GERMANY/INTERNATIONAL. Gebr Heinemann has published its third company-wide report focused on corporate responsibility.
The report details the ideas and solutions the family-run business has identified and realised to date in its stores, offices and across wider environmental initiatives. It is based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, which offer the first global standards for sustainability reporting.
Gebr Heinemann Chief Commercial Officer Kay Spanger noted that the company’s credo is ‘shaping the future of sustainable travel retail’. “We have to be ambitious and bold by contributing to the UN goals,” he said.
“The ten principles of the UN Global Compact are very significant guidelines for our everyday balancing act: operating a successful business by carefully reflecting on every economic decision, environmental and social risks and the opportunities.
“We are inspired by those who are ahead of us. And we need to demand an equally strong commitment from our suppliers and business partners. This means sitting together at one table and setting standards along our value chain and across all categories represented in the Heinemann shopping baskets.”
The new report details a number of sustainability initiatives. These include:
- Heinemann joined the United Nations Global Compact in August 2018, committing to make its ten principles on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption a core part of the company’s corporate strategy.
- In the area of environmental protection, the company’s activities range from office materials procurement according to environmental criteria and the ‘Ecoprofit’ certification of the corporate headquarters to high-tech solutions at the logistics centres. These contribute to energy and emission savings such as the Tesla Semi all-electric trucks which have been ordered and will be used by the company’s Norwegian joint venture Travel Retail Norway as soon as they are delivered.
- In human resources management, key priorities include the systematic review of social standards at the company’s international sites and with strategic partners (based on OHSAS, ISO and ILO standards and application of industry-standard audit schemes for social compliance) as well as the further extension of professional development programmes.
- At Heinemann’s retail locations, initiatives include promoting the region through local designs and products in close cooperation with local business partners and reducing the number of plastic bags used. The company is also committed to saving materials in shop design and shop fitting, while supporting innovative approaches such as the European Travel Retail Confederation’s ETRC digital off-pack solution.
The company noted that ‘The Heinemann Way’ meant constantly rethinking the business and its approach to sustainability. This is guided by the principle that “the art of operating a successful business consists in carefully weighing up every economic decision against the associated environmental and social risks and opportunities”, Heinemann said.
Heinemann Director Corporate Affairs Dr. Jennifer Cords commented: “We are very much looking forward to being on this exciting journey together with our colleagues, partners and travellers around the world. We are aware that the corporate responsibility initiatives documented in our report are just the beginning.
“While highlighting what has already been achieved we are also very clear about naming what still needs to be done. We will take small steps first to have a successful journey towards greater sustainability in travel retail.”
As reported, Heinemann Co-owners Claus and Gunnar Heinemann were recently awarded the Legends Wings of Help award at the Living Legends of Aviation by Scalaria event. The award recognises the pair’s global social commitment and the humanitarian work done by the retailer, including active support of the Wings of Help association.
