Kesko was again selected the most sustainable trading sector company in the world

KESKO PRESS RELEASE 21.01.2016 AT 11.00 1(2)

In the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list, Kesko ranked 15th and was, at the same time, the most sustainable trading sector company in the world. The list of the most sustainable corporations is announced today at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The companies in the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list were assessed on 12 sustainability indicators in the areas of economic, social and environmental responsibility.

Sustainability provides the basis for all operations in the K-Group and is visible in our daily work.

"Kesko's long-term corporate responsibility work is based on our strategy and responsibility programme. The programme comprises all of our divisions and contains short, medium and long term objectives. All our operations are guided by our value: Customer and quality - in everything we do," says Kesko's President and CEO Mikko Helander.

Kesko's systematic work to mitigate climate change is bearing fruit. As much as 98% of the savings target set in the trading sector energy efficiency agreement for 2016 has already been achieved. In November 2015, Kesko was included in CDP's Climate A List for the first time. The list consists of 113 selected companies that are considered to be operating in an exemplary manner with regard to mitigating climate change.

The most recent energy savings method is the cooperation started by Kesko's grocery trade, Gasum, Myllyn Paras and Wursti in September 2015: biogas produced from inedible biowaste that is collected from retail stores is utilized as energy in the manufacture of new Pirkka products.

Kesko aims to identify the entire supply chain of products, while also ensuring that the ingredients are responsibly sourced. Work to assess the origin of ingredients in own brand categories - Pirkka and K-Menu products - was carried out in 2015.

Over the course of 2015, Kesko continued to assess human rights impacts in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list for 2016 is announced at the meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos on 21 January. The list is prepared by Canada-based Corporate Knights Inc. and is based on a global assessment of 4,608 listed companies.

The Global 100 list for 2016 has been published at www.global100.org.

Further information available from Vice President Matti Kalervo, Corporate Responsibility, Kesko Corporation, tel. +358 50 306 4081.

Kesko's ranking in sustainability indices
http://www.kesko.fi/en/investor/share-information/equity-indices/sustainability-indices/

Kesko is a Finnish listed trading sector company. Kesko operates in the grocery trade, the home improvement and speciality goods trade and the car trade. Its divisions and chains act in close cooperation with retailer entrepreneurs and other partners. In 2014, Kesko's net sales totalled €9.1 billion and it employed nearly 20,000 people. Kesko has over 1,500 stores engaged in chain operations in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Belarus. Kesko's shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. The company's domicile and main premises are in Helsinki. www.kesko.fi