Coop and its stakeholders
As well as our employees, our stakeholders in upstream and downstream stages of the value chain are vital to our success and the implementation of our sustainability strategy. With this in mind, we hold a regular Coop Stakeholder Forum, which allows direct and in-depth dialogue with representatives of our five key stakeholder groups. It is an opportunity to take stock of what stakeholders expect and want of us and incorporate these in our targets and measures. The insights gained from dialogue with our stakeholders are reflected in our Materiality Analysis.
Coop supermarket
Coop City
Jumbo
Coop.ch
Coop Restaurant
Coop Mineraloel
Coop Vitality pharmacies
ITS Coop Travel
Interdiscount
Microspot.ch
Dipl. Ing. Fust
Nettoshop.ch/Service 7000
Livique/Lumimart
Import Parfumerie
Christ Watches & Jewellery
Marché Restaurants Schweiz
Betty Bossi
Two Spice
The Body Shop Switzerland
BâleHotels
Update Fitness
Tropenhaus Frutigen
Coop Immobilien
Railcare
others
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List of activities
– Supermarkets – Food formats – Non-food specialist formats -
Own-label sustainability brands
– Naturafarm
– Oecoplan
– Naturaline
– Naturaline Swiss Cosmetics
– Pro Montagna
– Ünique
– Miini Region
– Karma
– Solidarité -
Head Office
Basel
-
Customers
End consumers
-
Size
(no. of employees)50 416
-
Sustainability sales
CHF 5 021 million
COOP’S MANUFACTURING COMPANIES
HALBASteinfels Swiss
Swissmill
Reismühle Nutrex
Pearlwater Mineralquellen
Coop bakeries
Cave
Banana ripening plant
Bell Food Group AG
BellEisberg
Hilcona
Hügli
-
List of activities
Processing and production of foods, cleaning agents, cosmetic products
-
Head Office
Basel
-
Customers
Retail, food service,
food industry -
Size (no. of employees)
13 907
-
Sustainability sales
CHF 1 682 million
TRANSGOURMET GROUP
Transgourmet GermanyTransgourmet Poland
Selgros România
Transgourmet France
Transgourmet Ibérica
Transgourmet Austria
Transgourmet Switzerland
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List of activities
Cash & carry and wholesale supplies
-
Own-label sustainability brands
– Natura
– Natürlich für uns
– Vonatur
– Origine (Good, Better, Best)
– Premium
– Economy -
Head Office
Basel
-
Customers
Catering, hotels
-
Size
(no. of employees)30 367
-
Sustainability sales
CHF 870 million
TAX CONCEPTS
Our tax strategy is part of the Coop Group Business Management/Controlling manual (abbreviated to BM/C manual). It sets out binding instructions for accounting, controlling and finance, including taxes, for the entire Coop Group. It also obliges all users to comply with all legal standards applicable to them. With the BM/C manual, we commit to comply with all national and, where applicable, supranational legal requirements and to pay the legally required amount of tax in all jurisdictions in which we conduct business. This enables these states to make local investments in sustainability projects, among others. In this way, we fulfil our responsibility with regard to taxes and our tax strategy is in line with our sustainability strategy. However, unlike the sustainability strategy, which is based on stakeholder input, the tax strategy does not involve stakeholders in any way.
The most senior person in the Coop Group Finance Business Unit approves the tax strategy and regularly reviews it to check whether it needs updating. This should only be the case if economic, legal or social trends, developments or changes make it necessary.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, our internal auditors continuously carry out checks regarding compliance with tax requirements. They also serve as a reporting centre for concerns about potentially unethical or illegal behaviour. In some countries, there are also channels set up specifically for this purpose, which can be used to report any kind of negligent and unethical behaviour – even anonymously. Information regarding taxes is verified during the annual audit by an external auditor as well as by audits of the tax administrations of the countries in which we are active.
