2011 Sustainability Report Healthy is more
Cover photo The products grown in the top fruit sector are all grown outside, where their growth is immediately affected not only by the weather and the number of hours of daylight they receive but also by disease and pests in their environment. As these products are harvested only once, risks must be kept to an absolute minimum. Nature Counts grower Wim van Wijk opts for sustainable solutions. ‘Fruit moths are kept in check using a sustainable pheromone disruption technique that makes it impossible for the males to find a mate. The use of crop protection agents has been reduced significantly through the application of this technique.’
Table of contents
Foreword 1 Sustainable business at The Greenery
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2 Communication with Stakeholders
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3 Healthy Cultivation
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4 Healthy Innovation
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5 Healthy Communication
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6 Healthy Business Operations
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7 Healthy Employees
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8 The Greenery at a glance
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Other information
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GRI table
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General Management of The Greenery ‘Sustainability has become an indispensable part of the sector, and will continue to play an increasingly important role in the future. The Greenery is responding to this development with a range of initiatives in the field of sustainability. We also work actively with a range of organisations to encourage the growth of sustainable business.’
Foreword The Greenery works every day with its growers, staff, customers and suppliers to provide consumers all over the world with natural, healthy and ultra-fresh fruit and vegetables. This gives consumers confidence in our expertise in the field and in the care we take to ensure that our products always meet the highest quality standards.
Our sustainability policy is based on the motto ‘Healthy is more’, whereby sustainability forms an integral part of our business operations. Focus areas of the policy include: Healthy Cultivation, Healthy Innovation, Healthy Communication and Healthy Business Operations, of which Healthy Employees also forms an important part. A prime example of ‘Healthy Communication’ is given by the further development of our Fresh Harvest website (Verse Oogst). Here, consumers can find answers to questions such as ‘What am I eating?’ and ‘Where does it come from?’. The site, created and used by growers from Coöperatie Coforta, shows visitors who the growers are, how they grow their produce in a responsible manner, and some recipes that can be prepared using fresh vegetables and fruit. As part of Healthy Innovation, the Greenery searches for ways to encourage consumers to make healthy choices by introducing new and distinctive products, services and concepts. To help make healthy snacks appealing to children, the Fred&Ed fruit sweets range has been expanded to include mini-apples. Many new varieties have also been created to offer more convenience and help improve the consumer experience, stimulating the consumption of fruit and vegetables. These varieties include the new tasty raspberries and seedless snack peppers. But is sustainability at The Greenery only about healthy products? On the contrary! In this report you will read about the growing focus on social sustainability and on how we plan to work with our suppliers in non-western countries to improve working conditions. We also continuously strive for the implementation of sustainable improvements in our business operations, such as logistics measures to help reduce CO2 emissions. The Greenery won the Lean & Green Award in 2011 for its efforts in this regard. As part of Healthy Business Operations, we also work continually on a healthy working environment for our employees.
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Our ambition is to maintain our position in the Transparency Benchmark Top 10 in the ‘food and drink’ category. We have set ourselves the goal to rework our social objectives into a 2020-plan by the end of 2012, setting the targets that the organisation wishes to attain in the years to come, with a view to long-term success. And, of course, all of this occurs in consultation with a wide variety of parties from within our own organisation, the sector and beyond. The photographs in this report focus on the growers who were awarded the Nature Counts designation in 2011, all of them front-runners in the field of sustainability and Healthy Cultivation. Their innovative business practices are an inspiration to other operators in the supply chain for fresh produce and help to make the world a healthier place. These developments in the field of health and the environment form the basis of this report. I hope that The Greenery’s sustainability initiatives will also inspire you to believe that ‘Healthy is more’. On behalf of the General Management, Philip Smits General Manager, The Greenery B.V.
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Strawberry grower Arno Loos ‘In addition to green energy and organic crop protection, we also wanted to start using renewable biogas to grow strawberries that are even more sustainable. A bio-digester generates biogas from manure and various other organic substances from the neighbouring dairy farms. Through cogeneration (or CHP technology) we convert the biogas into heat and electricity. We also collect all our rainwater in two water basins of 4,000 m3 each, meaning that all of our strawberries are grown using rainwater.’
