MediaMarktSaturn has become the first European consumer electronics retailer to join the United Nations Global Compact. The UNGC is the world’s biggest initiative for sustainable, responsible corporate governance. As an official participant of the initiative, MediaMarktSaturn has committed itself to upholding the 10 universal principles of sustainability in the areas of human rights, employment, the environment and anti-corruption. In addition, MediaMarktSaturn follows the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Five of these goals have now been identified as key targets and backed up with strategic initiatives.

“We pledge to incorporate the UN Global Compact and its principles into our company’s strategy, corporate culture and day-to-day business, and to engage in joint projects which further the United Nations’ goals regarding sustainable development. MediaMarktSaturn will clearly demonstrate this commitment to its stakeholders and the public,” the company stated in its letter of application to UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

“Both our own activities and the products we sell have a significant impact on the environment and society. We therefore want to bring about improvements wherever we can exert an influence and be a responsible company vis-à-vis the environment, society and our employees,” declared Andrea Koepfer, Vice President Corporate Communications & Sustainability at MediaMarktSaturn and Ceconomy AG.

By signing up to the Global Compact, MediaMarktSaturn has undertaken to submit an annual COP (Communication on Progress) to the United Nations – a report outlining the progress it has made with regard to sustainability. In addition to a commitment to uphold the ten principles of sustainability in the areas of human rights, employment, the environment and anti-corruption, the documents include a description of the measures taken and their results.

Prior to joining, MediaMarktSaturn aligned its sustainability strategy to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. These have been declared the world’s most important sustainability goals for the coming years. During a materiality analysis, five SDGs were identified where MediaMarktSaturn, Europe’s leading consumer electronics retailer, plans to focus:

SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth
In this regard, MediaMarktSaturn feels responsible for its supply chain. For several years now, its own brands PEAQ, KOENIC, ISY and ok have complied with the standards of amfori BSCI. In addition, the supply chain of all products from third-party suppliers is being made successively more transparent based on analysis carried out by EcoVadis.
 
SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
In its Retailtech Hub accelerator programme, the company seeks startups planning to make retail business models more sustainable. They then implement a pilot project with MediaMarktSaturn or one of the other partner companies involved. One such pilot is currently being carried out with smartmile, a startup offering sender-independent packing stations. They reduce both logistics costs and multiple deliveries when customers aren’t at home, thereby helping to decrease harmful emissions.
 
SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production
Sustainable consumption needs information – for only when customers are properly informed can they make conscious decisions. In addition to the wealth of information offered by manufacturers, MediaMarktSaturn offers on for example saturn.de its own eco-labelling system for sustainable products entitled ‘Switch to green now’. It’s based on criteria defined by the prestigious Institute for Applied Ecology in Freiburg. In addition, repairs (such as while-you-wait repairs for smartphones) and multiple usage (e.g. leasing and recommerce options) now play a key role in communication.
 
SDG 13: Climate action
MediaMarktSaturn has decided to step up its use of green electricity, and it’s now used by all its stores in Germany and 77% of all the Group’s stores. And to ensure that this green power, too, is used as sparingly as possible, MediaMarktSaturn has adopted strict energy management and the use of energy-efficient technologies such as LED lighting in more and more stores. LED lighting saves up to 90% of the energy used by conventional technologies.
 
SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals
MediaMarktSaturn believes that the achievement of all sustainability initiatives is largely based on partnerships. At the Retailtech Hub, this is done with other retailers and of course the startups. The eco-labelling of products takes place with the Institute for Applied Ecology. Repairs, leasing and recommerce are carried out with partner companies. And monitoring the supply chain can only be done in cooperation with the manufacturers.

 
More information:

MediaMarktSaturn’s Sustainability Strategy      
http://www.mediamarktsaturn.com/nachhaltigkeit

MediaMarktSaturn at Global Compact  
https://www.unglobalcompact.org/what-is-gc/participants/133377