A procedure that assesses an organisation’s processes and structures according to previously formulated standards and guidelines. Audits shed light on the effectiveness of process optimisation measures. If an audit is conducted by an external auditor, the certification issued after the review can be used as evidence of adherence to standards.
Founded in 2003, this alliance of European retailers works to ensure that production in all supplier countries complies with minimum social standards. The initiative aligns its standards with the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the conventions of the International Labour Organization (ILO). METRO GROUP is a founding member of the BSCI.
A retail business that an entrepreneur operates under his or her own name but on another’s behalf. In an “official” commission business, the manufacturer supplies the retailer with products and the respective selling rights to them without receiving any compensation. The agreed-upon price will be paid to the manufacturer only if the products are sold to customers. This means the manufacturer assumes all risk.
Large retail store specialised in consumer electronics, household goods, new media, telecommunications, computer and photo assortments. Media Markt and Saturn are the consumer electronics stores of METRO GROUP.
Large retail store that is generally located in the city centre and offers all types of goods, including textiles, household goods and food. Galeria Kaufhof is METRO GROUP’s department store operator.
Key element of human resources policy that leverages the diversity of the workforce with respect to gender, age, ethnic origin, faith, sexual identity or disabilities for a company’s business success.
Key element of human resources policy that leverages the diversity of the workforce with respect to gender, age, ethnic origin, faith, sexual identity or disabilities for a company’s business success.
Management and operation of buildings, plants and building services with the aim of reducing costs, ensuring the technical functionality and maintaining the long-term value of a building.
The amount at which an asset could be bought or sold, or a liability incurred or settled, in a current transaction between willing parties on the basis of market prices.
Flagship stores are prestigious locations that convey a retailer’s brand image in a particularly strong manner. They distinguish themselves from a company’s other stores through their size, location, layout and workforce. Flagship stores also provide a venue for testing new technologies and concepts.
Also known as licensing or franchising system. A contractually regulated organisational form: the franchisor grants an independent franchisee the right to offer certain products or services bearing the name or the trademark of the franchisor.
A private sector organisation that certifies agricultural and aquacultural products. The standard for “good agricultural practice” (GAP) resulted from an initiative of European trade and retail companies.
A consumer-protection system for checking food safety. It provides a way for companies to monitor critical points and hazards in their production processes. All companies in Germany that manufacture food products are required to use HACCP. Within the European Union, it is illegal to import and trade products that do not meet the requirements of the HACCP system.
International rules governing the accounting policies, in contrast to the financial statements according to the German Commercial Code, the focus of IFRS is on investor-orientated information.
Sales growth adjusted for selling space reflects sales growth on a comparable area or with respect to a comparable group of locations in local currency. It includes only the sales volumes of locations that were neither newly opened during the reporting year or the preceding year nor closed during the reporting year, and whose area did not change substantially as a result of restructuring work.
A group of companies from the retail and trade, consumer goods, information technology and services sectors as well as from research and academia. The partners jointly promote the modernisation process in the trade and retail industry.
A specific type of e-commerce. In this case, the electronic marketing and retail of merchandise and services are conducted on a mobile device, such as a smartphone.
Also known as private labels. Branded articles that have been created and trademarked by a retail and wholesale company and that offer attractive value for money.
A 2-dimensional square code consisting of black and white pixels that contains data. QR codes can be read by smartphones, tablet PCs or laptops outfitted with a camera and the appropriate software. When read by these devices, the codes direct users to supplementary information. The abbreviation QR stands for “quick response”.
A company with a consistent and independent market presence. 2 sales brands with an identical sales concept can be positioned within 1 sales line, as in the case of Media Markt and Saturn.
Air-conditioning technology using solar power that can cool and heat stores or other buildings with the help of solar collectors and an absorption refrigeration system.
Quality improvement of a retail group’s offering, for example through larger product assortments, a higher level of quality, more comprehensive services and a more sophisticated store design.
A trade format where merchandise is sold to commercial resellers, processors or commercial users. METRO Cash & Carry is the wholesale division of METRO GROUP.
This metric describes the average weighted cost that a company must pay for capital. It is composed of average debt capital costs and average equity capital costs. The WACC facilitates the measurement of a company’s value.
