Lidl Sweden uses BREEAM to become market leaders in sustainability

Why choose BREEAM?

For us as a global retail chain all around the world with a high international profile, BREEAM was the natural choice since it is world-known as well as covering all aspects of sustainability. It matches our ambition to be market leaders in Sweden within sustainability.

Key facts

• It has contributed to the company’s dedication to and focus on sustainability: Internally information campaigns are carried out in order to involve all employees. This has created a strong commitment within the entire organization, resulting in a higher focus on sustainability in the daily operation as well as an increased sense of pride towards and for the organisation.
• Externally the BREEAM certification has been central in communication, marketing and job advertisements. The WOW factor is high: The unexpected fact that Lidl’s first BREEAM certification is the first retail project in Sweden reaching BREEAM Outstanding has contributed to a curiosity about the company among customers and job applicants as well as in the media, real estate companies and municipalities.
• One of the focus areas in the certification process has been long-term operation and
  management. The project team has actively worked with the BREEAM related feasibility studies to question and test whether choices made in the past are the most favourable.
• The building developed in Växjö will be copied/repeated in many locations around Sweden in the near future. Solutions developed in the project must, therefore, be wise and thoughtful to avoid poor choices being duplicated. Thereby the BREEAM certification has created conditions for better solutions in the rollout of the new stores.
•  The BREEAM certification has also contributed to a very good relationship with the municipality of Växjö. Their commitment and interest has benefitted both ways: The location of Sweden’s first Outstanding retail building in Växjö has contributed to the cities sustainability profile with the claim of being “Europe’s greenest city”: The municipality will arrange national and international study visits to the Lidl store as an Outstanding example of sustainable building.