Our mission, vision and values
Our mission and vision stem from our optimistic nature. We believe in the ability to shape our own lives and in the creative power of people to see opportunities, take initiative and create the world in which we want to live. For ourselves and for future generations.
Summary of mission and vision
Together, we create sustainable added value through value-driven craftsmanship in retail.
In a complex world, we take positive leadership in sustainable entrepreneurship.
What is our mission?
Our group mission expresses what truly drives us. It gives direction to the creative power of people and allows their natural energy to flow optimally.
Together, we create sustainable added value through value-driven craftsmanship in retail.
Every day, we start from a blank page and combine our entrepreneurial spirit with creativity. We’re full of curiosity and open to new possibilities.
Sustainability is deeply rooted in our DNA and has always had a double meaning for us: what we do is relevant in the long term and carried out with respect for people and planet.
We are continuously refining the skills, attitudes and knowledge we have built up through our experience. This determines our success. With commitment and engagement, we strive to offer the best experience for our customers.
Through everything we undertake, we aim to bring about positive change. For our customers, for the job satisfaction of our employees, for our health, for society and for the environment.
Because we’re in this together. With all our brands, with more than 30,000 colleagues, with our partners and, of course, with our customers.
Our entrepreneurship is inspired every day by our historically rooted values.
Because that is and remains our core business, even if our entrepreneurial drive and creative energy lead to many other initiatives.
What is our vision?
In a complex, globalised society facing major challenges, people are seeking harmony and grounding. By taking a leadership role in sustainable entrepreneurship, we provide reassurance and serve as a beacon of trust.
Our vision in practice
Through our optimistic outlook, we regard societal challenges as opportunities to assume leadership. We see five key areas.
Sustainable entrepreneurship AND conscious consumption
Climate challenges call on us to deal creatively with land, water and energy. We take it upon ourselves to launch sustainable innovations and inspire others to do the same. Our investments in hydrogen and our efforts in circular construction are clear examples.
Our customers are looking for ways to contribute. We make it easier for them to consume consciously. The prime example is the Green-score – the label on product packaging that indicates at a glance the environmental impact of a product.
Technology for people
Data, robotics and artificial intelligence are transforming our society at great speed. At Colruyt Group, we embrace technology and digitalisation and use them to serve people, not the other way around. Customers experience the benefits of technology, for example through the Xtra app, which increasingly acts as a digital assistant. We remain attentive to ethical data use at all times.
People also remain central in our operations. Data applications and robotics take over physically demanding work in our supply chain. Checkout work becomes far more ergonomic thanks to smart technologies such as camera-based checkouts.
Food and health go hand in hand
Geopolitical tensions and climate change are putting pressure on food supply and consumption patterns. We see this context as an opportunity to operate locally and launch innovative agricultural projects, ensuring that we remain relevant as a food retailer in the long term.
At the same time, as prosperity shifts towards wellbeing, the focus on health is increasing – both collectively and individually, and both physically and mentally. From our role as a retailer and our roots in food, we see health as a logical next step in our entrepreneurship. We make the assortment in our food stores healthier and build an ecosystem of complementary health brands, including Bio-Planet, Jims and Newpharma. In this way, we make healthy choices accessible to everyone.
Simplicity in retail
Our answer to an increasingly complex world is simplicity. This has been the case since Franz Colruyt distributed groceries in his region. By organising all layers of our organisation in a simple way, we remain agile in a changing context.
We welcome technological developments that bring simplicity. Clear examples include the automation in our logistics centres, contributing to efficient supply, and smart checkout systems that reduce waiting times for our customers.
Connection and sustainable partnerships
In an individualistic society where polarisation is increasing, we consciously choose connection. Making a positive contribution to society is something we do together with like-minded and equal partners. A win-win-win for all stakeholders – customers, suppliers, farmers and civil society organisations – is always our starting point.
We also nurture this connection within our own organisation, where everyone can simply be themselves. In our company, employees from around 100 different nationalities have the opportunity to contribute meaningfully from their own identity and creativity.
What are our values?
Our nine values form the foundation of our company and express what we consider important. They have grown historically and define who we are. Every day, they continue to inspire us. Our values only live to the extent that we apply them in our daily work. For each value, a corresponding focus point has been defined. By giving attention to these focus points, we bring our values to life.
Readiness to serve
We are committed to helping our customers and colleagues and focus on quality every day again.
Simplicity
We aspire to reducing things to the essence to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness.
Respect
Respect for every individual is the foundation of everything. Every person is equal, regardless of differences in appearance, culture, skills, interests, etc. Everyone is given the opportunity to use their craftsmanship and fully develop.
Togetherness
Together, we can achieve more than alone. This realisation is the basis to work as a team.
Faith
We believe in the capacity and the intention of every worker to make a positive contribution and thus give them trust and self-confidence.
Hope
We give our all in everything we do, based on the conviction that our goal is meaningful. Hope invites us to invest the required resources and time, but also to let go at a certain point and to be open to the results that follow.
Space
We take a step back and take out time to stand still and observe with an open mind, thus stimulating our awareness.
Courage
It takes courage to be an entrepreneur, to remain agile and to always question things. To seize opportunities and to continue with new initiatives. Even when things are going against us.
Strength
We are convinced that people are strongest when they can develop themselves and find joy in their work.
Frequently asked questions
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Our vision focuses on relieving customers of concerns. We do so by:
- making conscious consumption easy in terms of budget, quality, health and sustainability;
- offering an extensive and predominantly Belgian food assortment and supporting customers with a complementary health offering;
- making the in-store customer experience as simple as possible, whether or not supported by new technologies;
- establishing sustainable partnerships that always keep the customer’s benefit in mind.
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As a 100% Belgian retail group, our leadership in sustainable entrepreneurship always has a local impact. In a complex global context, we see local entrepreneurship as an opportunity to:
- guarantee the supply chain and continue meeting the consumption needs of Belgian customers;
- support Belgian agriculture by sourcing locally as much as possible and keeping craftmanship alive in Belgium through innovation in the production chain;
- inspire the Belgian retail sector with technological innovations that reduce climate impact, make the supply chain more efficient and improve the shopping experience;
- build sustainable partnerships, including with local civil society and non-profit organisations that support the most vulnerable members of society (cf. Colruyt Group Foundation).
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Creating sustainable added value through value-driven craftmanship goes hand in hand with offering the lowest possible prices. Values such as efficiency, simplicity and service drive us to strive for the most cost-efficient solutions at all levels of the organisation – in central buildings, in the supply chain and in stores.
In our Colruyt stores, this value-driven approach is most visible: the lowest prices thanks to the lowest costs. Hence the sober store layout, large refrigerated fresh markets and energy-efficient electronic price labels. Even in our retail formats where we do not offer the lowest price, we apply the same ‘simplicity in retail’ principle to achieve the lowest possible price.