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Sustainable Business at The Greenery Sustainability is gaining a prominent position within the fresh fruit and vegetable sector and The Greenery’s position in the international market for fruit and vegetables also brings certain responsibilities. Each year, we report on our activities in the field of sustainability via this sustainability report. Consumers can be assured that fruit and vegetables will always meet the highest quality standards, that products are safe and that the journey from harvest to stores is made in an efficient and responsible manner. Consumers must be able to confidently enjoy fresh, delicious products. We take our responsibility seriously to work with our suppliers, customers and employees to provide healthy and delicious products for a healthy society. Sustainability is an integral part of business operations at The Greenery.
Sustainability strategy In 2011, The Greenery continued the implementation of the previously launched sustainability strategy ‘Healthy is More’, with objectives and initiatives that are spread across four focus areas: Healthy Cultivation, Healthy Innovation, Healthy Communication and Healthy Business Operations. This report provides an overview of the targets and results obtained in 2011 for each focus area and uses concrete examples to illustrate the initiatives taken by The Greenery in conjunction with its partners to promote corporate responsibility. The progress of our sustainability strategy is monitored in various areas. One of these is the Nature Counts programme, the sustainability designation awarded by The Greenery, as part of which audits were carried out in 2011 to follow the progress of those awarded the designation. More information on Nature Counts can be found on page 18.
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Healthy is more:
Healthy Cultivation
Healthy innovations
To us, healthy crops mean sustainable crops – if it is good for nature, it is good for people.
Introduction of distinctive new concepts and products. Examples include: • introduction of snack fruit, • new varieties, and • new concepts.
Sustainability policy review As a response to the sustainability issues that will be important in ten years’ time, we will be reviewing our sustainability policy in 2012 to include targets for 2020. Intensification of stakeholder dialogues will form an important part of this process, allowing The Greenery to maintain a clear idea of relevant sustainability issues and developments and provide a pro-active response in the future.
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We maintain transparency regarding our cultivation methods and health initiatives.
Healthy Communication
Healthy Business Operations
Healthy Employees
We use a variety of communication initiatives to encourage healthy choices:
Our dedication to sustainability has prompted us to search for new ways to reduce the ecological footprint of our business operations.
Our company invests in its employees and aims to create a healthy and safe workplace.
• The website www.verseoogst.nl
• Appealing shelf displays; • Healthy diet information.
Provisions have been included in our Future Plan to devote extra attention to matters that are important to our stakeholders. This plan, drawn up based on the ISO 26000 Guideline for Corporate Social Responsibility, provides clear targets along with the accompanying Key Performance Indicators.
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Mushroom grower Arjan Heeren ‘At our business, we use a geothermal heat pump to heat and cool the mushroom cells. Excess heat is stored during the summer and used to heat our business in the winter. The cold is stored during the winter and used to cool the cells in summer. 1,600 m² of solar cells were installed in autumn 2011, reducing our energy consumption by 50%.’
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Communication with Stakeholders To ensure that we operate as responsibly and sustainably as possible, we maintain close contact with our employees, with suppliers in the Netherlands and abroad, and with our customers. The critical eye of sector-wide organisations, social institutions, government bodies, banks and educational institutions helps to reinforce The Greenery’s concern for the needs of those it works with. The Greenery’s primary stakeholders are those parties who play an important role in the supply chain for fresh produce and who have an impact on The Greenery’s products and operational procedures:
• The Greenery meets with suppliers within the Netherlands and abroad (including the
growers of Coöperatie Coforta) to discuss steps that can be taken to make cultivation more sustainable, to develop healthy and delicious products, and to create an efficient and sustainable supply chain. Discussions are held during product meetings and special conferences on sustainability policy and the associated opportunities and risks. Tracking & tracing, clarity regarding product origins, sustainable logistics, social sustainability, food safety and sustainable packaging are topics often discussed with customers. The Greenery is in daily contact with its customers. The Greenery works closely with national and international seed breeders. It also seeks out collaboration with educational institutions to develop innovative concepts and solutions in areas such as range, flavour and quality.
