Sustainability work at Kotipizza Group

Sustainability is about actions to promote sustainable business. Explore examples of Kotipizza Group’s sustainability work in 2021 in the picture below. Read more about our recent work in the Sustainability at Kotipizza 2022 report. Our previous sustainability reports can be found here: Sustainability at Kotipizza 2021, Sustainability at Kotipizza 2020 report and Sustainability at Kotipizza 2019 report.

Sustainable sourcing

The majority of the ingredients used in Kotipizza Group’s restaurant chains are supplied by Foodstock, our own wholesaler. The traceability and transparency of the origin of ingredients are key building blocks of our sustainability work. Foodstock emphasises sustainability in choosing suppliers and checks them in person by visiting them. The partnership goes way back with most suppliers. Therefore we know where the food comes from and can trust it to be safe and high-quality, all the way from the field to the plate. At the same time, we ensure that the supply chain and logistics comply with legislation, respect human rights and are environmentally friendly. 

One example of our sustainable sourcing is that in 2017 Kotipizza was the first pizza chain in the world to receive the international MSC ecolabel, confirming that all fish and seafood products served by the chain comes from sustainable sources and certified fisheries. The Majakka pizza ad campaign followed the journey of MSC prawns from the Arctic Ocean all the way to the restaurant through the eyes of our Chief Procurement Officer, Anssi Koivula.

Our sourcing and product development team develop the quality, safety and healthiness of our ingredients together with the suppliers by e.g. eliminating excessive additives and polishing up the nutritional content, functional properties and packaging. The proportion of Finnish ingredients is large, over 70 percent in Kotipizza, for example. This improves our customer experience, as Finnish food is highly valued by consumers. Watch Kotipizza franchisee Jaana Korhonen from Jyväskylä talk about the significance of sustainable ingredients below.

This video is in Finnish. For translation, contact communications@kotipizzagroup.com.

Responsible workplace

Our restaurants comply with laws and contracts and ensure that financial and employer obligations are fulfilled, including payment of taxes and occupational health and safety, as well as everyone’s workplace satisfaction, health and safety. Everything is based on the equality and partnership between chain management and franchisees. Any problems are efficiently tackled. Responsible operating methods must be used throughout the employment relationship, starting from recruitment.  

It is our responsibility to give the franchisees an ability to run a successful business. Therefore the chain management offers broad support and opportunities for training as well as career and competence development. For example, we have been developing the multi-entrepreneurship model where a franchisee can lead two or more restaurants, and we have expanded the training programme in support of high-quality management. Eleven Kotipizza employees completed a vocational degree through our training in 2019.

Cooperation and the realisation of our concept are promoted by the internal communication channels built for our chains that allow the franchisees and employees to be heard. The  general guidance of our chains and franchisee information documents are constantly developed further. Well-being is created through encouragement, rewards and recreational activities such as joint events for the franchisees.

We want to give everyone an opportunity to implement the Group’s mission at their workplace, restaurants included, and thereby the experience that their work is meaningful. A good employer experience translates into a good customer experience. Therefore the success of our operations depends directly on the satisfaction of our franchisees and their employees, which is measured and assessed by the chains. For example, 76% of Kotipizza franchisees would recommend Kotipizza entrepreneurship to other people. Purpose of our work is also emphasised in chain communications where the stories of franchisees and employers are brought to life. This strengthens the employer image, promotes recruitment and builds pride in restaurant work.

Our restaurant operations support entrepreneurship and create jobs in Finland for young people and immigrants, among others. In the video below, Kotipizza franchisee Juho Timberg from Tampere tells us what makes his restaurants good places to work. 

This video is in Finnish. For translation, contact communications@kotipizzagroup.com.

Circular economy and climate

Climate change has emerged as an increasingly important theme regarding the future of the environment and society. Since clean and sufficient natural resources are a precondition for food production and human well-being, climate change is a critical factor in Kotipizza Group’s success. Therefore we pay special attention to the climate impacts of our operations, such as greenhouse gas emissions, and look for ways of studying and reducing them. The circular economy approach is a key element in this – using as few materials as possible, utilising them efficiently and sustainably and throwing away as little as possible.

Much has been done to promote the environment in both the supply chain and our restaurants. We acknowledge green values in ingredient and supplier selection. One example of this is the baby rucola whose production is almost completely emission-free. We offer consumers environmentally friendly products that are promoted in marketing communications, for example. The chains have invested in achieving and maintaining a pioneering position in offering high-quality vegetarian and vegan options and local food. For example, Kotipizza only uses Finnish meat. The packaging is re-usable and we have reduced the use of plastic. We strive to develop energy efficiency and reduce food waste with high-quality equipment, digital self-monitoring and smart delivery service solutions. 

As an example of our recent environmental work, the Kotipizza chain initiated a project for measuring and reducing food waste in which customers were challenged to reduce their own food waste. The initiative resulted in full menu Kotipizza restaurants joining ResQ Club, an app on which they can sell surplus pizzas and drinks at a discounted prize. The work continues in the form of developing waste treatment in our restaurants, for example. We aim to offer our chain franchisees and employees even more support and training in environmental issues such as reducing food waste. Watch Kotipizza franchisee Juha Kinnunen from Vantaa talk about the importance of environmental issues and fight against food waste for customers below.

This video is in Finnish. For translation, contact communications@kotipizzagroup.com.

Sustainability in the Group administration

Investments in sustainability do not happen on their own. They’re realised through shared values and a culture of sustainability. In 2018–2019, Kotipizza Group carried out a project that analysed and documented our company culture: who we are and how we want to work together. The premise for this development was the idea that culture concerns every employee, which is why everyone must have the opportunity to participate in its creation. Since culture is constantly changing and developing, our teams still continue this work. The purpose of developing culture is not only investing in the well-being of our personnel but also strengthening internal processes and offering everyone the opportunity to do their job responsibly.

This graph is in Finnish. For translation, contact communications@kotipizzagroup.com.

Kotipizza Group’s culture also includes paying it forward: we participate in charity campaigns such as the Finnish Red Nose Day and the campaigns of Plan International together with our personnel.