Lidl Italia publishes its first Sustainability Magazine: facts, figures and supply chain stories

Lidl Italia has published its first Sustainability Magazine, a document of approximately 50 pages that combines the rigour of data with an approach built around interviews, company representatives and direct supply chain testimonies.

The magazine, available in digital format on the company’s website, goes beyond the traditional report format to present itself as a genuine editorial in-depth resource, highlighting how corporate responsibility is, for Lidl, a common thread capable of bringing together customers, employees and commercial partners, consistently expressed both inside and outside the stores.

The 5 strategic areas

The indicators relating to Lidl Italia published in the magazine bear witness to the progress of a CSR strategy of Lidl at international level, expressed through 5 focus areas. The results relate to fiscal year 2025 (from 1 March 2025 to 28 February 2026).

The drive towards the energy transition has led to tangible results in terms of climate: more than 58% of the logistics fleet in use is powered by fuels other than diesel, the production of electricity from owned photovoltaic plants has increased by 52,5% compared with 2024, and 44,5% of the stores are already equipped with solar panels.

Also significant are the efforts towards resource management: with a view to the circular economy and combating food waste, 79,2% of waste has been sent for reuse, recycling, composting, fermentation or conversion into animal feed. At Lidl stores, customers purchased 1,3 million anti-waste bags and the recovery of more than 9.200 tonnes of surplus food for the benefit of the local area, enabling the distribution of more than 18,5 million meals to people in need through almost 800 local partner organisations, coordinated by Fondazione Banco Alimentare.

Biodiversity continues to be an asset for the company’s operations and those of its commercial partners, with more than 1.200 suppliers having adopted the GlobalGap BioDiversity additional protocol. The strategy also focuses on the ongoing commitment to promoting health, primarily by encouraging informed eating: in this regard, the assortment speaks for itself and offers a choice of no fewer than 174 Vemondo-branded products, representing a valid plant-based alternative.

Finally, the contribution towards a more inclusive and equitable working environment is demonstrated by achieving Uni/PdR 125:2022 certification concerning gender equality. Among the most significant measures in this process is the extension of paternity leave to 25 paid days at 100% – an opportunity taken up by 280 new fathers – and the promotion of health in the workplace, with 916 breast examinations carried out by female employees during working hours as part of the “Prevention really matters” project.

The comment

“To respond to environmental and social challenges, we are continuing resolutely along our path, characterised by tangible investments and structural and operational changes, with the aim of being a driver of positive change for the country. Indeed, we are aware that a leading company such as ours must not only guarantee the best value for money, but also lead this evolution with a plan of transparent, measurable objectives capable of adapting to an ever-changing context. This magazine was created precisely to communicate tangible results: from consolidating at 100% the certification targets for the main high-risk raw materials present in our assortment, such as cocoa and tea, to everyday measures such as anti-waste bags, which have enabled us to prevent the waste of more than 5.100 tonnes of fruit and vegetables. We want to share the value of this journey with our stakeholders and make them protagonists of a shared commitment,” declares Martin Brandenburger, ceo of Lidl Italia.

This article was translated from the original Italian version with the assistance of artificial intelligence. In case of discrepancies, please refer to the original Italian version.