+6% new employees have strengthened our internal teams
Schmidt Groupe’s HR Division has a very broad array of responsibilities. We look after both our internal personnel and the employees in our network of showrooms in France and abroad. Our scope of action also includes CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and HSSE (Health, Safety, Security and Environment). These wide-ranging responsibilities require an extensive and diversified set of teams.
Every day, we play a role in moving the company’s strategy forward while ensuring the well-being of our employees during the strategy’s implementation. Our objective is to see all employees achieve a sense of fulfilment in their working lives, starting when they join the company and continuing throughout their career.
In the wake of the Covid crisis, we had to give greater consideration to health issues, so in 2022 we put the focus back on safety, especially by upgrading our practices and changing the managers’ role. Everyone got more involved and management paid even closer attention, which helped us significantly improve our accident rate, and the results prove it! The number of work-related accidents with and without time off work has fallen considerably, including among our temporary employees (30% fewer accidents compared to 2021). We have also seen a clear improvement in the severity rate, which fortunately remains low.
In light of the tensions sweeping the economy (unprecedented inflation, conflict on the EU’s doorstep, unprecedented energy crisis, threat of recession, and so on) and as a family-run business recognised for its values, Schmidt Groupe has been especially attentive to recognising and valuing its employees’ commitment and performance. We have also taken steps to support them with the cost-of-living crisis wherever possible.
As such, a number of HR-related measures have been taken during the year, such as:
The mandatory annual negotiations were exceptionally brought forward from February 2023 to December 2022, which bears testament to our belief in taking care of our employees.
We are constantly updating our organisational culture, which is driven by a strong set of core values that are inextricably woven into our company’s unique family history. Today, Schmidt Groupe has never been a more internationally focused company. When it comes to managing human relationships, the idea is to improve how we incorporate the specific features of every country where Schmidt Groupe is established, with the aim of creating a common basic identity while safeguarding the wealth of specific attributes of the countries where we do business. For example, we ramped up the number of international events in 2022.
Our teams are even more involved and committed to promoting inclusion. As HR managers, we are responsible for ensuring good working conditions to attract talent and also retain our existing employees and allow them to grow. We are committed to integrating all these different profiles, because such diversity in terms of culture, generation and experience is exactly what makes our company so rich and unique.
As we enter the New Year, we are again faced with the challenge of protecting our DNA while adapting to an uncertain, volatile, demanding and competitive world.
It represents an incredible opportunity to strengthen our agility and resilience, as well as deliver a stronger impact by harnessing our core values.
In particular, we will continue working alongside our employees in 2022 on three key types of behaviour, namely responsibility, cooperation and 20-80. We are determined to accompany our ecosystem in all these different areas, retain our leadership status and protect our distinctive values!
Schmidt Groupe’s HR Division has a very broad array of responsibilities. We look after both our internal personnel and the employees in our network of showrooms in France and abroad. Our scope of action also includes CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and HSSE (Health, Safety, Security and Environment). These wide-ranging responsibilities require an extensive and diversified set of teams.
Every day, we play a role in moving the company’s strategy forward while ensuring the well-being of our employees during the strategy’s implementation. Our objective is to see all employees achieve a sense of fulfilment in their working lives, starting when they join the company and continuing throughout their career.
In the wake of the Covid crisis, we had to give greater consideration to health issues, so in 2022 we put the focus back on safety, especially by upgrading our practices and changing the managers’ role. Everyone got more involved and management paid even closer attention, which helped us significantly improve our accident rate, and the results prove it! The number of work-related accidents with and without time off work has fallen considerably, including among our temporary employees (30% fewer accidents compared to 2021). We have also seen a clear improvement in the severity rate, which fortunately remains low.
In light of the tensions sweeping the economy (unprecedented inflation, conflict on the EU’s doorstep, unprecedented energy crisis, threat of recession, and so on) and as a family-run business recognised for its values, Schmidt Groupe has been especially attentive to recognising and valuing its employees’ commitment and performance. We have also taken steps to support them with the cost-of-living crisis wherever possible.
