Despite the challenges of 2020, Corporate Social Responsibility has remained our priority. Large investments in sustainable solutions are already showing payback, and we are doing well in meeting our climate goals. Nowadays, a company without corporate responsibility, like a car without wheels – it will not move forward.

Edgar Seseman
Rimi Baltic Chief Executive Officer

Inside the company, we say “sustainability is in our DNA”. Whatever decision we make, we always think about the environment, the person, the people around us. This year, we have paid a great deal of attention to the well-being of the people and the particularly difficult fight against climate change.

Liudvikas Aleliūnas
Corporate Responsibility Strategy & Development Manager

In recent years, sustainability work has been developed in connection with Agenda 2030 and the UN’s global goals for sustainable development. The 17 goals go into each other and Rimi operations have a direct or indirect impact on all goals. However, ICA Group, where Rimi is part of it, has chosen to focus extra on Objective 3, 5, 8, 12 and 13 areas with a large bearing on the Group’s operations.

Local products

There is substantial and growing demand for locally produced food in the Baltic countries. Increasing numbers of consumers want to eat more food that has been produced locally. Rimi Baltic are actively working to continually increase the number of locally produced items in the product assortment and in 2020, as much as 40% of our total range consisted of products made by local suppliers.

Climate Neutral

Total CO2 emissions of Rimi (by Rimi, it means Rimi Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania together) in 2020 decreased by -50% compared to 2019. Rimi has reached the Climate Neutral target by achieving a -81% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to 2006, mainly due to more environmentally friendly refrigerants and “green” energy. The remaining 19% of emissions will be compensated by investing in CO2 reduction projects worldwide.

Food Waste

Our ambition is to reduce food waste in half by 2025. Rimi efforts include optimisation of forecasting, product processing, shelf-life monitoring etc. In 2020 Rimi donated 1175 tons of food. This year’s result was negatively affected by the Covid pandemic due to volatile sales. We ended this year at the same level as 2019, and compared to the base year 2016, food waste is still higher by 9%.

Green Energy

By purchasing green energy for own buildings and acquiring Guarantee of Origin certificates for the electricity used in rented ones, Rimi has decreased the amount of generated CO2 emissions over 60 times. In 2020, Rimi reduced electricity consumption by 34% per square metre compared to 2006. This result has been achieved through the introduction of energy-efficient LED lighting, automation, new cooling and air conditioning systems etc.

Red Listed Fish

Over 85% of worldwide seafood stocks are already over-fished or fully fished. From June 1, Rimi is the first retailer in the Baltic’s to terminate purchase of marine products from the ”Red List” compiled within the Seafood Guide of Estonian Fund for Nature, Pasaules Dabas Fonds and Lithuanian Fund for Nature.

Plastic Reduction

In 2020, Rimi introduced an updated range of shopping bags, including a reusable bag made of 100% recycled plastic. We removed disposable plastic products and replaced them with paper alternatives, which will save up to 100 tons of plastic per year. Rimi wants to ensure that our branded products are packaged in plastic packaging that is easy to recycle, thus contributing to the circular economy. Even the smallest changes bring huge results, for example: the transition to a 100% paper bakery bag will save up to 70 tons of plastic per year in all three Baltic countries.

Rimi Good for You

Rimi is offering a wide range of healthy products with the label “Rimi Good for You” (RGFY). In 2020 we offered 1350 RGFY products with more fibres, wholegrains, with less sugar, salt, better fats, no GMO, no synthetic food additives. Healthier products are selected based on a set of criteria, referring to Keyhole, Baltic, Nordic Nutrition Recommendations and World Health Organization Healthy Diet Guidelines.

Healthy Lifestyle

In addition to good eating habits, Rimi wants to inspire healthy lifestyle. Rimi Latvia has been partnering for many years with the Rimi Riga Marathon, Rimi Estonia supports the Tallinn Marathon and Rimi Lithuania sponsors Vilnius Marathon, which in 2021 will be called Rimi Vilnius marathon.

Gender Diversity

In a Nielsen survey in November, Rimi came in first place in Estonia and Latvia, second in Lithuania, when respondents were asked to associate grocery retailers with the statement “Embraces diversity in the company and society”. The gender diversity of Rimi top management in 2020 was 41% man / 59% women. The Gender Equality Ruler assessed the gender equality situation and rated Rimi Lithuania with the highest rating so far – 9.2 out of 10 points.