Following the installation of an electric heating boiler at its Sopron power plant, ALTEO has integrated two new devices into its Regulatory Centre: the boilers at the heating plants in Kazincbarcika and Tiszaújváros will enable the conversion of electricity generated from renewable energy sources into heat, while the hot water produced will be connected to the local district heating system.

The two electric hot water boilers, each with a capacity of 6MW, installed with a total investment of HUF 1.9 billion, will further increase the flexibility of the ALTEO Control Centre with their rapid load switching capability. “The expansion of our flexible portfolio, which can contribute to ensuring system balance, will give us even greater flexibility in renewable energy generation” said ALTEO’s Deputy CEO for Generation Management and Business Development. Péter Luczay added that the investment, which was entirely financed from own resources, made use of the elements of the development previously carried out in Sopron, which are related to the energy IT system for managing and optimising the power plant’s electricity production.

Mazars is an international, integrated and independent organisation providing audit, accounting, tax, financial, legal and business advisory services to its clients. Mazars is present in more than 95 countries worldwide. Mazars has been present in Hungary since 1991 and is one of the leading Hungarian audit and consulting firms. With 190 highly skilled and dedicated professionals, Mazars provides a full range of services to clients in all sectors. Mazars is globally committed to sustainability, and naturally takes sustainability to heart in its domestic office, with goals of commitment and continuous improvement in all three areas of ESG.

To this end, it has taken several steps in recent years. As a service provider, one of their key assets and resources is their employee community, and the S and G areas are also a priority for them. They place great emphasis on regular communication with employees and listening to their views. They have a number of programs on diversity and human values, such as the Work-Private-Life-Mazars program, talent management, comprehensive professional and soft skills training program, reintegration of new mothers, health care programs, etc. Each member company reports annually to the parent company about the implemented programs, as well as the composition of employees, diversity, the position of women, and the average earnings of men and women. The Code of Conduct, which all Mazars employees are obliged to know and comply with, sets out their beliefs on human rights and fundamental human values and diversity.

To achieve net-zero operations as an environmentally responsible company, the Group will introduce carbon footprint and GHG emissions measurement (under the GHG Protocol): this is already in place in more than 80 countries, which together represent 95% of Mazars’ total headcount and emissions.

Mazars has joined the SBTi (Science Based Targets Initiated) initiative and is developing a country-level decarbonisation program. They are consciously reducing business travel, opening up to sustainable and environmentally neutral solutions in procurement, and have established a supplier code of ethics, which will be followed by a sustainability rating of their suppliers. To increase biodiversity and restore the natural environment, they run subsidiary-level programmes involving their employees.

A sustainability report has been prepared at Mazars Group since 2019. In 2024, Mazars Ltd. has committed to produce and publish a sustainability report locally for the financial year 2022/23. The Hungarian office was awarded EcoVadis Silver certification in September 2023.  For a green future, they will continue to make the necessary efforts to operate in a sustainable way.

Mazars has joined BCSDH because it believe it is important to have the sustainability competencies to help its clients achieve conscious and sustainable operations, reporting and future development, and to apply them in their own operations. Mazars’s employees consider it is important to train themselves continuously, learn from others and share the knowledge they have acquired. They aim to be active, valued and useful members of this community.

The top-quality domestic products of small Hungarian enterprises, producers, artisanal companies, small wineries and breweries are now available not only in six regions of the country, but also in Budapest, and are now available on the shelves of SPAR Hungary stores in the framework of the Regional Treasures programme.

“When we launched the Regional Treasures initiative in 2021, our aim was to bring Hungarian small producers and consumers closer together. For this purpose, we provided market access for family enterprises that can continuously supply their high-quality products from within a few tens of kilometres of the respective regional centres of SPAR Hungary, shortening transport chains and generating as little environmental impact as possible. Feedback over the past two years has shown that consumers like these unique, typically small-series food products, and we have created opportunities for businesses to showcase their products not only in small farmers’ markets, but also to a wider audience as partners of one of Hungary’s largest domestic retail chains. The initiative has also helped many of them to reach foreign markets through the additional skills and experience they have gained through our mentoring programme and by working together. We are pleased to announce that the Regional Treasures network has been extended to Budapest and is now complete,” explained Mark Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR Hungary.

From cold-pressed oils, craft beers and wines to various jams, pickles, dairy products, pastas and biscuits, more than 400 products from 86 suppliers are available – with a constantly renewed assortment – in different regions of the country within the framework of the programme. Of these, 56 products of 12 partners form the permanent assortment of the Budapest region, available in 13 SPAR supermarkets and 7 INTERSPAR hypermarkets in the capital and its vicinity.

The Regional Treasures programme, which is best recognised by the “red apple” logo in supermarkets, has been launched in 2021, with the Székesfehérvár region joining the initiative first, followed by Zalaegerszeg and Hódmezővásárhely. One year later, in 2022, the network was expanded to include the regions of Pécs, Nyíregyháza and Győr. The companies participating in the programme to support small producers and businesses throughout the country employ a total of more than 600 people, generate jobs in small regions where larger enterprises are rarely present.

For detailed information about the Regional Treasures programme please visit the following link: https://www.spar.hu/regiokkincsei

Founded in 2018, Proworx Digital Ltd. provides support to its customers with its proprietary software products for a wide range of marketing communication activities, but also offers a market leader software for communication asset management.