As such, a number of HR-related measures have been taken during the year, such as:
The mandatory annual negotiations were exceptionally brought forward from February 2023 to December 2022, which bears testament to our belief in taking care of our employees.
As we enter the New Year, we are again faced with the challenge of protecting our DNA while adapting to an uncertain, volatile, demanding and competitive world.
It represents an incredible opportunity to strengthen our agility and resilience, as well as deliver a stronger impact by harnessing our core values.
In particular, we will continue working alongside our employees in 2022 on three key types of behaviour, namely responsibility, cooperation and 20-80. We are determined to accompany our ecosystem in all these different areas, retain our leadership status and protect our distinctive values!
At the Euroforum in November 2022, Schmidt Groupe presented its “Committed Selection”: a range of appliances and plumbing items that is respectful of the environment and has been listed since 2023 in all Schmidt and Cuisinella showrooms.
In this way, the Group and its brands are showing their clear commitment to guaranteeing that customers benefit from expertise, transparency, improved traceability of product origin and higher performance in terms of quality, durability, repairability and sustainability.
As a family-owned company with its roots in Alsace, Schmidt Groupe is determined to contribute to the social, societal and economic development of this region. The Group’s sponsorship strategy is the perfect illustration of this and demonstrates its clear desire to prioritise the ecosystem and the network of local associations in order to take concrete measures to improve the quality of everyday life.
75.35% of the donations made in 2022 were therefore paid to associations, institutions and organisations in the Alsace region, i.e. €984,538 out of a total of €1,306,691.
The remaining 24.65% was distributed between two other vital causes in the common interest: environmental protection in partnership with WWF France and the protection of children in cooperation with SOS Children’s Villages.
As a long-standing partner to the Group, Emmaüs was the major beneficiary, receiving 84 % of the available local support, that is to say the equivalent of €828,798 in appliances, furniture and home equipment.
As a foundation dedicated to scientific cooperation that has been recognized as being in the public interest, the Strasbourg University Foundation collects donations for the Jean-Marie Lehn Foundation,
Europe’s leading centre for chemical research. Its mission: to find answers to the great societal challenges of improving quality of life, finding sustainable ways of producing and consuming, communicating and travelling differently thanks to renewable energies or a new generation of recyclable materials. As a major donor and a member of the Foundation’s “Golden Circle”, Schmidt Groupe financed €70,540 worth of work in 2022. At the same time, the Group also supports the “Customer Relations Experience” Company Chair of the EM Strasbourg Business School and the HEC Foundation, contributing a total amount of €25,000.
Because enjoying a better quality of life in one’s region means benefiting from resources and infrastructures that allow everyone everywhere to develop and flourish, showcasing and preserving traditions, supporting those in the greatest need, encouraging inclusivity, overcoming disease… Schmidt Groupe considers it a duty and an honour every year to support the projects and initiatives of those who spend their lives working in the community. €27,700 have been distributed to some thirty cultural, sporting, educational and charitable associations and local communities.
Since 2009, Schmidt Groupe has enjoyed strong, long-lasting relations with SOS Children’s Villages and makes a financial contribution to the association every year in the same way as its Schmidt and Cuisinella dealerships. In 2022, the total amount of the donations made by Schmidt Groupe and its distribution network came to €151,653.
In 2022, Schmidt Groupe teamed up with Erige to help fund the rewilding of a wood in Brenne at the heart of the Chérine Nature Reserve and support WWF France’s Nature Impact projects. Monplaisir is home to a number of interconnected ecosystems, including ponds, marshes, peat bogs and undergrowth, as well as an endangered population of woodpeckers, bats and beetles, all of which need to be studied and protected. The NGO is also accompanying the group in its decarbonisation strategy. Total amount of donations in 2022: €150,000
Did you know that in July 2022, Sélestat was named the “Sports City of Eastern France” by the Eastern France Regional Olympic and Sports Committee? Schmidt Groupe, whose largest production site is situated in the town, numbers many sports enthusiasts amongst its workforce and, since 2022, has sponsored the Sélestat Alsace Handball club (SAHB) to the tune of €35,040. The total amount dedicated to sporting associations was €38,040.
