Climate change is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, and at the same time, the accelerating loss of diversity is making climate change worse. The extinction of species also poses a risk for the availability of raw materials.
Biodiversity and preventing the extinction of species also have central roles in our sustainability work.
In S Group, the framework for biodiversity comprises the promotion of sustainable consumption, the minimisation of impacts and emissions, and the strengthening of protection measures. Key measures in addition to nature conservation include our climate work and recycling. Our practical mea¬sures include the establishment of our own fish guidelines and deforestation guidelines and, as part of it, guidelines on raw materials critical in terms of deforestation. We have also placed a strong emphasis on reducing food waste and promoting climate-smart eating and carbon farming.
Our aim is to ensure biodiversity, both in our own operations and in our value chain. By acting together, we can influence the sustainable use of land areas and forests, look after the well-being of water areas and the flora and fauna in them, and also build a sustainable food regime. Furthermore, our actions for the climate and circular economy promote the smart use of natural resources.
This is how we take biodiversity into account:
S Group is having its impact on nature studied in a pioneering project. Our nature footprint, or any harmful impact that our operations have on biodiversity, are being studied by JYU. Wisdom, the School of Resource Wisdom at the University of Jyväskylä. The method’s devel¬opment work is financed jointly by S Group and Sitra.
- S Group participates in Business for Nature’s Call for Action initiative. The initiative concerns biodiversity and com¬bines business and organisa¬tions, and prompts organisations to take action already during this decade to stop the disappear¬ance of animal and plant species.
- Our policy decisions regarding raw materials affect deforestation, for example. more about our policy decisions regarding soy, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, cotton and beef. In addition, our ABC restaurants have only served Finnish beef since 2015.
- Our fish policy supports sustainable fishing. Further information about our fish policy is available .
- The production and consumption of food also have direct impacts on forests and water bodies. Read more about our goal to promote the planetary diet, also known as climate-smart eating.
- Our stores offer a diverse and comprehensive range of organic products.
- Biofuel is mixed in the liquid fuels we sell. It reduces the amount of fossil fuels used. We are also investing in a network of electric car charging stations.
- When building new outlets In the future, we will seek to take biodiversity into account even more than today. For example the Hyvän mielen Sale (Sale store of good spirits) concept of SSO already takes the surrounding nature into account during the construction phase
- We are also promoting the safe and sustainable use of chemicals. For example, the primary production of fruit and vegetables Global Gap certified. The practices regarding use of chemicals were also inspected in the certification process. Our other policy decisions regarding raw materials also include requirements for the sustainable use of chemicals.