We have identified our most important sustainability goals from our core business and along our value chain. Our current sustainability strategy is based on a facts and figures approach. It includes four areas of action: "Environment", "Social", "Governance" and "Responsible Value Chain", each with specific targets up to 2030. The targets for the individual areas of action have been broken down into sub-targets and anchored in our strategic annual targets.
The aim of our Environment area of activity is to protect the environment and preserve the planet for future generations.
As part of the Science Based Targets initiative, which we joined in 2023, we are committed to the 1.5 degree target of the Paris Climate Agreement. Our goal is to achieve net zero emissions for our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 and to reduce Scope 3 emissions by 50% compared to our base year 2019. We are working on various measures to achieve this, such as switching to low-emission technologies. For Scope 3, we focus particularly on transportation emissions, as these make up the largest share alongside purchased goods and services. To this end, we are already testing the use of alternative fuels, setting up regional logistics hubs, shifting transport to rail and sea using biofuels and optimizing our logistics processes. We are further strengthening environmental protection by introducing an energy and environmental management system in our logistics centers and our administration.
We are also striving for a circular economy. We are focusing on reducing and converting our transport packaging, rethinking business models and promoting more sustainable packaging to our suppliers at the point of sale with our self-developed standards for environmentally friendly materials.
We aim to be the most human-centric company in the global travel retail and have made valuing people a cornerstone of our mission statement. This appreciation goes hand in hand with ensuring and actively supporting a diverse, equal, inclusive, fair and safe working environment. Because only with an employer that stands for inclusive collaboration and equal opportunities can employees achieve extraordinary things and provide inspiring service while being valued for their authentic selves.
In the social pillar, we have set ourselves the overarching goal of pursuing and implementing the strongest DE&I strategy and having the highest work standards in the global travel trade.
Diversity, equity and inclusion as a strategic strength
Our culture, which is lived by around 9,000 people, sees diversity as an enrichment, equity as a necessity and inclusion as a strength. We have developed a DE&I strategy that encompasses both local and global targets and measures to firmly anchor this culture. Our most important areas of action were identified: new talent, development, leadership, work-life balance, collaboration, working environment and communication. The measures include DE&I training for employees, a global platform for employee communication and group-wide solutions to support families as well as barrier-free workplaces. Diversity management is being implemented step-by-step at all our locations with a systematic approach, active commitment and measurable impact. In addition, implementation and target achievement are to be confirmed by the new ISO standard 30415:2021.
By sustainable corporate governance, we mean corporate management that does not act today at the expense of tomorrow and does not make decisions in one place at the expense of the legitimate interests of stakeholders elsewhere. At the same time, we ensure that the company's productivity is maintained.
In this context, we have created a global framework for sustainability - with clear responsibilities, guidelines and processes. This framework enables us to communicate our sustainability measures to all levels within our Group.
This includes our Corporate Sustainability Committee, which consists of members of the Executive Board as well as other management representatives and managing directors from our global locations and companies. This committee ensures that information on sustainability is monitored at the highest level and that binding decisions are made there. The governance structure is completed by further steering committees on the topics of the environment, DEI and human rights in the supply chain as well as a network of sustainability ambassadors for all locations and areas of our company.
As part of this field of action, Gebr. Heinemann is committed to a responsible value chain and thus to sustainability throughout the entire supply chain. Although as a retailer we cannot directly influence the production criteria, such as the CO2e footprint of our products, we carefully monitor our value chain and work closely with our partners. Our aim is to ensure high standards for sustainable production and to respect human rights.
Our strategic goal is to ensure the highest human rights standards in the global travel retail value chain.
Since the introduction of our Code of Ethics in 2021, we have established due diligence processes and made them transparent. In 2022, we introduced an assessment process for the sustainability of our suppliers. Thanks to the collaboration with EcoVadis and the risk analysis in accordance with the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, sustainability aspects are now an integral part of our business relationships.
By the end of 2023, we had already secured 30% of our purchasing volume through independent ratings. Our goal is to increase this proportion to at least 80% by the end of 2024. To validate our efforts in the area of human rights management, we are aiming to improve our own EcoVadis rating to gold level.
The policy statement on human rights can be viewed here.
Increasing supplier transparency is an important step towards a robust human rights regime. In addition, there is a growing need for sustainable partnerships in order to work on the other aspects of the Responsible Value Chain. Therefore, Gebr. Heinemann is developing joint green business plans with suppliers and customers.
