Best Fresh Group - MVO Rapport (EN)

S USTA I N A B I L I T Y STATE M ENT BEST FRE S H

At Best Fresh we care: Fresh, Sustainable and Healthy

est Fresh is a proud family business, the company has been deeply rooted in fresh fruit and vegetables since its founding in 1928. We offer our partners a solution throughout the value chain by means of our dedicated trading companies and logistical service providers.

Nowadays the concept of sustainability is widely used, as a family business however many of its aspects have always been common practice. We always had the responsibility to take care of our employees and environment. This intrinsic value for a healthy, social and caring community was passed on from generation to generation.

We strive for a society that looks after each other, contributing to a healthier and livable world. The beauty of it; the more you give, the more you receive.

We have embraced sustainability; as entrepreneurs we have a hands-on mentality – words are only as good as our actions. We are communicating our vision on sustainability as a commitment to our stakeholders; this is who we are, and what you may expect from us.

Having the right idea, spotting developments and then actually implementing innovative solutions is what drives me personally. With regards to sustainability we are making progress and creating impact; we hope you enjoy this publication, and we will keep you posted on our progress.

In order to ensure business continuity we need to embed sustainability with innovation into our business operations. We strive to create an impactful contribution on sustainability aspects; and seek innovate solutions such as implementing plastic-free packaging on a large scale. We also have the ambition to stimulate healthy living, by focusing on the potential of food on people’s health. The initiative “Vers+” is a great example; science and business working together to investigate the correlation between food and health and unlock its potential.

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Mart Valstar CEO Best Fresh

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Health ‘Providing health to society’ is a binding factor. Through our wide range of products we inspire consumers to make a healthy choice on a daily basis: for themselves and for a healthy planet. Eating a more plantbased diet positively impacts CO2 emissions.

Therefore we directly contribute to SDG #3 (Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations) ‘Good Health & Well-being’ with our business activities.

Core Values In 2018 Best Fresh celebrated its 90 years anniversary. Continuity is central to our core values. We strive to create value for the generation of today and moreover ensuring sustainability for future generations.

Remco de Boer, managing director division Gastro:

“Be sustainable, start with yourself. We want top chefs to set fruits and vegetables at the top of their list.”

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Pillars of sustainability The diversity amongst our companies enables us to create impact in various ways.

The sustainability policy of the individual companies not only connects but also contributes to the overarching pillars. As such even though each division has its unique identify; the effect is greater than the sum of the individual parts.

Best Fresh identifies three sustainability pillars. Each pillar is linked to a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) as defined by the United Nations. These pillars are: • Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SDG #12) • Good employment practices (SDG #8) • Sustainable Business Operations (SDG #13) SDG # 17 “Partnerships” is overarching and at the same time integral to our three pillars, as collaborations are fundamental to creating impact.

Nico Padding, CFO Best Fresh:

“Acting socially conscious as a business, is what sustainability means to me. This involves treating people in a fair way, taking steps to reduce your ecological footprint and being aware of the consequences of the choices you make as a business.”

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Sustainable Supply Chain Management

Fresh Sustainable Healthy

Good Employment Practices

Sustainable Business Operations

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1. Sustainable Supply Chain Management As a trading company that markets approximately 150 million kilograms of fresh fruits and vegetables annually, we operate at the heart of the supply chain. This position enables us to motivate our partners both downstream as upstream - to create sustainable value. We do so, by means of: • Close collaboration with suppliers and customers • Building long-term relationships through personal attention • Implementing joint projects • Optimal logistical routing; fastest route from grower to customer

Safeguarding Through working with fair and safe products we safeguard sustainability, health and food safety. Additionally, we adhere to the increasing demand for social and environmental certified products.

Martijn de Graaf, managing director division Yex:

“Being happy is a core value at Yex. We strive to create value throughout our supply chain; for the long term. Win-win situations. To accomplish this we market and promote fresh, healthy and sustainably produced products.”

