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Acting fairly

United for Greater Fairness and Equity

We are convinced that long-term business success is linked to social responsibility. Fairness, equal opportunities, respect, and a culture of appreciation form the foundation of a resilient business. Achieving our goals requires a strong team and reliable partners. That is why we are committed to responsible interactions - both within the team and across our entire supply chain.

Going beyond basic legal employment requirements, we work to create a supportive workplace environment where our employees feel valued and supported in their professional growth. Across our global sourcing networks, we advocate for fair working conditions through targeted supply chain standards - focusing on fair wages, workplace safety, and strict zero-tolerance policies against forced or child labour. Furthermore, we are dedicated to advancing animal welfare standards by collaborating closely with our suppliers to enhance conditions across animal-derived product lines.

Our responsibility extends beyond mere statutory compliance. We deliberately go beyond minimum legal baselines by implementing binding standards and certified programs that deliver practical, verifiable improvements across our value chain.

Our Ambition

Our commitment to responsibility is reflected in how we treat people - both within our business and across our global supply chain. That is why we are dedicated to ensuring fair working conditions, fostering diversity, and upholding human rights, while collaborating with our partners to implement responsible, long-term operational standards.

We are on the right track

Based on the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG), we conduct an annual systematic risk analysis for all direct suppliers. Indications of potential human rights risks are also assessed on an ad hoc basis as part of ongoing risk analyses. As early as 2020, we became the first German retailer to begin conducting Human Rights Impact Assessments (HRIAs) in particularly high-risk supply chains. This allows us to systematically assess how our business activities affect human rights. Our aim is to identify risks, prevent or mitigate negative impacts, and ensure transparency in our approach.


 

Our Measures

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PROCACAO

With the PROCACAO agricultural school initiated in 2012, we are committed to fairer and more sustainable cocoa cultivation. As a successful project, PROCACAO was transferred to indepedent administration in 2019 after eight years of funding, To date, 18,000 cocoa farmers and their families have benefited from the project. More about this here.

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ACT

As from November 2019, Lidl has joined the international initiative "Action, Collaboration, Transformation" (ACT) in order to promote subsistence wages for textile industry workers.

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Cotton made in Africa

Lidl complies with its corporate due diligence on social and environmental standards in the supply chain and has been a partner of the "Cotton made in Africa" initiative since February since 2020. Thereby Lidl is demonstrating its commitment to socially and ecologically sustainable cotton cultivation in Africa.

Click here for more information!
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Cradle to Cradle

With our pilot project in the field of Cradle to Cradle, we create the prerequisite for circular textile products and thus take another important step on the way to a sustainable circular economy.

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PURE Project

For Lidl, sustainability and the maintenance of high environmental and safety standards are vital. So much so, that, in 2017, Lidl, together with GIZ (Gessellschaft fur internationale Zusammenarbeit), the German international cooperation agency for development, created and launched the PURE training project.

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Women's Empowerment Principles

Lidl continues to promote equality within its own company as well as along the value chain. By joining the United Nation's Women's Empowerment Principles, Lidl is strengthening its engagement in promoting women withiin the company.

Our Publications