Schmidt Groupe is a member of the AC:TIONS network (a network dedicated to making central Alsace a region of industries and organisations driven by innovation and solidarity). The network was set up by a group of about a dozen entrepreneurs from central Alsace, including Anne Leitzgen, in order to encourage the sharing of experience between the employees of the area’s businesses and the co-construction of projects.
In 2022, a dozen or so of the Group’s employees took part in working groups focusing on the issues of energy, the carbon footprint, HR & recruitment, quality of life at work, mobility, purchasing, logistics and other aspects of mobility… with the aim of putting their ideas into action in cooperation with their counterparts from some forty businesses from central Alsace.
Named as a “Pathfinder” of the Coq Vert community by Bpifrance and Adème for its exemplary CSR approach in May 2022, Schmidt Groupe is helping to speed up the ecological and energy transition by sharing concrete actions and good practices with the other companies in its community. What all these companies have in common is that they are headed up by committed leaders who share the same vision and are determined to successfully transform their businesses.
Shown for the first time at Euroforum in Madrid to an audience of Schmidt and Cuisinella dealers, this film, which was produced on the Schmidt Groupe premises in Alsace by the Adesias agency, showcases the company’s values and CSR commitments. It sends a powerful message which is reiterated, one after the other, by the Group’s CEO Anne Leitzen, company employees responsible for production, human relations and innovation, as well as by a partner-dealer who testifies to his commitment to the local community.
3,600 members of the Schmidt and Cuisinella networks took part in the Schmidt Groupe Euroforum in Madrid in November 2022. This was the occasion for Anne Leitzgen to present to the owners and salespersons in the audience the key aspects of the Group’s CSR strategy, its ambition to obtain B Corp certification and thus join the community of companies that contribute most positively to the planet and to pass on some key messages. It was also an opportunity for brands to showcase the products and services that they have developed for their consumers with the aim of encouraging responsible behaviours and lifestyles.
Because CSR is a powerful driver and an area in which the Group and its brands are able to stand out and make a difference, the focus in 2022 was placed on introducing future employees and potential dealers to the Group’s culture. This is an indispensable prerequisite for ensuring consistency and cohesiveness in everything we do and say, both within the company and in our communications with end customers in the showrooms.
After being won over by an initial workshop run by Bpifrance to mark the “Coq Vert Pathfinder” award ceremony in May 2022, the CSR Committee, with the support of Schmidt Groupe CEO Anne Leitzgen, decided to train as Climate Fresk facilitators to help roll this tool out to all the Group’s employees: 1,693 people in France and 205 abroad. An ambitious goal taken on by eight initial internal facilitators in 2022 in order to raise employees’ awareness of the social, societal and environmental repercussions of human and industrial activity and to hear from each department what concrete measures they would like to see implemented.
Leading by example: by prioritising the participation of the Management Committee and the managers within the Group, the CSR Committee wants to facilitate the deployment of the tool to all the teams. The actions proposed during the various Fresk sessions are categorised on the basis of their subject matter, passed on to the project leaders and systematic feedback is given to the participating teams.
To limit our carbon footprint, it is necessary to establish and share good practices. All the Group’s major events are held under the Éco Manifestations Alsace label. What is more, the Communication and CSR Division has designed and rolled out an “Eco-responsible event” Charter intended for the Group’s internal event organisers. Premises, service providers, food, decoration, printing, waste, goodies, sharing of experiences… all of these areas are studied in detail in order to firmly establish good practices and share the details of the best suppliers.
