Preserving and promoting biodiversity

Biodiversity is decreasing: there are currently around one million animal and plant species at risk of extinction. At REWE Group, we are very conscious of the fact that our business activities have an impact on biodiversity. It is therefore within our power to preserve biodiversity. Through the purchase of properly certified goods for example, and in the farming and production of our private-label products in particular. From its Mittelamerikafonds (Central America fund) to PRO PLANET, the REWE Group is involved in a variety of biodiversity preservation and promoting initiatives with farmers, producers, and partners around the world.

Flower strips in hectares, which we had planted and upgraded by the end of 2019 as part of our biodiversity projects.

Together, we promote biodiversity.

We are working together with over 450 farmers in Germany and Austria in the PRO PLANET project to promote biodiversity.

In Germany, we are aiming to switch to farms that support biodiversity for the production of more, outdoor-grown regional fruit and vegetable produce by 2025.

In Austria, we want to protect a total of 1,000 hectares of endangered ecological land by 2022 through the charitable foundation ‘Nachhaltigkeit verankern, Österreichs Vielfalt leben’ (Anchoring Sustainability: Living Austria’s Diversity).

Moorland protection by toom Baumarkt

Peat bogs in Germany are an important habitat for both animals and plants. For this reason, in 2016, toom Baumarkt became the first German DIY store chain to take the decision to convert its entire line of soils, both private-label and branded products, to peat-free alternatives by no later than 2025.

REWE Group Central America Fund

We have been working to improve the environmental and social conditions of banana and pineapple farming in Central America since 2008. More than 4 million euros have been provided by the REWE Group Central America Fund for this purpose since 2013.

Agriculture and nature conservation for greater biodiversity

We have been working to protect biodiversity in conventional fruit and vegetable farms in Germany and Austria since 2010. In partnership with the Lake Constance Foundation, BirdLife Austria, NABU, and now more than 450 producers, we are supporting various measures at orchards, vegetable fields, and neighbouring areas.

Blooming Austria

In 2014, we began our cooperation for endangered ecological habitats with the environmental protection organisation BirdLife Österreich in a project called ‘Blühendes Österreich’ (Blooming Austria). The initiative provides funding for use in preserving and maintaining endangered natural areas and extensive agricultural sites as well as projects for environmental and sustainability training, thus promoting domestic biodiversity.

Our commitment to biodiversity.

We have invested approximately three million euros in five different biodiversity and environmental protection projects.

Preserving biodiversity is an important criterion used to design more sustainable product ranges. Biodiversity criteria can be addressed through systems of standards, such as Bio, Fairtrade, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC®), the Rainforest Alliance and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). They are also used in the Guidelines the REWE Group has drawn up for raw materials such as palm oil, fish, and cocoa. Impacts on biodiversity are also examined during analyses conducted for the PRO PLANET label. This allows measures to be taken for preserving and promoting biodiversity in certain projects.

More information about the strategic approach