I am delighted to welcome you to our 2022 Sustainability Report, my first as Group CEO. This Report is our first standalone Sustainability Report and represents progress towards our aim of reporting in line with the Global Reporting Initiative in FY23.
Our Corporate Vision incorporates our aspiration of contributing to a sustainable future and I am committed to turning this into reality, both for Metcash and throughout the value chain, in partnership with our suppliers and network of independent retailers.
This year we, and many others, were again presented with considerable challenges as we continue to deal with COVID in our communities, pressures on supply chains and extreme weather events. These challenges tested the resilience of our network, however I am pleased to say it has served to further strengthen our resolve, to be there for our communities in times of need and focus more intently on addressing climate change, responsible sourcing and ensuring the health and safety of our teams and our retailer networks.
The year we expanded our sustainability agenda and deepened our commitment to topics we are already engaged with. This included our commitment to both a net-zero emissions target for 2040 and a 100% renewable energy target for 2025. We also committed to working towards Green Star certification for any newly constructed facilities, with our recently announced new distribution centre at Truganina, Victoria aiming for a 5-star certification.
Beyond our own organisational boundary, we undertook an investigation into Scope 3 emissions including both upstream and downstream, as a first step to addressing the indirect emissions of our supply chain and retailer network. To assess our broader climate risk exposure, we undertook a state-by-state analysis of climate impacts on business continuity and assessed the impacts of climate change on key commodities. We also continued to work with our suppliers on mitigating modern slavery in our supply chain.
The environmental footprint of our independent retail network benefits from local supply having a shorter supply chain and less travel required to shop at our local neighbourhood stores, yet there is much more to be done and we have again expanded our program of sustainability initiatives. This has included engaging with store owners to set their own emissions reduction goals and offering practical advice on energy efficiency measures and renewable energy. We have also worked with our network across the pillars to implement battery and soft-plastics in-store recycling for their customers.
We support the goals of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, redesigning product artwork to include the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) on pack and creating a dedicated role to oversee the transition to recycled, recyclable and compostable packaging.
For our communities, we continue to support charities that have a meaningful local impact and have donated almost $2.4m to local organisations through the Community Chest Program alone. Metcash and our independent retailers have also been there to support in times of hardship, including during the recent floods, in which additional funds were raised through our Rapid Response Plan and Emergency Assistance Fund (EAF). There are countless examples of local community support provided directly by our independent retailers, in terms of funds and in-kind support both during and following the recent flood emergencies, as communities rebuild.
For our teams, we continue to strive to be an employer of choice and again improved our overall employee engagement score. We established a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and a Women in Leadership Program with an overarching goal of 40/40/20 gender representation by 2025.
We were pleased to once again be awarded the Workplace Gender Equality Agency Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (WGEA EOCGE) citation, for the fourth consecutive year.
Metcash remains committed to reporting in line with the Taskforce for Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and awaits the release of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) standards. We plan to integrate the requirements of these standards while referencing the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) in next year’s sustainability report. Our adoption of GRI is expected to further increase the breadth and transparency of our ESG-related disclosures.
I hope you find this year’s Report informative.
I am delighted to welcome you to our 2022 Sustainability Report, my first as Group CEO. This Report is our first standalone Sustainability Report and represents progress towards our aim of reporting in line with the Global Reporting Initiative in FY23.
Our Corporate Vision incorporates our aspiration of contributing to a sustainable future and I am committed to turning this into reality, both for Metcash and throughout the value chain, in partnership with our suppliers and network of independent retailers.
This year we, and many others, were again presented with considerable challenges as we continue to deal with COVID in our communities, pressures on supply chains and extreme weather events. These challenges tested the resilience of our network, however I am pleased to say it has served to further strengthen our resolve, to be there for our communities in times of need and focus more intently on addressing climate change, responsible sourcing and ensuring the health and safety of our teams and our retailer networks.
The year we expanded our sustainability agenda and deepened our commitment to topics we are already engaged with. This included our commitment to both a net-zero emissions target for 2040 and a 100% renewable energy target for 2025. We also committed to working towards Green Star certification for any newly constructed facilities, with our recently announced new distribution centre at Truganina, Victoria aiming for a 5-star certification.
Beyond our own organisational boundary, we undertook an investigation into Scope 3 emissions including both upstream and downstream, as a first step to addressing the indirect emissions of our supply chain and retailer network. To assess our broader climate risk exposure, we undertook a state-by-state analysis of climate impacts on business continuity and assessed the impacts of climate change on key commodities. We also continued to work with our suppliers on mitigating modern slavery in our supply chain.
The environmental footprint of our independent retail network benefits from local supply having a shorter supply chain and less travel required to shop at our local neighbourhood stores, yet there is much more to be done and we have again expanded our program of sustainability initiatives. This has included engaging with store owners to set their own emissions reduction goals and offering practical advice on energy efficiency measures and renewable energy. We have also worked with our network across the pillars to implement battery and soft-plastics in-store recycling for their customers.
We support the goals of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation, redesigning product artwork to include the Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) on pack and creating a dedicated role to oversee the transition to recycled, recyclable and compostable packaging.
For our communities, we continue to support charities that have a meaningful local impact and have donated almost $2.4m to local organisations through the Community Chest Program alone. Metcash and our independent retailers have also been there to support in times of hardship, including during the recent floods, in which additional funds were raised through our Rapid Response Plan and Emergency Assistance Fund (EAF). There are countless examples of local community support provided directly by our independent retailers, in terms of funds and in-kind support both during and following the recent flood emergencies, as communities rebuild.
For our teams, we continue to strive to be an employer of choice and again improved our overall employee engagement score. We established a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and a Women in Leadership Program with an overarching goal of 40/40/20 gender representation by 2025.
We were pleased to once again be awarded the Workplace Gender Equality Agency Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (WGEA EOCGE) citation, for the fourth consecutive year.
Metcash remains committed to reporting in line with the Taskforce for Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and awaits the release of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) standards. We plan to integrate the requirements of these standards while referencing the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) in next year’s sustainability report. Our adoption of GRI is expected to further increase the breadth and transparency of our ESG-related disclosures.
I hope you find this year’s Report informative.
Doug Jones, Chief Executive Officer
Download the 2022 Sustainability Report
Download 2022 Report
