interaction with our stakeholders and stimulate discussion about responsibility issues. The contents of the online report are also easy to share on social media channels," says Kesko's President and CEO Matti Halmesmäki.

Stakeholder addresses and videos feature, for instance, a K-store customer, a K-retailer, the Chair of Service Union United PAM, and representatives of other stakeholder groups who speak about their expectations.

Energy savings target is achieved faster than expected

In 2008, Kesko signed the trading sector energy efficiency agreement and committed to improving its annual energy efficiency with various saving methods by 65 GWh by the end of 2016.

By the end of 2013, energy efficiency had been improved by 58.9 GWh, which means that 91% of the objective has been achieved. Good results have been obtained with energy efficient construction and retail stores' energy solutions. More than 1,600 various actions to save energy have been reported.

Support for the young

In 2013, Kesko and K-stores started a programme aimed at employing at least 1,000 young people in the target group of the Youth Guarantee initiative by the end of 2014. By the end of February 2014, K-stores and Kesko had already employed 718 young people across Finland as part of the initiative.

Kesko Fair Play scholarships were distributed for the first time to young people about to finish comprehensive school. The scholarships were given to more than 2,800 grade nine pupils who had promoted schoolwork and tolerance. Also this year the scholarships will be distributed to one pupil in every grade nine class in every secondary school in Finland.

Responsibility visible to customers

K-food stores launched a new K-responsibility concept in autumn 2013. With the 'Let's Do Good. Together.' theme, the aim is to tell customers about Kesko's and K-stores' responsible operations and help customers make sustainable choices easily. The K-responsibility concept will expand to K-rauta, Rautia and K-maatalous stores over the course of 2014.

New GRI G4 guidelines applied for the first time

The scope that Kesko uses in the Corporate Responsibility Report for 2013 is Core of the new GRI G4 guidelines. However, the General Standard Disclosures according to the GRI G4 guidelines are presented in a much wider scope than required by the Core option.

Further information available from Matti Kalervo, Kesko's Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, tel. +358 50 306 4081.
Keskois 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.