Vision and mission

The Migros Group sustainability mission statement

Since our very beginnings, responsible business practices have been an integral part of our corporate strategy. Today, we also have a Group-wide sustainability strategy, which is guided by a focus on planetary boundaries as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Responsibility along the value-added chain

When it comes to environmental responsibility, our position is clear. To ensure the long-term preservation of our planet and to eliminate social inequalities, we all need to rethink practices and approaches and take responsibility for them. For us, acting responsibly means working sensibly to ensure that planetary boundaries are respected along the entire value-added chain. This is how we will secure a good future for all.

We make life more sustainable.

This has been the Migros Group’s vision since 2019 and is at the centre of our sustainability mission statement.

In 2019, we developed a sustainability mission statement for the entire Migros Group. This acts as a supplement to the existing sustainability strategies in place for Cooperative Retailing and at other Migros companies. It provides a binding, Group-wide framework. Our goal? To take responsibility for people and nature along the entire value-added chain.

Our mission statement for a more sustainable future

The sustainability mission statement forms the strategic framework for all our companies and brings together our sustainability vision and mission, priority focus areas, sustainability goals and the Migros Group requirements.

Infographic on the mission statement — **The mission statement is incorporated into the day-to-day work of all our employees.**

Our focus areas

The statement “We make life more sustainable” is at the heart of our vision. This means we focus on the following areas:

A sustainable product range
Climate and energy
Circularity
Promoting social cohesion

Our sustainability strategy is based on four focus areas. Within these areas, we concentrate our activities around eight priority areas that have emerged from our materiality analysis, and which we have developed alongside stakeholders and in alignment with UN SDGs.

In Cooperative Retailing, we are going one step further

In Cooperative Retailing, we are doing even more and tackling seven additional priority areas. Our goals are based on the Sustainable Development Goals, the concept of planetary boundaries, the Swiss Nutrition Policy and, of course, the needs of our customers.

Product range

Migros Group
Sustainable raw materials
- We use sustainable raw materials and continuously work to minimise the negative impact on people and the environment caused by the extraction of raw materials.
Transparency
- We provide transparent information about our products and services at all stages of the value-added chain.
Sustainable products and services
- We are constantly expanding our range of sustainable products and services and continuously increasing sales in this area.
Cooperative Retailing
As an addition to the priority focus areas of the Migros Group:

Responsible procurement
- We are broadening the way in which we review socially acceptable working conditions at the final processing stage and during cultivation.
- We are increasing our activities in the area of supplier empowerment and using new methods to achieve this. As a result, our suppliers and producers are developing sustainably in terms of working conditions.
- Ethical procurement principles constitute a fundamental consideration for us during the purchasing process.
- We are placing an increasing emphasis on initiating and promoting projects which aim to improve our value-added chains and address the specific needs of local communities. This allows us to support the sustainable development of these communities and minimise negative impacts.
- We are also establishing an operational environmental management system within our supply chain and strengthening supplier capability.
- We are committed to ensuring a living wage across our supply chain, so that workers and their families can have a decent standard of living.
Healthy nutrition
- We are increasing the proportion of products with a simple composition and high-quality nutrient profile.
- We are also increasing the proportion of products suitable for those with specific dietary requirements.
- We now provide our customers with clearer and more comprehensive information about the nutritional value of our food products.
Water
- We are reducing the water footprint of our value-added chain, taking into account specific regional water risks.
Biodiversity
- We are reducing the biodiversity footprint of our value-added chain by working to conserve the natural environment and promote biodiversity.

Climate and energy

Migros Group
Reducing CO₂ emissions / Improving energy efficiency
- We set ourselves energy and climate protection targets for both our operations and our value-added chain. These targets align with the Paris Agreement and are verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).
Cooperative Retailing
As an addition to the priority focus areas of the Migros Group:

Climate protection in the value-added chain
- We set ourselves ambitious energy and climate protection targets for both our operations and our value-added chain. These targets align with the Paris Agreement.
- Across our value-added chain, we are reducing harmful emissions to a level that respects planetary boundaries and that aligns with the Paris Agreement.

Circularity

Migros Group
Closing the circle and improving recycling
- We implement the concept of zero waste within our approach to sustainability.
Packaging and plastic
- Where possible, we systematically avoid packaging and plastic.
Cooperative Retailing
As an addition to the priority focus areas of the Migros Group:

Food waste
- We are reducing food waste at all stages of the value-added chain.

Social cohesion

Migros Group
A responsible employer
- We take our responsibilities towards the needs of our employees extremely seriously and create framework conditions that ensure their well-being.
Social commitment to leisure, culture and education
- We voluntarily invest in society through activities relating to education, culture and community as well as in the promotion of pioneering projects.
Cooperative Retailing
As an addition to the priority focus areas of the Migros Group:

Sustainable consumption
- We inform our customers about the impact of their consumption on people and the environment.
- We put in place concrete incentives to encourage our customers to choose more sustainable alternative products.
- We avoid false incentives by ensuring a rigorous approach to responsible marketing.
Partnerships
- We promote partnerships and dialogues that contribute to the sustainable development of the environment and society – both within Switzerland and at all stages of our value-added chain.

Our minimum standards apply to all

We expect our suppliers to demonstrate the same level of environmental and societal responsibility as we do. That’s why we require them to comply with our sustainability standards. This applies to suppliers at all stages of a product’s life cycle – from production to the shelf.

The 15 Migros Group requirements for responsibly managed supply chains include, for example, ensuring socially acceptable working conditions, minimising the environmental impact of production, complying with animal welfare requirements, fulfilling requirements for the recovery of fish stocks and supporting the long-term protection of ecosystems.

Migros Group requirements for operational environmental protection cover active and risk-based management of waste, electricity, heat, refrigerants and the transport of goods and ensure a continuous improvement process. In addition, we require all companies to offset their business flights, to travel primarily by public transport and to comply with procurement principles for climate-friendly passenger vehicles.