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More information on these social issues considered important by suppliers, customers and seed breeders is also given in this report.
Some examples of collaboration: In addition to daily contact with its growers and customers, The Greenery maintains communication with stakeholders in a variety of partnerships.
• In 2011 The Greenery took part in the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) project, in which research institutes studied the effects of combining various crop protection agents. The Greenery takes part in the Sustainable Business Initiative (Initiatief Duurzame Handel, IDH), in which the government, retailers, producers and private-sector organisations join forces to increase sustainability within import chains. These combined organisations work to promote environmental protection, health, improvement of social conditions in developing countries, and to promote human rights.
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The Greenery is now also a member of the Barendrecht Sustainability Platform (Duurzaamheidskring Barendrecht) in which companies work together and contribute to possible sustainability initiatives within the municipality of Barendrecht. The Greenery believes that organisations throughout the supply chain for fresh produce can collaborate more closely and that they should project a clear vision of sustainability and use it to generate concrete purchasing and sales objectives. Suitable avenues for doing so include the DPA (an industry body for buyers of fruit, vegetables and mushrooms) and Freshfel (the Europe-wide industry body). As part of the Sustainable Food Platform (Platform Verduurzaming Voedsel), and in conjunction with Hessing, Jumbo and Groentehof, The Greenery has launched a project aimed at increasing the sustainability of fresh and fresh-cut produce. Aspects include crop protection, water consumption and waste at every point within the fresh produce supply chain.
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Sweet Sensation Information Exchange
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Through these and other partnerships, The Greenery aims to generate solutions to social problems related to the needs of our customers and of society.
Impact on social issues Forty participants from no fewer than eleven different countries together took part in a specialist cultivation seminar on the Sweet Sensation pear organised by The Greenery. ‘This pear offers opportunities for growers and retailers alike’, says Patricia Hoogervorst, top-fruit product manager at The Greenery. ‘We aim for optimum mutual cooperation and sharing of knowledge. The exchange of important specialist cultivation information forms an essential part of this.’
The Greenery makes a pro-active contribution to sector-wide solutions on a number of social issues:
• Numerous initiatives take place among growers in the field of
sustainability, many of which go unnoticed. The Greenery aims to bring them to the fore: The website www.verseoogst.nl helps meet the needs of consumers wanting know more about the origins of their products. The Greenery has also continued with the Nature Counts programme, which puts the spotlight on leaders in the field of sustainability. In 2011, 7.4% of the volume of our Dutch growers was produced under the Nature Counts designation.
• Much food is wasted in all areas of the supply chain and the
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Greenery is pro-active in finding solutions to this problem. The business contributes through measures such as developing concepts that include smaller portions, improving packaging to extend shelf life, developing new varieties with a longer shelf life, and the optimisation of logistic processes. Other initiatives include partnerships with the Food Bank and applying new techniques to improve the accuracy of harvest prognoses, enabling a more accurate match between supply and demand.
Our plans for 2012
Social priorities Our long-term ambition is to maintain our position in the Transparency Benchmark Top 10 in the ‘food and drink’ category. To achieve this, we are taking the following steps:
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The Greenery is developing a 2020 Sustainability Policy in line with the ISO 26000 Guideline. Every year, The Greenery will open a dialogue with at least three stakeholders about a socially relevant issue. Every six months, an internal reflection will be carried out on the sustainability strategy and the associated objectives. The company will produce an integrated annual report on 2012 in accordance with level B of the GRI.
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The www.verseoogst.nl website helps meet the needs of consumers who want to know more about the origins of their fruit and vegetables.
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Pear grower Anton van Wijk
‘At our business, the cooling of apples and pears is one of our core activities. The cooling process releases a lot of heat, which is captured and recycled by the condensers. Fewer fan operation hours enable us to save energy without affecting the quality of the pears. To combat the effects of possible fruit crop infestations, we try to use as many natural predators as possible, such as the earwig.’
