Discount Retail Chain Lidl Bulgaria (owned by the German Schwarz Group) has switched entirely to the purchase of 100% green energy. This was announced by the executive director of the company Milena Dragiyska during a conference dedicated to ESG topics. Back in March, Lidl Bulgaria received guarantees of origin for its energy consumption in all stores, logistics centers and its own administrative buildings. The guarantees have been confirmed by the Agency for Sustainable Energy Development. The decisive step is part of the ambitious measures to achieve carbon neutrality set out in the company's climate strategy. The climate strategy is part of a comprehensive large-scale strategy for sustainable business development, which Lidl launched in 2021.
"Climate protection and the environment is a long-standing commitment for Lidl Bulgaria, to which we are even more ambitiously committed to the introduction of a comprehensive climate strategy. Last year, based on the international science methodology of the Science Based Targets (SBTi) initiative, which was joined by the Schwarz Group, we set a key goal to reduce carbon emissions from our operational activities in the country by 95% by 2030, compared to with 2019. The transition to the purchase of 100% green energy is one of the strong measures we are taking today to achieve our goal, but it is only part of our overall strategy and vision for a better tomorrow. Along with all the measures we implement in the direction of energy efficiency and conservation of resources,
The ambitious goals of the company's climate strategy will be realized by working in three main directions - avoiding the generation of greenhouse gas emissions, reducing them where they can not be completely eliminated and as a last step, offset (offset) emissions by supporting of globally significant projects aimed at climate protection.
As part of the measures taken so far for energy efficiency and reduction of carbon emissions at the operational level, Lidl Bulgaria has been working for years with internationally recognized organizations for certification of its sites. All shops, warehouses and own administrative buildings are certified according to the international standard ISO 50001, which strengthens the commitment to more rational use and distribution of energy resources. Thanks to the replacement of lighting alone, all stores with energy-saving LEDs save more than 3 million kWh of energy per year, which is equivalent to about 1547 tons of CO շ emissions. Another significant result of the company's efforts is the shift to more gentle refrigerants. When replacing the equipment for cooling products in stores only for the financial year 2020.
Additionally in the direction of optimizing energy efficiency and resource conservation, Lidl Bulgaria is certified according to the system for green building EDGE (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiency), through which the company achieves at least 20% less energy consumption, 20% less use of water and 20% less energy invested in materials in its stores and warehouses, compared to a standard building of the same type.
The company also enables its customers to make more sustainable choices by offering the first among the major retail chains in our country climate-neutral food products from its own brand Vemondo, as well as climate-neutral household goods made of 100% recycled plastic. Together with measures to avoid and reduce emissions from the production and transport of these products, Lidl compensates for all other CO2 emissions by supporting internationally recognized and certified climate protection projects (Gold Standard).
The retailer's plans are not only to contribute to climate protection at the operational level, but also to take action to reduce carbon emissions in its supply chain. The company aims to stimulate these suppliers, which are responsible for 75% of carbon emissions in the supply chain internationally, by 2026, to set their own climate goals in line with Science Based Targets and to contribute to the company's overall goals.