As regards the future, it is not a case of anticipating this
but of making it possible.
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry – Writer (1900-1944)
SDGs and CSR: opportunities for transformation and innovation
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN’s horizontal sustainable development programme define 17 priorities to be achieved by 2030. For economic players, these SDGs constitute an opportunity for transformation and innovation.
Comerso’s work has a direct impact on 7 of those SDGs.
CSR (Corporate Social or Societal Responsibility) invites us to abide by the principles of sustainable development: a viable economy and the social and environmental integration of business goals. CSR is at the core of our business and we have a vocation to boost that of our customers and partners.
Combating waste: a global emergency
Waste occurs at every stage: production, processing, distribution and consumption – and it affects every business sector.
At the global level:
Food waste presents a triple challenge:
– environmental: combating waste has been identified as the no.3 priority on a global scale in responding to the climate emergency
– economic: 1/3 of global food output is thrown away or wasted according to the FAO
– social: about 1/6 of people worldwide are still malnourished*
In France:
– 10 millions tonnes and 20 billion meals of lost and wasted produce for human food annually
– 630 m€ of non-food goods destroyed annually
This emergency provides Comerso’s raison d’être to supply specific, efficient solutions so as to act now, immediately!
* UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates
Comerso measures and boosts CSR
Our value-added in CSR: supporting businesses as they engage in a measurable and efficient Zero-Waste strategy, boosting this and promoting it.
There are multiple benefits: economic, environmental and social success, thereby positioning the business (and its brand(s)) as a responsible, virtuous player.
The CSR commitment of brands is now a necessity for 65% of French people.
Via our digital solutions, we collect the annual equivalent of 18+ million items of data, which allow us to generate environmental data, among other things. We ensure that our customers & partners benefit from this by measuring their business impacts.
E.g. Net annual impact of a Comerso Hypermarket – annual shop turnover: €80m
Economic impact
PROMOTION
€780k
DONATIONS
€118kSocial Impact
MEALS
190,000
MERCHANDISE
94 TEnvironmental Impact
WASTE
- 2 trailers
GHG REDUCTION
-73 T eq CO²E.g. Net annual impact of a Comerso Supermarket – annual shop turnover €15m
Economic impact
PROMOTION
€64kDONATIONS
€27kSocial Impact
MEALS
70,000MERCHANDISE
35 TEnvironmental Impact
WASTE
- 1.5 trailersGHG REDUCTION
-27 T eq CO²
CSR at Comerso
On a local scale, we connect the different players and, at our level, we contribute to the construction of Zero-Waste areas.
We apply CSR principles to ourselves with regard to our DNA and our culture
– business mission to have an economic, social, societal and environmental impact
– transparency
– “What cannot be measured cannot be managed” data culture.
– connecting players
Our record at the end of 2018
- 15 million meals distributed to charities
- 7400 tonnes of goods saved from the bin
- Goods to a value of €38m saved from the bin
2019 Goal: eco-designing our service
With a view to minimising our environmental impact, in 2019 we are committing ourselves to a continuous improvement approach that will firstly involve a measurement stage (LCA – Life Cycle Analysis) and then an eco-design project for our solutions.