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Healthy Cultivation The Greenery invests in long-term relationships with its national and international suppliers and monitors healthy cultivation. In 2009 we introduced the Nature Counts designation, whose purpose is to prompt growers in the fresh fruit and vegetable sector to further increase sustainability. The Greenery values growers who invest in green ideas and it works with its partners to achieve healthy, safe and transparent supply chains. To reach this goal, The Greenery formulated a number of Healthy Cultivation objectives in 2011. This section discusses the most significant results.
Targets for 2011
Progress
The Greenery will award 5-10 new growers the Nature Counts designation.
Achieved in 2011
In 2011 all growers will continue to meet the new Global Gap certification requirements.
Achieved in 2011
In 2012 The Greenery's regular foreign suppliers will start to supply in compliance with BSCI standards.
Ongoing, preparations for BSCI in 2011
Food safety policy Customers and consumers alike must be able to rely on the safety of their fruit and vegetables. The Greenery has therefore adopted a strict policy and continually monitors compliance. The Quality & Environment department is made up of specialists who ensure product quality and food safety. They do this: by making clear agreements with suppliers; All growers grow their produce in accordance with the standards of the Global Gap organisation. These are the basic criteria governing product delivery. The Greenery and its growers also satisfy more stringent criteria over and above those set by law and the supplementary protocols imposed by retail customers. by means of the Residue Management System; This is a database in which The Greenery checks and monitors over 4,000 samples annually. It contains the results of analyses that are exchanged with laboratories, growers and suppliers. As a management tool, the system helps limit the application of crop protection agents.
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• through certification of quality assurance;
the Greenery’s sites meet the requirements of the IFS, BRC and QS, and ISO 14001 codes, as well as the Internal Quality Control Regulations (RIK) scheme administered by the Dutch quality control bureau for the fruit and vegetable sector (KCB). by using a tracking & tracing system; This system systematically records a product’s entire journey through the chain. As prescribed by the General Food Law, The Greenery is able to determine the origin and destination of a product within four hours. Far-reaching standardisation and technological innovations provide the right options for ease of product traceability and for communicating more supply-chain information from producers to consumers. The 2011 EHEC crisis once again highlighted the importance of tracking & tracing and communication about product origins. The Greenery took action to eliminate possible risks and preventive tests and risk analyses were carried out at independent laboratories. and through grower support. Support for growers regarding food safety and sustainability is provided in conjunction with crop-protection experts.
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Grower support
The Greenery meets the standards of the quality systems of international retail customers which are considerably higher than those set by law. A noteworthy development in 2011 was the increased interest in the QS (Quality and Safety) system among German customers.
Sustainable cultivation policy
The Greenery places great value on informing its growers about needs and questions from customers. In 2011, a ‘market and residue’ workshop was held for soft fruit growers and a special evening seminar was given on ‘food safety and sustainability’ for top fruit growers. Strawberry grower Ad Boeren attended the workshop and recognises its importance: ‘Gatherings such as these are important for us, so that – together with the Greenery – we can show our customers that we are taking responsibility.’
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Nature Counts is the sustainability designation awarded by The Greenery to growers who excel in areas such as reducing the use of cropprotection agents, improving energy conservation, recycling of waste materials or caring for nature and the landscape. Eleven growers were awarded the Nature Counts designation in 2011, bringing the total up to fourteen. The Greenery’s aim is to use Nature Counts to encourage growers to step up and publicise their efforts to increase sustainability. To monitor the progress of those awarded the designation three audits were carried out in 2011 among growers who had been awarded the designation in 2010. www.naturecounts.com
The Food Chain Partnership project The Greenery’s firm belief is that crops should always be cultivated without protection agents unless there is no other option. Together with external experts, we help our growers (both national and international) to limit their use of crop protection agents. The Greenery has been working with international crop protection manufacturers for the past five years on various international Food Chain Partnership Projects. The aim of these projects is to develop cultivation programmes that optimise the use of crop protection agents to grow high-quality products while having as little impact on the environment as possible.
