The company discloses how the socially and economically relevant stakeholders are identified and integrated into the sustainability process. It states whether and how an ongoing dialogue takes place with them and how the results are integrated into the sustainability process.
We intended for our survey to focus on those stakeholders of greatest importance to ALDI North, which is why the stakeholders were divided into groups and rated based on their relevance to ALDI North. We took the following factors into account:
- Is the stakeholder group affected by ALDI North’s business, economic, environmental and social impact?
- Does the stakeholder group influence corporate success?
- Is there potential for conflict between the stakeholder group and ALDI North?
As part of our materiality process, we regularly review which stakeholder groups are especially relevant to us. The most important stakeholders include customers, employees, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), initiatives and associations, suppliers and business partners, and members of works councils and unions. We are engaged in open and direct dialogue of growing depth with them, from which we learn a great deal. We also maintain contact with other groups, such as residents who live around our locations, in addition to members of the media and politicians.
- Since 2017, we have been appealing to our customers in new ways. We are updating our stores as part of the largest renovation project to date in the Group’s history and using extensive advertising campaigns to make tangible for customers what the ALDI brand has represented for decades. These measures are the in direct result of customer feedback and our market research. Through campaigns such as “Buy responsibly” the Netherlands, communication activities focused on sustainability are featuring more strongly in stores.
- Communication with Group employees continues to evolve as well. In addition to the traditional bulletin, we also provide information through a quarterly employee magazine (Germany), a monthly newsletter (Portugal) and social media (Spain). Independent CR newsletters are issued in five ALDI North Group countries. An employee survey conducted in all countries has provided us with important insights into where we, as the respective employer, still have room for improvement. We are using this information to design related measures and then gradually implement them.
- We are engaged in dialogue in all ALDI North countries with NGOs and other organisations either personally or through sector and multi-stakeholder initiatives. In Spain, for example, discussions with NGOs, customers and the media about palm oil led to an adjustment of the Gut Bio products there. In the Netherlands, talks centre primarily on healthy nutrition.
- Buyers, CR officers and quality assurance specialists are in constant contact with our suppliers. In order to make our products even more sustainable, we carry out joint projects relating to issues such as animal welfare. The evaluation of our suppliers is moving more and more into the focus of our sustainability efforts.
- To prepare this report, we specifically engaged in dialogue with our customers (by way of a customer panel survey), ALDI employees (through an online survey), suppliers, experts and the works councils of two German regional companies.
ALDI North engages in dialogue both nationally and internationally with various organisations, initiatives and alliances. Our efforts differ in each case depending on the issue and range from mere membership to playing an active management role. Online is a list of the initiatives that we are involved in and the related obligations Please use the following links for further information: