Sometimes it takes a spark to set something bigger in motion. At Lidl, that spark is called YOU. Thuy from the project team shares how an idea turned into a movement – and how the initiative “YOU empowered by #teamlidl” now supports employees in engaging with social projects and using environmental resources more consciously.
I still remember our first team call in spring 2022. A small project team, plenty of big ideas – and one central question: how do we bring sustainability into the everyday lives of thousands of Lidl colleagues across more than 30 countries? Today, that idea has grown into a cross-border network: “YOU empowered by #teamlidl”.
YOU is a movement driven by the entire team. The initiative stands for knowledge, exchange and engagement. Above all, it stands for people taking responsibility – on both a small and a large scale, from stores to headquarters, from Italy to Finland. YOU is our shared path towards a more sustainable future.
We started with the ambition of creating a space where colleagues could exchange ideas and contribute their own initiatives. Our goal: to make topics such as social responsibility and the conscious use of resources visible in everyday working life – not through top-down directives, but through voluntary participation. To support this, we launched the YOU Community in April 2024 – a network where colleagues can connect across countries and functions. This can take the form of a creative idea to reduce packaging, an initiative to repurpose food or a proposal for reducing paper use in day-to-day work.
Today, the YOU Community continues to grow. It includes coworking days as well as both small and large employee events. The response has been overwhelmingly positive – because many members of #teamlidl want to make a difference. They simply need the right inspiration.
Our motto is therefore: enable, motivate, connect. We show how easy it is to take small steps that make a real difference – from saving energy and making more conscious food choices to increasing the use of e-mobility and public transport. Through our video series “Kurz & Gut” and the nYOUsletter, we also provide our teams with insights into sustainability topics such as the circular economy, carbon footprint and recycling, while keeping them informed about current company initiatives. At the same time, we encourage colleagues to take action themselves – for example through the Schwarz Group’s annual clean-up campaign. In 2024 alone, more than 550 colleagues in the Heilbronn region collected three tonnes of waste. Beyond contributing to a cleaner environment, initiatives like these also strengthen team spirit and a sense of connection.
"YOU is more than a project. It is our commitment to bringing sustainability into everyday life – both at work and beyond. Real change happens where employees share knowledge, learn from one another and develop sustainable solutions together."
What I find particularly rewarding is that YOU is not just being discussed – it is being lived. At Lidl, waste separation is a standard across all countries. However, a store manager in the Netherlands recently innovated a new on-site recycling station. By pre-sorting waste directly at the store, she has significantly increased both the efficiency and the total volume of materials that can be successfully recycled. She was recognised as “Lidl’s most sustainable colleague” for her efforts. In France, a colleague decided to adopt a vegetarian diet after attending a workshop on climate topics. This is what YOU is all about: people inspiring one another. YOU sets ideas in motion and brings everyday practices into focus – practical steps that anyone at Lidl can take.
At the same time, we are working to embed YOU structurally within the organisation. In collaboration with our HR management, we are further developing learning formats and integrating sustainability into our HR processes. Sustainability is already part of onboarding, ensuring that new colleagues are engaged from the very beginning. The feedback shows that sustainability is a strong motivator.
YOU has long evolved beyond an internal initiative. It reflects what we stand for at Lidl: taking responsibility – as a retailer, as an employer and as a team. And that requires every individual. When I look at our community today, I see change, creativity and the courage to try new things. Above all, I see a shared belief: together, we can truly make a difference. YOU shows that sustainability does not have to be complex – it starts with small, everyday actions, beginning with each of us.
