Kesko ranked the best in its sector in Europe in the Dow Jones corporate sustainability assessment

For a second consecutive year, Kesko has been ranked the best sector company in Europe in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices the DJSI World and the DJSI Europe. In the global DJSI World, Kesko ranked fourth highest in its sector (Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail). Kesko’s long-term success is based on its determined efforts to promote sustainability in all three business divisions, namely grocery trade, building and technical trade, and car trade.

”Kesko’s placing at the top of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices internationally is proof that our strategy is moving in the right direction in all business divisions. Sustainability is embedded into everything we do at Kesko and K Group, and it requires constant development efforts. Our customers can see the results of these efforts in, for example, the sustainable selections offered by K Group grocery stores, green transition solutions provided by our building and home improvement stores and Onninen, and the range of electric cars sold by K-Auto,” says Riikka Joukio, EVP, Sustainability and Public Affairs at Kesko.

More than 13,000 listed companies worldwide were invited to take part in the assessment process for the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices this year. The top companies in each industry worldwide were selected for index inclusion in the DJSI World based on the assessment results, while the DJSI Europe includes top companies in sustainability in Europe.

Companies were assessed for the indices on various criteria for environmental, social and economic responsibility and good governance. In the Environmental Dimension, Kesko received excellent scores for e.g. climate strategy, emission reduction and management of water risks. In the Social Dimension, Kesko’s top scores came from human rights and health and nutrition. In the Governance & Economic Dimension, Kesko scored high in business ethics.

Kesko and K Group engage in constant efforts to move Kesko’s sustainability strategy forward on various fronts. In autumn 2023, Kesko committed to setting long-term science-based targets for reducing emissions in its whole value chain to net zero by 2050. The Hyvis bell pepper and lentil soup, which is made from surplus peppers from Kesko’s central warehouse, was named Most Sustainable Product in Finland in the Food & beverage category this year. Currently Kesko is working on a biodiversity roadmap covering all its business divisions as well as on setting targets for preventing the loss of biodiversity.

Further information:
Riikka Joukio, EVP, Sustainability and Public Affairs, tel. +358 105 323 712, riikka.joukio@kesko.fi
Hanna Jaakkola, VP, Investor relations, tel. +358 105 323 540, hanna.jaakkola@kesko.fi
K Group media desk, tel. +358 105 350 200, viestinta@kesko.fi

https://www.spglobal.com/esg/csa/djsi-csa-annual-review
 

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Kesko and K-retailers together form K Group, whose retail sales total around €16 billion. K Group is the third largest trading sector operator in Northern Europe and it employs approximately 45,000 people. Kesko operates in grocery trade, building and technical trade, and car trade. Its divisions and chains act in close cooperation with retailer entrepreneurs and other partners. Kesko's net sales total around €12 billion and Kesko has approximately 1,800 stores engaged in chain operations in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. Kesko’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. The company's domicile and main premises are in Helsinki. www.kesko.fi