Lidl Serbia Opens Its Doors to Sustainability Starter Program Participants
28.1.2026 – The final part of the fifth cycle of the Sustainability Starter educational program, designed for young people aspiring to build careers in sustainability and corporate social responsibility, was marked by a study visit to Lidl Serbia. The visit took place on January 28, 2026, at the company’s headquarters and logistics center in Nova Pazova.
To provide participants with a comprehensive insight into how the principles of sustainability and responsible business are applied in practice, Lidl Serbia mobilized teams from various sectors of the company. These teams shared their experiences and real-world examples with the “Starters.” Through a carefully designed agenda, participants toured key business segments – from logistics and warehousing, through occupational health and safety, to procurement, energy management, facility management, and human resources – observing how ESG topics are integrated into operational processes.
The program began with a presentation of the CSR and Corporate Affairs strategy, as well as the company’s sustainable activities and projects, presented by Aleksandra Mirić and Kristina Stevanović Demiš, who also hosted the participants throughout the day. This was followed by sessions dedicated to operational transport and waste management, standards and certifications in procurement, and solutions in the field of energy efficiency, including electric vehicle chargers and EDGE certification of facilities. Special attention was also given to the role of human resources, through the presentation of qualitative and quantitative CSR performance indicators in the domain of employee management.
The study visit served as a well-rounded practical supplement to the Sustainability Starter program, which took place from October to December 2025. During six online lectures, participants learned about CSR and ESG topics, Sustainable Development Goals, sustainability strategies and leadership, financing opportunities, and the importance of innovation, technology, and corporate philanthropy, with a specific focus on impact measurement, reporting, and relevant public policies.
A special segment of the program was the Sustainability Challenge, during which participants, with mentoring support, developed innovative solutions for concrete business challenges – ranging from reducing the carbon footprint and improving energy efficiency to encouraging the employment of vulnerable groups. They presented their solutions at the CSR&ESG Forum, the largest CSR event in Serbia.
Sustainability Starter is an educational program intended for final-year students and graduates, organized for the fifth time by the Responsible Business Forum. Its goal is to provide participants with a more secure entry into the world of sustainable business – a field that is increasingly shaping the way companies operate and society develops today. Through the program, participants have the opportunity to learn firsthand how corporations apply sustainable development principles in practice, while also actively participating in creating solutions that bring real and measurable change.
