The presentation of the sustainability report offered an insight into the highlights and challenges in the four defined sustainability pillars of REWE Group: 1) Green Products, 2) Energy, Climate and Environment, 3) Employees and 4) Social Engagement. Just as the overall responsibility for sustainability has rested with the Management Board since the launch of the sustainability strategy, representatives of the top management of BILLA, BIPA and PENNY, including BILLA Management Board members Robert Nagele and Erich Szuchy, BIPA CEO Andreas Persigehl and PENNY CEO Mike Podobrin, presented current developments and provided insights into REWE's comprehensive sustainability initiatives.
Gudrun Meierschitz was invited to provide an outside perspective on the topic. She is a board member at Acredia Versicherung AG, an economist and a risk expert. She knows from experience how to deal with uncertainties and crises. "Entrepreneurial courage as well as ecological and social responsibility are important success factors," she explained in her keynote.
REWE Group Austria: Pioneer in sustainable energy generation and climate protection
REWE Group also attaches great importance to using existing structures in a climate-efficient manner. Energy efficiency measures are examined during every store conversion and, where technically possible, heat recovery systems are implemented, for example, whereby the waste heat from the refrigeration systems is used to heat the stores. In addition, since 2008 all BILLA stores, warehouses and offices have been purchasing 100 percent certified green electricity from renewable sources such as wind energy, hydropower and photovoltaics. The installation of around 130 photovoltaic systems at the sites contributes to sustainable power supply for stores and regions. Innovative concepts such as parking lots with PV system canopies are also already in use in Lower Austria. Another 23 plants are about to be commissioned.
Sustainability in the product range: animal welfare, organic and regional defy the crises
Despite economic challenges such as inflation and the associated enormous increases in energy costs, REWE Group Austria was able to further develop and consolidate its sustainability agenda. "We want to ensure that our customers continue to have access to a high-quality and sustainable product range in the future. With the brands 'ECHT BIO!' at PENNY and 'BILLA Bio' we offer affordable organic products for consumers with lower budgets. In 2022, we have expanded our organic product range by around 6 per cent and continue to work on offering a constantly growing selection of sustainable products," said Marcel Haraszti, REWE International AG Management Board member. Since February 2022, the drugstore chain BIPA has been working with Greenpeace to provide better orientation in the quality label jungle. In all of BIPA's approximately 600 stores throughout Austria, sustainable products are marked with appropriate labels.
Further steps were also taken in the area of animal welfare: At all BILLA and BILLA PLUS stores with a fresh meat counter, only beef, pork and chicken products in "animal welfare" quality are offered. In addition to conventional products from the "Fair to Animals" program, customers can also choose from a wide range of Ja! Natürlich range, which stands for the highest organic quality from Austria. For customers who opt for meat-free products, BILLA Pflanzilla, the first vegan supermarket in Austria, opened on Mariahilfer Strasse in September 2022, offering an exclusively plant-based range of over 2,500 items. PENNY also launched its vegan private label "Food For Future" with 33 products in March last year.
For a sustainable future: 40 green BILLA stores by 2024
REWE Group Austria is committed to protecting nature and the climate. This is demonstrated not only by the BILLA Foundation "Blooming Austria" but also in the construction and operation of stores. Thus, by 2024, a total of 40 BILLA stores will be certified according to the GREENPASS standard for climate-friendly construction. "Green stores are an important measure for active climate and nature protection and have a positive effect on the well-being of customers and employees as well as on the preservation of biodiversity," says Robert Nagele, BILLA Executive Board member responsible for real estate. Greening measures reduce air pollution, noise and dust pollution as well as CO2 emissions and also enable savings in energy and costs for cooling buildings. Depending on the location, the green stores are designed with shade trees, hedges, green roofs and facades, near-natural flowering meadows and unsealed parking lots.
Sustainable together
REWE Group in Austria reaffirms its commitment to sustainable business and environmental protection and its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals. The Sustainability Report 2022 and the planned measures illustrate the company's clear commitment to a climate-friendly future.
Sustainability Report REWE Group Austria 2022
