How Ukrainian business is rethinking sustainability — the case of EVA

07.08.2025

Hanna Hryshyna, Marketing Director of the EVA and EVA.UA chain

When we discuss sustainable development, we typically refer to the 17 UN Global Goals — a roadmap toward a better future. However, modern science shows that true sustainability is based not only on these goals but also on the concept of planetary boundaries. These critical thresholds define a safe operating space for humanity. Now, in the fourth year of full-scale war, Ukraine has a unique opportunity not just to rebuild but to become a model of regenerative development that goes beyond harm reduction.

From Sustainability to Regeneration: A New Perspective on the Role of Business

Sustainability is often understood as meeting environmental standards or implementing social programs. However, the science-based framework developed by The Natural Step defines four system conditions that a truly sustainable business must meet:

1. Minimize dependence on fossil fuels and on renewable resources used faster than they regenerate.

2. Reduce the accumulation of synthetic chemicals in nature.

3. Prevent ecosystem degradation through physical displacement.

4. Ensure fair access to resources that meet basic human needs.

These are not isolated environmental goals — they are interconnected principles that define the health of planetary systems on which our survival depends. Research shows that six out of nine planetary boundaries have already been crossed, making a systems approach not just desirable but critically necessary.

EVA: From Survival to Regenerative Leadership

For socially responsible businesses in Ukraine, sustainable development now means creating conditions not just to survive but to lay the foundation for regenerative recovery. EVA’s example shows how a science-based approach can be combined with human-centered innovation.

Economic Sustainability: Systems Thinking in Practice

Economic sustainability, in a regenerative sense, goes beyond complying with regulations or paying taxes. It means creating an economic ecosystem that strengthens social ties and supports long-term community well-being.

In 2024, EVA opened 65 new stores, bringing the total to over 1,100 retail locations and creating around 700 new jobs (with a total workforce of around 14,000 employees). Tax payments for the year exceeded UAH 4 billion, and investments since the war began totaled more than UAH 3.7 billion. But the real value lies not in the numbers, but in how these investments strengthen the resilience of Ukrainian communities and build a foundation for regenerative growth.

By applying a backcasting approach (planning backwards from a desired future), the company can envision a future where Ukrainian retail operates fully within planetary boundaries — and work step-by-step to make that vision a reality.

Environmental Sustainability: Integrating System Conditions

Condition 1 is addressed through expanding solar installations — in early 2025, a solar power plant was launched at the Lviv distribution center (with investments of over UAH 18 million), and similar projects are planned in Dnipro and Brovary. This not only reduces emissions but enhances national energy resilience.

Condition 2 involves the shift to e-receipts (which reached 70% in 2024), reducing both paper consumption and environmental pollution from toxic chemicals. It also includes a systemic review of EVA’s 70,000+ product lines to reduce items containing persistent synthetic chemicals. EVA has joined L’Oréal’s Green Beauty recycling initiative: around 150 stores now have bins for collecting used packaging and cosmetic containers, which are sent for recycling — reducing waste and supporting resource reuse.

Condition 3 is implemented through partnerships with Ukrainian suppliers that support regenerative production, and through the creation of green areas around stores, offices, and other sites — a practice EVA and several other businesses already follow.

Social Sustainability: From Well-being to Regenerating Communities

Social sustainability, in a regenerative context, goes far beyond traditional HR programs or charity. It’s about strengthening the social fabric and meeting fundamental human needs.

For example, EVA’s “We Are Together” psychological support program, run by the HR department, exemplifies a human-centered approach to personnel support. Individual counseling, group sessions, and training programs for working under chronic stress are designed with a deep understanding of employees’ real needs.

EVA’s corporate social responsibility strategy covers four key areas aligned with urgent societal needs:

• Supporting Ukraine’s Defense Forces

• Humanitarian aid and assistance for those affected by the war

• Supporting children and healthcare institutions

• Assisting animal shelters

With 26 initiatives delivered and over UAH 108 million in total aid (jointly with customers), the scale is significant. But the real value lies in how these programs strengthen Ukrainian society’s resilience.

Looking Ahead: Ukraine as a Driver of Regenerative Development

Ukraine — and Ukrainian businesses — are navigating one of the most difficult chapters in the country’s history. Yet this moment offers a real opportunity to demonstrate what true regenerative leadership looks like.

Over the years, EVA has built strong community ties and developed resilience even in crisis conditions. This gives the company a unique opportunity to lead — not only in post-crisis recovery, but in becoming a model of modern regenerative business that:

• operates within the planet’s ecological limits;

• uses only renewable energy;

• generates no waste;

• offers products that benefit people and nature;

• supports sustainable production and helps communities thrive.

This is not just an ambition — it’s a global strategic vision that guides everything we do: from choosing value-aligned partners to transforming business processes, launching new projects, and scaling them into new directions.

For instance, initiatives like “We Are Together,” initially created to support EVA’s team, are now being scaled beyond the company to have a broader positive impact on society. Across the world, businesses are striving to build self-sufficient ecosystems that meet the full range of customer needs. Scaling proven solutions and evolving them into new development streams — that’s what we see as the true path to sustainability.

This goal may seem distant. But with clear direction and persistence, we believe it’s achievable. Because today’s challenge is not just to be sustainable — but to become regenerative, actively improving the systems our lives depend on.

And if this sounds “too global” or “not about you,” remember: not long ago, CSR was seen as the domain of large corporations — today, almost everyone recognizes its importance. The same will happen with regenerative thinking. The only questions are: when, and under what circumstances, will we get there?