As part of its global sustainability journey, Bonduelle Fresh Americas published its corporate social responsibility strategy, identifying the goals the company will target to reach over the next five years.
“We have long been committed to ensuring the well-being of people and our environment,” said Mary Thompson, CEO of Bonduelle Fresh Americas. “Our company is driven by this commitment, and publishing these goals - and inviting our customers and consumers to join us on our journey - are exciting next steps for us.”
The goals will support five CSR objectives launched by Bonduelle in 2011 as part of the company’s vision for 2025. These objectives are to: 1. promote sustainable agriculture, 2. reduce environmental impacts, 3. encourage employees to drive a culture of CSR, 4. feed people well and feed them sustainably, and 5. promote the well-being of employees and our communities.
“We are excited to launch this comprehensive strategy at Bonduelle Fresh Americas, covering issues ranging from water use and packaging to human rights and labor,” said Mathew Caldwell, Senior Manager of CSR for Bonduelle Fresh Americas. “We are prioritizing the right issues, committing ourselves to improving in these areas, and engaging all stakeholders in these actions - employees, customers, consumers, communities and suppliers.”
BFA’s CSR goals for 2025:
Water:
○ Identify water challenges within growing areas to implement improvement projects with growers
○ Reduce water intensity by 25 percent in all production plants
Energy:
○ Cut energy intensity by 25 percent in all production plants
○ Adopt more sustainable energy sources in 50 percent of production plants
Waste:
○ Achieve zero waste in all production plants
Packaging:
○ Transition to a packaging portfolio that is 100 percent recyclable, reusable or compostable
○ Reduce virgin plastic inputs by an average of 25 percent
○ Implement How2RecycleⓇ labeling to all branded products
Responsible Sourcing:
○ Assess for environmental, social and governance risks
○ Engage suppliers for remediation
Ethics:
○ Update and translate Code of Conduct into all of the company's represented languages by 2021
○ Train all staff on Code of Conduct and require 100 percent annual attestation each year
Food Safety:
○ 100 percent of the company's facilities to maintain certification from the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) each year
○ 100 percent of direct food suppliers are certified by GFSI
Diversity and Inclusion:
○ Define diversity and inclusion goals and action plans by mid-2020
Health and Safety:
○ Work toward a zero-loss time workplace
○ Create an environmental management system (EMS) based on International Standards Organization (ISO) 14001
○ Achieve Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) 18001 certification
Corporate Citizenship:
○ Administer two annual community volunteer events in each Bonduelle Fresh Americas location
Human Rights and Labor:
○ Ensure 100 percent of the company's production plants complete human rights and labor audits
○ Assess all significant suppliers for human rights and labor risks
“Bonduelle is a family company built on the premise that plant-based foods can help create a better future, both in how we manage our resources and how we will feed the world’s growing population in the healthiest way possible,” Mary added. “We believe our efforts and transparency will help promote CSR thinking and provide a blueprint for our industry.”
For more information:
www.readypac.com/CSR/