Various programmes have been launched, including one with Spanish strawberry grower Alfonseca, where residue analyses have shown a reduction in the level and quantity of active substances left on strawberries. Other focus areas included reducing water and energy consumption and limiting waste production at the strawberry business. In partnership with this grower, The Greenery has introduced the Natural Delight business-to-business brand.
Organic and Fairtrade products All organic growers cultivate in the ground and use only organic crop protection methods and natural additives. The number of organic growers who sell their products through Naturelle, the Greenery’s organic division, has increased. Naturelle has also created more direct links with international growers, enabling the expansion of its organic range in 2011 to include products such as organic limes and organically grown Fairtrade mangos and avocados. In the Netherlands, a large percentage of Naturelle’s products are sold under the Bio+ brand, often in compostable packaging. Naturelle is the exclusive supplier of all unprocessed vegetables and fruit for this successful organic brand. In 2011, Bio+ was voted the ‘Brand making the biggest contribution to society’ during the Brand of the Year Awards 2011, an initiative of the Dutch Food Industry Federation (FNLI).
Bio+ garden cress is grown by Biostar’s Henk Overkleeft: ‘We see the Best new introduction award for 2011 as the reward for the product innovations that we have all worked so hard on over the last few years. Using the right crop variety in a good organic medium and focusing on the proper care for our garden cress has enabled us to supply a top-quality product that is both healthy and delicious.’
Dilemma: Consumers are becoming increasingly worried about employee working conditions all over the world. The Greenery also believes that safety, health, financial remuneration and participation for employees are important issues. We too believe it is important for business people in developing countries to have access to markets in which they have a fair chance of building up a healthy and sustainable economy. This is still far from the norm, however: in many at-risk countries there is still room for improvement in this area. The Greenery wishes to play an active role in finding solutions together with its international suppliers and customers.
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Social sustainability
The Greenery demands that its suppliers operate in accordance with the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) code of conduct and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Social sustainability was a major focus in 2011. Under the guidance of our Quality & Environment department, a group of trainees from the Green Talent programme conducted research into developments in this area, the needs of customers, and which quality assurance system best suits the company. The Greenery joined the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) for its import products on 1 January 2012. The goal of the BSCI is to improve the working conditions of employees in consumer goods companies in at-risk countries such as some in Latin America, Africa and Asia. The BSCI code of conduct is based on social directives such as those of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the United Nations Global Compact and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The BSCI is an improvement programme that targets working conditions (related to forced labour, child labour and human rights), the environment and good working relations (no corruption). This means that instead of terminating supplier partnerships if suppliers do not comply with these guidelines, we work together with them to see how conditions for employees can be improved. The Greenery signed the declaration for the Sustainable Business Initiative (Initiatief Duurzame Handel, IDH) in June 2012, as part of which the public and private sectors work in close conjunction to improve sustainability in import channels. The core of the agreement is the goal set by retailers and trading companies to achieve 100% sustainability for all fruit and vegetables imported from Latin America, Africa and Asia by 2020. The Greenery plans to monitor and improve implementation via the BSCI.
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Our plans for 2012 concerning Healthy Cultivation:
The Greenery’s long-term goal is to manage a reliable and transparent system of supply chain responsibility, of which continuity forms an integral part. The following objectives have been formulated to achieve this goal:
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Encourage sustainability among growers so that they ultimately qualify for Nature Counts. These efforts should result in a minimum of 8-10 new growers receiving the Nature Counts designation every year.
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In 2012 all of The Greenery’s growers must meet the Global Gap certification requirements.
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Around 15 international suppliers are involved in our BSCI programme in 2012.
A fully electronic data exchange has been set up between the Zeeuws Vlaanderen Laboratory (Laboratorium Zeeuws Vlaanderen, ZVl) and The Greenery, which records every action in a database. The person in most direct contact with this project is Rien Simonse (r) from The Greenery’s Quality and Environment department. When asked about the most significant development to result from this partnership, Simonse said it was the analysis processing time. ‘In recent years, it has dropped from four days to one or two. And despite the quicker turnover, ZVI has still proven able to maintain performance at a high standard.’
