Translations

BONDUELLE draws up a supply charter for environmentally friendly agriculture

5. Fair Operating Practices

Responsible purchasing

Sector Food-processing

Year 2015

Country France

Transmitter

Context

With almost 128,000 hectares farmed worldwide to supply its production sites, Bonduelle is a major player in the world of agriculture. The company's managers with responsibility for Agricultural Production set up partnerships with farmers, producers' organisations and agricultural entrepreneurs. In 2015, the charter was amended to take the environmental and social impact of the upstream agriculture better into account.

Objectives

Be consistent with the requirements of its brands and of its responsible approach for the benefit of its consumers
Strengthen links with the world of agriculture
Encourage best crop management practices

APPROACH

The supply charter formalises in black and white more than 30 years of relations with vegetable producers. It sets the standards that the group shares with all its producers.

Every one of Bonduelle's farmers and vegetable producers signs the "supply charter": this reference document guarantees respect for a set of terms and conditions for each vegetable and the use of environmentally friendly agricultural techniques.

This supply charter is distributed by all plain managers, trained in how to explain it to the farmers. The application of this charter, along with an overall monitoring plan, guarantees that the vegetables comply with health regulations.

The fifth version of the charter was approved in 2014 by Bureau Veritas. It is currently used within the group and gives rise to audits of producers by an external organisation.

Best Practice spotted by the World Forum for a Responsible Economy in 2012 and updated in 2015.