Metro Turkey, shared the 6th of the report, in which it evaluates the sustainability performance, as the Impact Report this year. In order to share all the effects of its activities and to take action accordingly, Metro Turkey shares its performance in the 2021 period and its future targets in line with its sustainability vision, with the report it published in the format of Impact Report, a first in the retail sector in Turkey, last year.

The report presents a detailed summary of the sustainability strategy, focus areas and performance, projects and practices developed in these areas. Metro Turkey, collects its sustainability roadmap under a single strategy by constructing it separately for society, environmental impact, supply chain, corporate customers and employees. Reviewing its sustainability strategy in order to adapt it to changing conditions and priorities, Metro Turkey continues its sustainability journey, which has updated its targets, with the slogan "Next to Tomorrow, in the Kitchen of Business".

29 June 2022, Istanbul – Continuing its activities with a focus on sustainability for the purpose of preserving and transferring the Turkish culinary culture and values ​​to future generations for more than 30 years, Metro Turkey has published the 6th of the report, in which it evaluates its sustainability performance, this year as the Impact Report. In order to report all its positive and negative effects and take action accordingly, it was published last year as a first in the retail sector in Turkey. Global Reporting Initiative In the report, prepared in accordance with the “basic” option of the GRI Standards published by Metro Turkey, its performance and future targets for the 2021 period are shared in line with the sustainability vision of Metro Turkey.

Evaluating the Impact Report Sinem Türung, CEO of Metro Turkey“As Metro Turkey, we believe that sustainable success and sustainable development are possible with business models that are respectful to natural resources and people, inclusive and suitable for the resources of the planet. We consider sustainability with a multi-faceted perspective and, with the awareness of our responsibility as a corporate citizen, we try to create added value for everyone in our sphere of influence. We design our sustainability strategy separately for our society, our environmental impact, our supply chain, our corporate customers and our employees, and we gather our efforts in all these different areas under a single strategy. We review our strategy in order to adapt it to changing conditions and our priorities, and we continue to work to keep it dynamic. In line with our strategy, which we reevaluated and updated our targets in 2021, we continue our sustainability journey with the motto "Next to Tomorrow, In The Kitchen of Business". With the Impact Report we have prepared, we present a comprehensive summary of the steps, including the impacts of our activities, what we have achieved so far, our performance results, the projects we have implemented to add strength to the future, and our future goals and commitments.

51% reduction in food waste

By 2030, Metro Turkey has achieved the United Nations' goal of reducing food loss and waste by 50% by 2021, reducing food waste by 2017 percent compared to 51. Metro Turkey, which delivers the still consumable food to the needy through food banks, saved 2021 tons of food in 1.046, ensured that approximately 2 million 5 hundred thousand meals were delivered to those in need, and prevented the formation of 2.615 tons of CO2 greenhouse gas emissions. As a result of the studies carried out to reduce the carbon footprint, energy intensity was reduced by 9.3% and greenhouse gas emission intensity by approximately 10% compared to last year.

107 tons of food waste can be reused

Metro Turkey re-sells products that are usable and consumable but cannot be sold in the aisle because the expiration date is approaching, or are removed from sale due to packaging damage, through Excess Food. In 2021, nearly 200 tons of food was saved from being waste with resale, while selling it to animal feed manufacturers in order to ensure the reuse of food waste generated in stores, ensuring that 107 tons of food waste can be reused. Including catering customers in the fight against food waste

Metro Turkey carried out 2021 hours of internal training for its own employees in 35.000 alone. On the other hand, in 2022, it continues to support the sustainability transformation of restaurant businesses by implementing Sustainable Restaurant activities.

Track food, feed on knowledge!  

In 2020, by saying "Track the food, feed on the information" to the consumers, "What's on your plate?" Metro Turkey, which started the project, put the issue of traceability at the center of its sustainability studies in 2021. From store meat production to fruit and vegetables, from Metro branded honey to all carcasses, the vacuum provided 100% traceability for meat and cultured fish, and more than 80% for sea fish. "What's on your plate?" With its movement, it was deemed worthy of the “Best Sustainability Project during the Pandemic Period” award at the 3rd Golden Spoon Gastronomy Award ceremony, and the Felis award in the “Sustainability Communication” category in Felis 2021.

63% of eggs are cage-free

While offering its customers healthy and safe animal foods, Metro Turkey prioritizes acting in a respectful manner to nature and animal rights, ensuring that all Metro branded fresh and frozen meat products are produced in accordance with 100% animal health and welfare standards by inspecting all animal farms. 25% of Metro brand eggs were procured from cage-free systems, an increase of approximately 63% compared to last year. In this context, Metro Turkey is committed to ensuring that all its own branded eggs will be cage-free by the end of 2023, and all eggs on its shelves by 2025.

Continuing to be the solution partner of HORECA customers 

Metro Turkey in 2021, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry In cooperation with HORECA, by preparing the "Guide for Combating Food Waste in Hotels, Restaurants and Other Mass Consumption Places", which includes practices and suggestions that can be followed in reducing food waste in the HORECA sector, it is an important issue with the aim of increasing the sensitivity to food waste in the sector, and the adoption and implementation of this struggle by chefs and sector professionals. started the movement and assumed a leading role in this field. In the manual; fight against food waste, food waste in the world and in Turkey, food waste measurement study, establishment and training of food waste management team, prevention of food waste, separation and measurement of food waste, management of unavoidable food waste are discussed. In addition, Metro Turkey continues to offer sustainability, waste management and menu solutions through the first sustainability digital platform of the HORECA sector.

It will save 500 tons of sea fish

Metro Turkey started to produce with a brand new feed content in sea bass and sea bream for the first time in Turkey on an industrial scale, with the project "In Front of What It Eats, In Tomorrow That It Doesn't Eat", which was implemented in 2021 with the motto of "Let the fish in the seas stay for tomorrow" in order to ensure nutritiveness and sustainability in farm fisheries. With the project, which aims to increase fish welfare, it is planned to raise 2022 tons of sea bass and sea bream and to save approximately 400 tons of sea fish by the end of 500. Within the scope of sustainable fishing activities, 12% of Metro branded products and 65% of supplier branded products were obtained from certified sources among the 81 best-selling fish species.

100% purchase guarantee for the product produced with local seeds

In order to preserve the Turkish culinary culture and values ​​and transfer them to future generations, Metro Turkey continues to contribute to local producers and products, believing that localization is one of the most important steps to be taken in this direction. Increasing the number of cooperatives it works with in the last year, it cooperates with more than 800 producer and producer organizations, 40 women entrepreneurs and cooperatives; it supports them in sustainable production by providing training and purchasing support. Exporting 10 tons of Geographical Indications and local products in the last three years to 12.500 countries where it operates in the field of Geographical Indications, Metro Turkey achieved an increase of approximately 2021% in the sales of Geographical Indications products in its stores in 25. Turkish Patent and Trademark Office ve YUciTA He provided training to 2.300 teachers from the Food and Beverage Services Department throughout Turkey with the trainings he gave with his managers.

2x increase in organic labeled products

The healthy eating trend, which has risen during the pandemic period, has increased the interest of consumers especially in foods containing less salt, fat and sugar. In addition, the demand for organic products has increased day by day. Taking this trend into account, Metro Turkey reformulated more than 70 Metro branded products to contain less sugar, salt and oil, and doubled the number of products with organic labels. The number of food and non-food plant-based products on the shelves of Metro Turkey, which has released 29 new products under its own brand that also contains alternative protein for vegans, has reached 300.

Source: HORECA Trend and Metro Turkey