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Our understanding of sustainability

SUSTAINABILITY

Creating and shaping responsibility

To remain successful in the long term, we want to reconcile our activities along the value chain with the ecological, social and legal parameters. Together with MediaMarktSaturn as the core of our business activities we decided to shape and influence responsible and sustainable business. CECONOMY is also a role model for the entire industry.

Strategy

Our sustainability strategy

As Europe's largest consumer electronics retailer, we are committed to playing a leading role in addressing global key challenges - for people, communities, and the environment alike. Our levers: the way we work operationally and how we guide our employees on sustainability issues for success; and the way we educate consumers on all aspects of sustainability related to consumer electronics.

Our sustainability strategy is based on two main pillars:

Strengthen the sustainability of our operations

We aim to strengthen the sustainability of our operations. To do this, we set targets to reduce carbon emissions and packaging waste, ensure labor and human rights in the supply chain of our private labels and our suppliers, and set targets for a diverse workforce.

Woman sitting outside in the garden with tablet

Enable a sustainable lifestyle for our customers

We aim to enable a sustainable lifestyle for our customers. To this end, we are expanding our sustainable product assortment; we are also setting for a superior customer guidance and education towards the conservation of our resources and, in this context, offering our customers the possibility to reuse, repair or recycle their products.

Solar modules, pinwheels and sun for sustainable energy

Goals

Our mid-term goals

We have defined clear sustainability targets expressed in terms of financial year 2022/23. They include:

// Net zero direct carbon emissions of own operations (scope 1+2)

// Over 80 percent of our sales suppliers audited for labor and human rights compliance

// Doubling the number of sustainable products in our assortment (versus base year 2020)

Sustainability Key Figures

Environment & Social

DIRECT CO2-EMISSIONS OF OWN BUSINESS OPERATIONS Reduced by 77 % in financial year 2020/21 (since 2015)

SCOPE 3 EMISSIONS (in tCO₂e) Approximately 1.2 m in financial year 2020/21

FROM RENEWABLE ENERGIES Approximately 81 % of our electricity in financial year 2020/21

SCOPE 3.1 & 3.4 EMISSIONS¹
Reduction of CO₂ intensity (in t CO₂e per € million total sales)

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS SCOPE 1 & 2 TOTAL
(in tCO₂e)

PRODUCTS LABELLED AS SUSTAINABLE IN PORTFOLIO
(Number)

EMPLOYEES From 135 nations in financial year 2020/21

WOMEN'S SHARE About 39 % in CECONOMY workforce in financial year 2020/21

LABOR AND HUMAN RIGHTS Over 97 % of Imtron production sites audited in financial year 2020/21

WOMEN IN MANAGEMENT POSITIONS Total 12.2 % in financial year 2020/21 (Level 1 + 2) Level 1: 9.7%
Level 2: 12.3%

REPAIRS Approximately 2.6
m Group-wide in financial year 2020/21

MANUFACTURERS For about 43.5 % of our sales, manufacturers are externally audited/assessed for human rights

¹ Scope 3.1 (non-traded goods) and Scope 3.4 (upstream transport and distribution), the CO₂ intensity of Scope 3.1 emissions from the purchase of private label products is 15.35 t CO₂e per € million of total sales (base year for this category is FY 2020/21).

Initiatives, networks and ratings

CECONOMY belongs to selected sustainability initiatives and networks and has important ratings.

Initiatives and networks

EU Green Consumption Pledge

CECONOMY joined the European Commission's Green Consumption Pledge.

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UN Global Compact

CECONOMY is a member of UN Global Compact, the world's largest initiative for responsible corporate governance. The vision of the UN Global Compact is an inclusive and sustainable global economy based on its 10 universal principles.

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HDE Principles of Action

CECONOMY has signed the uniform principles of action of the German Retail Association (HDE) and is thus committed to responsible, sustainable action. In five guiding principles, the HDE defines the common understanding of the social role as entrepreneur, supplier, partner and employer.

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German Diversity Charta

CECONOMY has been a signatory of the Diversity Charter since 2018. In doing so, we have declared our willingness to stand up for diversity and appreciation as an employer.

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Ratings

The current ratings of CECONOMY AG:

Our commitment

Climate

We take responsibility for emissions that arise directly or indirectly from our business activities along the value chain.

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Products

We focus on clear labeling of sustainable products and services for our customers to promote sustainable consumption.

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Services

We support innovative product solutions and service concepts that enable sustainable consumption.

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Social

We are committed to socially relevant topics where we can contribute to enriching people's lives with our products, approaches and competencies.

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Non-Financial Group Report

Follow this link to see the separate Non-Financial Group Report including our strategic sustainability approach, as part of our current annual report:

Separate Non-Financial Group Report (PDF)