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2. Good employment practices

About the pillar With the pillar “Sustainable Supply Chain Management” we commit ourselves to SDG #12: Responsible consumption and production. We take our responsibility in regards to the products we deliver and strive to create added value in our supply chain whilst maintaining the impact on the environment and communities worldwide to a minimum.

At Best Fresh employees are our most valuable asset. Each company has its own identity; and we believe that this diversity not only makes us strong but also resilient. Being a company that sets goals for sustainability contributes to the commitment, involvement and motivation of our employees. We aspire to be an attractive employer for our current employees, and future ones. In order to achieve this; • We conduct a survey amongst our employees to receive honest feedback • We offer our employees extensive development opportunities • Putting health and safety first. By means of strict safety measures, a Food & Fit program, and by providing free health advice and daily meals at our cultivation company • Together with our partner “MVO Westland” we create and facilitate suitable employment for those with a distance to the labour market

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3. Sustainable Business Operations About the pillar With the pillar “Good employment practices” we commit ourselves to SDG # 8: Decent work and economic growth. We strive to contribute to decent work and an inclusive work environment, in which all employees are enabled to reach their full potential.

Employment should stimulate economic growth without affecting the environment.

Roland Kling, Logistics director:

“Sustainable business practices are coherent with people and planet; striving for the right balance.”

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Sustainability starts in-house. We should lead by example and manage our businesses as sustainable as possible. Efficiency and innovation are key in our daily operations. By calculating our footprint we have complete insight to implement focused measures and optimize our efforts in sustainability.

A few examples are: Renewable energy sources: we use both solar as geothermal energy in our business operations. Our head office in Poeldijk, the Netherlands, uses both renewable energy sources all year round and consequently operates with zero CO₂ emissions. But also our cucumber cultivation glasshouse is an example in sustainability: optimal growth by means of geothermal energy sources – reused and shared with neighbouring growers – again achieving zero CO₂ emissions.

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Transport: at our logistics service provider sustainability is aligned with efficiency.

Shipments are bundled to reduce empty kilometers to a minimum and we actively seek the shortest routes. Additionally, our drivers adhere to a driving-efficiency standards and receive regular training.

Food waste: reducing food waste is a core value shared by all at Best Fresh. We cocreated a collection point near our premises.

Products that have a lesser shelf-life or are misshaped are sorted to be donated to the national food bank, that supplies 35.000 people. As such people who receive food stamps are supplied with a healthy addition to their menu.

About the pillar With the pillar “Sustainable Business Operations” we commit ourselves to SDG # 13: Climate Action. By calculating our footprint we have in-depth insight of our business operations and its impact on the environment. Moreover, it enables us to adapt and change to optimize our operations and create awareness about the effects on the environment.

Job van den Berg, managing director division Bio:

“Plastic is a thing of the past in the future of organic products.”

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Partnerships for the goals At Best Fresh we believe in the strength of diversity and collaborations. Hence we have embraced the SDG # 17: Partnerships for the goals.

Essential In order to achieve our goals, we firmly believe in the strength of partnerships. As we are a hub in the international fresh fruit and vegetables supply chain it is fundamental to have the right partners who share our core values. Only together with dedicated partners will we be able to accomplish real impact, hence the SDG # 17 brings our sustainability pillars together.

Edwin Vanlaerhoven, managing director division Valstar:

“Be good and tell it. That’s how I see it at its core. ‘Good’ meaning setting a business strategy that incorporates people, planet and profit coherently. Secondly, adhering to this strategy and demonstrating transparency about our efforts. I believe a sustainable business model is essential for business continuity for any company, hence also for us at Valstar”

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Best Fresh Foundation The Best Fresh Foundation is an overarching foundation comprised of and founded by employees from the individual companies.

The activities support several good causes and community initiatives. In general the causes stem from our direct locality and are directed at initiatives focused on “Health” and “Youth”. Our employees have shown great involvement and active participation in events, resulting in financial contributions for good causes.

Connecting Most importantly, the Best Fresh Foundation brings together employees contributing time and energy to create positive impact together. They do so with much enthusiasm and inspire others to do the same.

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