In July 2022, to familiarise users with the responsible use of digital tools, the Information Systems Division organised a competition intended to encourage everyone to delete unneeded emails in order to reduce their carbon footprint. As a bonus, there was also a tutorial and tips on the best practices to adopt: prefer chats to emails, share links via the network Cloud rather than sending attachments, etc.
The introduction of more stringent statutory obligations and, more specifically, the impact of the law against waste and for the circular economy (AGEC) and the law on Climate and Resilience on the company’s industrial and commercial activities brings with it a pressing need for anticipation, information, coordination and monitoring measures along the entire value chain.
A dedicated steering committee was set up in the final quarter of 2022.
Its role:
Schmidt Groupe is committed to working towards avoiding emissions and reducing its carbon footprint in scopes 1, 2 and 3. It’s decarbonisation strategy focuses on three key areas: transport, energy and eco-design. WWF France is helping the Group define a decarbonisation plan that is consistent with the Paris Agreements and conceived in accordance with the Science-Based Target initiative (SBTi).
First step in 2022: an internal audit conducted by the environmental strategy consulting company Icare, appointed by WWF France. 115 possibilities for decarbonisation were identified and three pathways to a low-carbon scenario were proposed.
Schmidt Groupe is supporting an innovative WWF initiative: payment for ecosystem services (PES). The key idea here is to encourage the owners of forests which shelter endangered plant and animal species to work to conserve rather than exploit these habitats by paying them for helping to preserve the many services rendered to us by nature. Carbon sequestration also benefits from this initiative.
Since 2021, Schmidt Groupe has worked together with another company, Erige, to co-finance the Monplaisir, pilot site in the Chérine Regional Nature Park in Brenne. This ecosystem is unique in terms of the quantity and variety of species that find shelter in it.
The WWF’s Nature Impact project consists in the large-scale, nationwide generalisation of the PES forest model. The aim is to promote the conservation and restoration of 15,000 hectares of the country’s most biodiverse and threatened woodland to ensure the long-term storage of an additional 400,000 tonnes equivalent of carbon over a period of 30 years. In 2022, a third of the donations made by Schmidt Groupe to WWF France went to supporting this initiative.
In 2022, Schmidt Groupe invested €30,000 to optimise the tonnage and reduce the distance travelled by and the carbon emissions from its trucks in order to achieve savings of 4.5 tonnes of CO2.
In compliance with the law against waste and for the circular economy (AGEC), Schmidt Groupe is switching over to water-based lacquer and 100% cardboard packaging. The installation of an initial dedicated production line has made it possible to save 233 tonnes of CO2. The self-adhesive plastic-coated labels used to identify the products have been phased out and information is now printed directly on the cardboard.
Each type of waste is dealt with by a separate specialist. The switch-over to 5-way waste sorting and the installation of dedicated containers have contributed to the recycling of metal cans, paper, cardboard cups and plastic bottles at all the French production sites. The Group is also able to meet all its heating requirements thanks to the chipping of wood offcuts left over from production operations. The ash from the boilers is itself recycled to produce concrete blocks.
As a partner to Citéo, Schmidt Groupe contributes to the Paper sector of the circular economy and encourages the traceability of recycled paper and paper from sustainably managed forests. In 2022, the Group declared a total of 671 tonnes of paper and paid contributions of 43,615 euros, making it possible to finance paper collections from 42,500 inhabitants and recycle 510 tonnes of paper.
24% of the Group’s energy consumption is covered by renewable energy sources. 80 electrical recharging points have been installed in the Group’s car parks along with solar panels, whose annual production of 120,000 kwh is equivalent to the amount consumed by 25 dwellings. This, coupled with the control of air leakages in the factories and the adoption of LED lighting, has reduced the amount of electricity needed to manufacture a kitchen by 2.5%.
