Actions

Musgrave communicates with its stakeholders on sustainability through its Environmental and Social Accountability Report. According to Seamus Scally, Group Managing Director, “[the 2002 report] represents a balanced and reasonable presentation of our organization’s economic, environmental and social performance.” The report has been prepared in accordance with the 2002 Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Guidelines and contains a GRI Content Index identifying the location of GRI indicators in the report (see page 60).

The report addresses the group’s impact on the environment and its corresponding commitment in terms of waste, transport, supplies and products, buildings, reporting and communications (see pages 14 and 15). The report also highlights Summarized Environmental Indicators on page 8 and 9. The report is organized around three issues – People, Places and Product – and, for each, presents a detailed analysis of economic, environmental and social dimensions.

The economic aspects of Musgrave’s relationship with People focuses on services to independent retailers and meeting consumer expectations. On the environmental side, the focus is on measuring and managing the company’s environmental impact on people, through Key Performance Indicator (KPI). The Social Dimension addresses the company’s management of stakeholders, commitment to staff and donations to the communities (the People section of the report can be found at pages 16 to 33).

Describing Musgrave’s economic impact on Places, the report evaluates the company’s building, transport and fuel use, and electricity and heating fuel consumption. Environmental performance related to the company’s Places is measured in terms of carbon dioxide emissions, reduction of the environmental impact from the company’s transport fleet, waste management and recycling. Social aspects include staff transport, safety and commitment to communities (the Places section of the report can be found at pages 34 to 48).

Under Products, the report describes Musgrave’s retail sales and financial performance. Musgrave’s environmental performance with respect to its products is focused on organic production, eco-labeling, green purchasing and packaging. The report also addresses the environmental aspects of the Supplier Code of Conduct (the Product section of the report can be found at pages 49 to 59 of the report).

CSR Netowrk, a business focused, corporate social responsibility consultancy organization, was commissioned by Musgrave to provide independent assurance on the Environmental and Social Accountability Report 2002. The Independence Assurance Statement, which contains CSR Network?s opinion and recommendation on Musgrave?s future reports on its Environmental and Social Programme, can be found on page 6 of the report.

Results

The report addresses Musgrave’s approach to communicating change in the area sustainability and environment on page 23, detailing the efforts that the company has taken to communicate environmental issues to all relevant stakeholders and its plans for communication in the future.

In 2001, Musgrave entered its first Environmental Report in the ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) Irish Environmental Reporting Award (IERA) and was awarded the 2001 Award for Best Environmental Report.