Their latest development, Kingfisher, focuses on the area of ​​sustainability: it is a software platform that supports companies’ sustainability assessment and supplier sustainability due diligence/assessment.

As a company dealing with digitization, it is also focused on creating a framework for sustainable operations in its own operations. In 2024, they plan to compile their carbon catalog, calculate their carbon footprint and create a carbon neutrality action plan. In terms of their own emissions, last year they switched from gas heating to electricity.

They joined BCSDH because their activities directly support sustainability, so they are keen to build further relationships where there is scope for digitisation in relation to sustainability, and they are also keen to learn about sustainability best practice.

SPAR Hungary’s most outstanding brands, its sustainability and waste reduction efforts, as well as the health-conscious products have recently been recognised with prestigious awards. The company has also been awarded the Reliable Workplace acclaim.

Superbrands awards for the SPAR, INTERSPAR and Regnum brands

In 2023, the company received Superbrands awards in three categories: the SPAR brand won the prestigious Superbrands award for the 15th time this year, INTERSPAR for the 8th time and Regnum for the 3rd time. After multi-stage screening, the award is given based on the evaluation of an independent panel of 40 marketing experts and corporate executive professionals. This year, for the 19th time, they selected brands that can set an example for others to follow in successful brand-building.

“This recognition by Superbrands is special for us in two ways. On the one hand, it is professionally established feedback for which there is no application or application process, a panel of respected professionals in the industry decides and certifies the success and credibility of the brands. On the other hand, the fact that SPAR, INTERSPAR and Regnum have consistently and repeatedly won this prestigious award year after year is proof of our company’s unwavering commitment to quality and the trust our customers place in us,” explained Mark Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR Hungary.

Reliable employer acclaim

This year, for the first time, SPAR has been awarded the title “Reliable Employer 2023/24”. The award is presented by the German-Hungarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DUIHK) to companies that provide exemplary and reliable working and living conditions for their employees. The certificates were presented with Dr. Gergely Gulyás, Minister of the Prime Minister’s Office. The companies recognised with the reliable workplace award have transparent remuneration policies, active and up-to-date communication, and the evaluation also took into account the company’s salary and social benefits systems, measures to support the integration of employees, attention to the creation of healthy working conditions for employees, accident prevention, trainings, rewards for extra performance and talent management.

Recognition of environmental sustainability efforts

SPAR’s environmentally-conscious operation and commitment to sustainability was recognised again this year. The company was awarded the Greengage – Green Commitment Award for Environmentally-Responsible Business in the competition announced by the Professional Publishing Hungary publishing house. The aim of the competition is to seek and showcase successful companies in Hungary today that use environmentally-friendly methods to produce innovative products, sell services or support the market with their developments and processes.

Awards to private label innovations

Trade magazine’s “Inno d’Or – Innovation of the Year 2023” award is given to products that respond to changing consumer needs with a novel solution and innovation. Both “SPAR quick-frozen, ready-roasted, breaded chicken leg fillets” and “SPAR Zé salads” were awarded the “Inno d’Or – Innovation of the Year 2023” acclaim in the Food category, judged by a panel of 21 experts.

Trade magazine also announced the “Most Successful Promotion of the Year 2023” competition, one of the winners of which was the “SPAR and Street Kitchen present: Zé Fördős: Holidays from A to Z book”. Thanks to the collaboration between the company and Zé Fördős, the recipe book which offers simple but substantial and healthy dishes, was published last year before Christmas, enabling home-cooking enthusiasts to prepare their Christmas or New Year’s menus efficiently.

This year, Store Insider magazine has again announced its “Private Label Product of the Year” competition to recognise the best quality, innovative, flavourful and well-packaged own-brand products in food and non-food categories. The category winner of the “Private-Label Product of the Year 2023” competition was SPAR’s 400 g “HAZAI.SZERETEM veal liver pate with onions in way”, and the SPAR 230 g “Peeled Frankfurter sausage with cheddar cheese” was awarded the flagship product prize.

Premium Quality Food trademark

The Premium Quality Food mark is awarded to products that stand out from those on offer in the market. The awarding of the prize is preceded by a complex evaluation in several stages, during which experts carry out various measurements and packaging tests. Then the judges perform a quality evaluation of the products based on the criteria of flavour, smell, and texture. SPAR is proud that several of its products have been awarded the Premium Quality Food Mark this year, which can now be applied to numerous members of the SPAR HAZAI.SZERETEM range of products, including the mild salami (100g), the spicy salami (100g), the paprika salami (100g) and the mild and spicy salami mix (100g).

SPAR food industry manager honoured

Outstanding achievements in agriculture and the food industry were honoured at this year’s 15 March 1848 ceremony at the Hungarian Agricultural Museum. At the event, Ferenc Horváth, SPAR Hungary’s food industry manager, was presented with the Imre Ujhelyi Award by Dr. István Nagy, Minister of Agriculture, who stressed that in difficult times, we need people who set an example by trying to make the best of themselves and the assets entrusted to them.  Up to six people a year can be awarded this prize in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the fields of agriculture, food and agricultural education, for exemplary practices, modern methods and their dissemination in the sector, and for outstanding achievements in the field of technical development, modern production processes, development and introduction of new products in the food industry.

Ujhelyi Imre Díj átadása: a fotón balról Horváth Ferenc, a SPAR élelmiszeripari cégvezetője, jobbról Dr. Nagy István Agrárminiszter látható.