In 2022, the Schmidt Groupe Marketing department worked together with the Okoni agency, experts in the social and solidarity economy, positive-impact start-ups as well as Schmidt and Cuisinella dealerships to undertake an in-depth study of the circular economy. The key concepts revealed by this have led to a number of consumer tests and the work will continue in 2023.
The Origin range at Schmidt and the Resource range at Cuisinella, both of which make use of 100%-recycled wood panels and were originally restricted to kitchen units, have been extended to include interior solutions for every room in the house. They represent a responsible, sustainable solution that will satisfy the most environmentally committed consumers.
With the market’s first Committed Selection of appliances and sanitary equipment, the Group’s two brands have established the transparency necessary to guide their customers towards responsible modes of consumption. Each product displays an eco-score depending on its environmental impact and its use of technologies designed to bring about more responsible consumer behaviours.
In 2022, Schmidt Groupe once again demonstrated the quality, balance and durability of the relations it has established with its suppliers over a period of 60 years by renewing its Sustainable Supplier Relations and Procurement Label. All the buyers have been trained in our responsible purchasing culture and monitor CSR indicators, including:
Additionally in 2022:
Since 2009, the Schmidt and Cuisinella showrooms have made a donation to SOS Children’s Villages for every kitchen of six units or more purchased. These donations are distributed between specific actions depending on the brand.
Pygmalion programme for Academic Success
“Revealing the potential of home interiors and liberating that of its customers”… This is a mission that Schmidt was very well placed to transpose to the human level in the form of the Pygmalion Programme for Academic Success run by the association SOS Children’s Villages.
This programme, which was launched in 2014, maximises the talents and qualities of every child welcomed by the association and works with everyone involved in their upbringing to help put these children on the path for success. Each year, thanks to this programme, nearly 900 children and young people aged between 3 and 18 years benefit from weekly homework support, small-group workshops to develop their skills and self-confidence and a digital educational support platform. Individual support is offered for children with major learning difficulties.
In 2022, the donations made by the Schmidt showrooms helped finance:
“Schmidt’s support has made it possible to ensure that the children in all the different SOS villages enjoy the same opportunities and are given the same chance of success. ” *Extract from the SOS Children’s Villages report 2022.
Since 2009, Cuisinella has followed in the footsteps of Schmidt and the Schmidt Groupe by supporting SOS Children’s Villages. In keeping with its image as an inclusive family brand, conceived to unite people of different tastes and styles, it is very specifically committed to preserving the family bonds between the children and adolescents welcomed by the association.
The Cuisinella showrooms donate one euro to the association for every kitchen of six or more units sold in order to offer children who are separated from their parents a stable, reassuring living environment in family homes where brothers and sisters can grow and remake their lives together.
In 2022, the received donations made it possible to fit out a number of family homes and launch advertising campaigns.
Cuisinella celebrated its 30th birthday in 2022. As the market leader in terms of brand familiarity, Cuisinella has gradually established itself as the affordable, innovative ambassador brand for improved consumer practices. From its eco-designed, professional chopping block to its vegetable rack, through the loose food unit and on to the innovative larder launched in 2022, Cuisinella offers its customers smart solutions that combine a healthier lifestyle with the obligation to promote sustainability in their everyday activities.
As a reference in the field of home design with a French touch, Schmidt has put people at the heart of its activities for more than 60 years and placed all its expertise and thirst for innovation in the service of optimised, personalised, sustainable and ethical living spaces.
Manufactured in Schmidt Groupe’s factories in accordance with the most exacting workplace health, safety and ergonomic requirements and in compliance with the very highest quality standards, Schmidt products possess all the labels, certificates and guarantees necessary to reassure consumers of their strength and durability.
At Schmidt, we believe that the home environment is an extension of the self – unique, reflecting the occupant’s personality and values. For the most environmentally committed customers, Schmidt has, in particular, developed the Origin range, which is manufactured from 100% recycled panels and has been available for all home interior applications since 2022, as well as its PRINT fronts whose patterns are printed using inks with zero VOC content.