The individual Group companies are obliged to report all the main known tax risks to the Group tax department. The Group tax department, which is based at Coop, monitors the Coop Group’s tax risks on an ongoing basis. These are reported annually to the Board of Directors by the most senior person in charge of the Coop Group’s taxes. It is within this context that deliberations and decisions are made on how to deal with the individual risks.
The most senior person in the Coop Group Finance Business Unit approves the tax strategy and regularly reviews it to check whether it needs updating. This should only be the case if economic, legal or social trends, developments or changes make it necessary.
On behalf of the Board of Directors, our internal auditors continuously carry out checks regarding compliance with tax requirements. They also serve as a reporting centre for concerns about potentially unethical or illegal behaviour. In some countries, there are also channels set up specifically for this purpose, which can be used to report any kind of negligent and unethical behaviour – even anonymously. Information regarding taxes is verified during the annual audit by an external auditor as well as by audits of the tax administrations of the countries in which we are active.
The individual Group companies are obliged to report all the main known tax risks to the Group tax department. The Group tax department, which is based at Coop, monitors the Coop Group’s tax risks on an ongoing basis. These are reported annually to the Board of Directors by the most senior person in charge of the Coop Group’s taxes. It is within this context that deliberations and decisions are made on how to deal with the individual risks.
OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
As well as our employees, our stakeholders in upstream and downstream stages of the value chain are vital to our success and the implementation of our sustainability strategy.
We hold an annual Coop Stakeholder Forum, which allows direct and in-depth dialogue with representatives of our five key stakeholder groups. It is an opportunity to take stock of what stakeholders expect and want of us, and incorporate these in our targets and measures. We transparently inform stakeholders about the follow-up of their inputs. In bilateral, topic-specific exchanges, we involve them in working on issues and, in particular, in defining and evaluating suitable instruments for remedying critical impacts of our business activities on the environment or society. In 2022, for example, we took appropriate measures with WWF to reduce our water footprint, and with Fairtrade International we pushed ahead with the implementation of living wages in individual raw materials sectors. The insights gained from the dialogue with our stakeholders are reflected in our materiality analysis.
At the Coop Stakeholder Forum in November 2022, we discussed Pillar 3 of Coop sustainability with our stakeholders. We will include the concrete proposals for measures in each thematic field in our planning. At the next Stakeholder Forum in autumn 2023, we will provide transparent information about our decisions and resolutions.
The Business Partner Conference originally scheduled for 2022 has been postponed and will be held in 2023. The conference aims to drive sustainable innovation together with business partners.
Our manufacturing companies and the Transgourmet Group are also in constant dialogue with public bodies, associations and organizations as well as employees, customers and suppliers.
We hold an annual Coop Stakeholder Forum, which allows direct and in-depth dialogue with representatives of our five key stakeholder groups. It is an opportunity to take stock of what stakeholders expect and want of us, and incorporate these in our targets and measures. We transparently inform stakeholders about the follow-up of their inputs. In bilateral, topic-specific exchanges, we involve them in working on issues and, in particular, in defining and evaluating suitable instruments for remedying critical impacts of our business activities on the environment or society. In 2022, for example, we took appropriate measures with WWF to reduce our water footprint, and with Fairtrade International we pushed ahead with the implementation of living wages in individual raw materials sectors. The insights gained from the dialogue with our stakeholders are reflected in our materiality analysis.
At the Coop Stakeholder Forum in November 2022, we discussed Pillar 3 of Coop sustainability with our stakeholders. We will include the concrete proposals for measures in each thematic field in our planning. At the next Stakeholder Forum in autumn 2023, we will provide transparent information about our decisions and resolutions.
The Business Partner Conference originally scheduled for 2022 has been postponed and will be held in 2023. The conference aims to drive sustainable innovation together with business partners.
Our manufacturing companies and the Transgourmet Group are also in constant dialogue with public bodies, associations and organizations as well as employees, customers and suppliers.
ISSUES AND CONCERNS OF OUR KEY STAKEHOLDERS
OUR ADDITIONAL COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
OUR PARTNERS
To fulfil our responsibility along the value chain, we are committed to long-term, trust-based partnerships and members of various associations.
