METRO makes the World Retail Awards shortlist twice
11 April 2019
The Umbrella Campaign Own Business Day 2018 together with its highlight communications “Own Business Girls” and “Longest Queue in Porto” and all related activities such as the International Own Business Study have been submitted together in the category “Best Integrated Marketing Campaign”. Since 2016, METRO has been focusing globally on Business Owners on the Own Business Day. The aim of the campaign is to provide more visibility, attention and appreciation for independent entrepreneurs – and thus, to celebrate our customers. The focus is on the millions of entrepreneurs who bring choice and diversity to the end consumers all over the world with their businesses and services based on their own concepts and ideas. In 2018, Business owners in 24 METRO countries participated with over 380,000 special offers. "It is METRO´s commitment to support independent businesses in every possible way – your success is our business", says Gisele Musa, Global Director Branding & Activation at METRO.
Lack of visibility is still the biggest problem for independent businesses. This has been found by the recent "International Own Business Study", which METRO commissioned for a second time and which surveyed 10,000 people in ten countries. One result: independent businesses are popular worldwide and are valued by their customers, but often lack visibility and public awareness. The same study found that almost every 2nd woman dreams of starting her own business, but due to lack of financial support only 12% think, that it is very likely that they can make this dream come true.
In response to the these findings, METRO launched the Own Business Girls Campaign on International Women’s Day (IWD) 2018, in order to show the world that women are more than fit to run their business – they are born for it. The idea: to find and equip every baby girl born on IWD in Düsseldorf with a very special business card worth 2.000 Euros – enough start-up capital to go on a first business adventure once the girls turn 18.
With the METRO Water Initiative, the international wholesale specialist is also shortlisted in the category "Responsible Retailer Initiative of the Year". Launched in 2017 to draw the attention of around 24 million customers and more than 150,000 employees worldwide to the scarce resource water and its responsible use, the METRO Water Initiative is entering its third year of operations. Together with the international water foundation One Drop, founded in 2007 by Cirque du Soleil co-founder Guy Laliberté, METRO is launching a three-year project in Sheohar, a region in Northern India. At the end of the project period more than a quarter of a million people will have permanent access to safe water and sanitation.
Throughout India, access to clean water and sanitation is scarce. Over 600 million Indians are exposed to extreme water stress. In addition, the quality of the available water is often alarming. More than 100,000 people die every year in India from waterborne diseases. Every day, more than 500 children under the age of five die from diarrhea alone. For the people in Sheohar, the joint project of METRO and One Drop does not only mean safe access to water and sanitation facilities – it also improves their lives. Child mortality decreases, waterborne diseases are reduced, health of mothers and newborns improves, regular school visits are possible again and overall safety is increasing.
The project is financed through the METRO Water Initiative in 22 METRO countries – and by the support of 22 suppliers. During the two-week campaign period around UN-World Water Day (22 March), they donate a certain share of the selling price of pre-defined products to the METRO Water Initiative. More than 1.2 million Euros are to be raised, all of which will flow into the project in India. METRO guarantees the donation target. One Drop doubles the amount and ensures close cooperation with governments and development banks. Thus, each donated Euro will have a leverage effect of up to 10 Euros. Participating suppliers in this year’s METRO Water initiative are (some with more than one brand): Barilla, Bolton, Campofrio, The Coca-Cola Company, Danone, Diageo, Ecolab, Glaxosmithkline, Henkel, Johnson Diversey, Lavazza, Mars, McCain, Mondelez, PepsiCo, Reckitt Benckiser (RB), SC Johnson, Werner & Mertz Professional.
