REWE Group wins the German Sustainability Award 2010

The REWE Group has won the German Sustainability Award 2010 in the categories of “Germany’s Most Sustainable Initiative” and “Germany’s Most Recycling-Paper Conscious Company”. The awards were presented on 26 November 2010 at a gala held as part of the German Sustainability Conference in Düsseldorf. In addition, Alain Caparros, the CEO of the REWE Group, received a people’s choice award from the business magazine WirtschaftsWoche recognising him as “Germany’s Sustainability Leader” in the “business” category.

The jurors’ decision to honour the REWE Group in the category “Germany’s Most Sustainable Initiative” was based on the company’s commitment to establishing more sustainable products in the mass market. In 2010 the REWE Group began to use the new label PRO PLANET on private-label brands that are characterised not only by their high quality, but also by their environmental or social features. Before a product may bear the label, it is subject to a five-step, standardised process that was jointly developed with non-company experts and is supported by an independent board of specialists.

The REWE Group received the special award of “Germany’s Most Recycling-Paper Conscious Company” for its exemplary use of recycled paper in all national holding areas and strategic business units. Since April 2009, the REWE Group has been exclusively using recycled paper bearing the German environmental label “Blauer Engel” (Blue Angel). In the area of publications and advertising material, the share was raised from 1 per cent in 2009 to nearly 80 per cent today.

Alain Caparros was recognised for his personal commitment to developing and implementing the company’s sustainability strategy in his role as CEO of the REWE Group. Caparros was nominated by the WirtschaftsWoche for the selection of the 50 foremost sustainability leaders in Germany. The vote was conducted online. The REWE Group chairman accepted the people’s choice award recognising him as “Germany‘s Sustainability Leader” in the “business” category during the festive award-presentation gala in Düsseldorf.

About four years ago, the REWE Group designed its sustainability strategy around the four pillars of “Green Products”, “Energy, Climate and the Environment”, “Employees” and “Social Involvement”. It then firmly integrated them into the company’s business philosophy. Since then, the trade and tourism group has launched an array of initiatives and specific sustainability projects. Additional information about these activities is available at www.rewe-group.com/nachhaltigkeit.

The German Sustainability Award recognises companies and leaders who combine business success with social responsibility and environmental protection in an exemplary manner. In doing so, they serve as special role models who advance the concept of a sustainable society.