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Tomato growers: Gebroeders Duijvestijn BV
‘We drill for geothermal heat at 2,300 metres underground. The hot water pumped up is used to heat our tomato greenhouses without consuming any fossil fuels, generating minimal CO2 emissions. By drilling for geothermal heat, we are demonstrating our willingness to work towards a sustainable future. After all, this is an investment that will secure our energy needs in an environmentally-friendly manner for decades to come.’
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Healthy Innovation Together with its growers, The Greenery wishes to continue to surprise its customers by introducing innovative concepts and solutions in terms of product range, flavour, packaging, quality, sustainability and food safety. This process is led by customer and consumer demand. The Top Fruit, Soft fruit, Vegetable fruits, Mushrooms, Outdoor Vegetables and Imports Product Units are constantly innovating as part of the production and sales process. In the 2010 report, The Greenery formulated a number of targets to help achieve this objective.
Targets for 2011
Progress Ongoing
In 2011 The Greenery will formulate performance indicators to measure our progress towards this goal. In 2011 The Greenery will work on improving and developing three new concepts that better meet customer needs.
Achieved in 2011
In 2011 The Greenery will work on improving and developing three new plant varieties that better meet customer needs.
Achieved in 2011
New varieties and concepts The Greenery works continuously on improving and developing new and distinctive plant varieties that are more tailored to meet the needs of customers. Examples from 2011:
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New varieties • After three years of crop improvement, The Greenery and grower
Dolf Boekestijn were finally able to introduce a unique variety of orange seedless pepper at Fruit Logistica in February 2012: the Tasty Pep. The Greenery had been working to develop a miniature seedless pepper for some time. According to consumer surveys, the tiny seeds inside the peppers represent the most important drawback. Grower Boekestijn carried out the crop development work.
• 2011 saw the selection of various promising new fruit varieties that
will be introduced over the next few years. Within the Benelux region, the new Brilliance raspberry will be grown exclusively by The Greenery growers. The fine flavour and long shelf life of this variety have proven popular among customers. The Greenery will continue to carry out tests on soft fruit, partly in collaboration with HAS Den Bosch University of Applied Sciences.
• The Greenery entered into an exclusive partnership with Syngenta
in 2011 for the production and marketing of Angello Seedless Peppers. Development of this new variety was completed in 2011 and the product was introduced in early 2012. The Angello Sweet & Seedless Pepper is a new variety of red miniature seedless bell pepper: a healthy snack that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere.
• The Greenery created a new and flavoursome pear in 2011 with
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an all-over golden brown colour, which will enter the market in small volumes in 2012 under the name ‘Dazzling Gold’. One of its important distinguishing characteristics is its shelf life and in taste tests it received an exceptionally high score.
and concepts • In 2010 The Greenery entered into an agreement with Sant Orsola
in Trentino under which The Greenery may test and produce the Italian cooperative’s Lagorai raspberries exclusively for the Dutch market. The Lagorai is a summer raspberry, with large fruits and an excellent flavour.
• The 300 largest independent supermarket owners in the Netherlands
have voted the organic garden cress by Naturelle (part of The Greenery) as the best new fresh produce introduction for 2011. The survey was conducted in January 2012 by the Levensmiddelenkrant, a Dutch food products trade magazine.
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Exclusive club varieties of top fruit were further expanded, such as the Sweet Sensation pear and Rubens, Junami & Wellant apples. The Sweet Sensation is grown both in Europe and in the southern hemisphere to enable a year-round supply of good quality fruit.
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In 2011, The Greenery worked with Food Sense BV to expand the Fred&Ed range to include mini apples. The Fred&Ed concept was voted by the Levensmiddelenkrant magazine as the best introduction in the children’s products category in 2011.
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For cherry exports, new packaging was created in the form of a special plastic storage bag that maintains quality.
Outdoor testing fields For several years now, The Greenery has had an outdoor testing field where it carries out leaf-vegetable trials in collaboration with seed companies. The Greenery wishes to further expand these programmes, focusing on varieties with improved flavour and higher nutritional values instead of merely greater production per square metre. These plans will be worked out in greater detail in 2012.
