Exploring Meaningful Criteria for Engaging in Community Projects in the Retail Sector. Case Study of Lidl in Romania

The purpose of this article is to explore the reason behind the employment of retail companies in community engagement initiatives, as well as the criteria considered when companies select projects in which they decide to engage. Based on the case study of retail discounter Lidl in Romania, the paper illustrates the selected community engagement initiatives and cause-related marketing projects that Lidl Romania supported between 2019 and 2023. The research was conducted to identify the most relevant factors that led Lidl to select these activities to connect with the customers, employees and to positively impact the communities they activate in. Different action fields such as health, education, social development, and environment that the community-based initiatives focus on are aligned with the sustainability strategies and mission of the business partners supporting the community engagement initiative. The analyzed data show that non-governmental organizations play a substantial role in identifying social and community issues, as well as in structuring and promoting projects supporting community engagement initiatives. Further findings of the research show that most frequent successful community projects identify and combine more than just one action field in an attempt to address a wider range of community issues. This way, projects can continue to exist through related subprojects and partnerships with further stakeholders, enhancing the positive impact of implementing community engagement projects.