Monitoring the cultivation process The Greenery’s soft fruit growers use a special online module to monitor their entire cultivation process. This module is based on a model by the Wageningen University & Research Centre which records and analyses production schedules and drop/growth degree hours It can be used to determine ideal harvesting times and this information then forms the basis of the supply forecast.
Our plans for 2012 concerning Healthy Innovation:
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The Greenery’s long-term goal in this area is to encourage innovation in the fresh produce supply chain by setting up partnerships between growers, seed companies, research organisations and customers.
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In 2012 The Greenery will be collaborating with growers on the improvement and development of three new market/ product concepts that better meet customer needs.
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In 2012 The Greenery will be collaborating with growers on the improvement and development of three new varieties that better meet customer needs.
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By 2013 the turnover of Fred&Ed’s vegetable and fruit products will be double that of 2010, partly achieved through the School Fruit programme.
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The Greenery’s outdoor testing field is full of new varieties of lettuce that may be brought onto the market.
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Tomato grower: Themato B.V. Productmana
‘We are the first company in the world to start the closed greenhouse project. Our greenhouse climate is fully controlled and conditioned. Growing tomatoes in a closed greenhouse results in higher yields, 50% energy savings across the board and a reduction in CO2 emissions.’
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Healthy Communication The Greenery aims to encourage growers, customers and consumers to make healthy choices. In 2011, we put a lot of time into communication regarding product origins via the Fresh Harvest online platform (Verse Oogst). The Nature Counts designation also occupies an important position within our sustainability policy. In addition, The Greenery assists its customers with the arrangement of store displays and the presentation of fresh fruit and vegetable on the shop floor, an area in which packaging, provision of recipes and special offers all play an important part.
Targets for 2011
Progress
In 2011 more than 50,000 people will visit the Verse Oogst.nl website.
Achieved in 2011
From 2011 The Greenery will use corporate communication channels at least ten times a year to communicate about sustainability.
Achieved in 2011
Ongoing
In 2012 Nature Counts will be an established part of The Greenery's communications in its core market countries. In 2011 3,000 children will take part in the National School Fruit Programme.
Achieved in 2011
Fresh Harvest (Verse Oogst) In 2011 more than 60,000 people visited the Verse Oogst website: an online information platform whose aim is to inform customers about vegetables and fruit and inspire them with recipes, while also serving as a link between consumers and growers. The Greenery shows consumers where their products come from and gives its growers a face. By the end of 2011, 200 growers had presentations on the website and were open to answering questions from consumers. The Greenery intends to expand the number of growers and promote the information platform using cross-media communication. www.verseoogst.nl
Sector-wide promotion The Greenery regularly launches new campaigns to keep consumers informed, often in conjunction with other sales organisations in the fresh fruit and vegetable sector. Three examples of sector-wide campaigns in which the Greenery takes part are given below:
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• The 2x2 campaign - ‘Ik doe mee met 2x2’ (2x2 is what I do) was the
action motto of this fruit and vegetable campaign which The Greenery helped to promote and support, e.g. by placing the logo on its packaging and promotional materials. The aim of the campaign was to enthuse parents and help them realise that it is not at all difficult to eat two pieces of fruit and 200g of vegetables a day. The Fruit Vegetable Agency Holland (GroentenFruit Bureau) coordinated the campaign.
• The German ‘My Tomato’ campaign – In conjunction with the Fruit
Vegetable Agency Holland, five sales organisations (FresQ, ZON Fruit & vegetables, Versdirect.nl, Best Growers Benelux and The Greenery) joined forces to develop a promotional campaign for Dutch tomatoes, with the aim of maintaining (and even enhancing) the strong position of Dutch tomatoes on the German market. www.mytomato.de
• To provide German customers with reliable information on vegetable
quality and production methods, a number of sales organisations have joined forces to produce the ‘Monitored Class’ designation (Gecontroleerde Klasse). The designation clearly marks the reliability of the product using the seven quality principles that growers have imposed on themselves: safety, freshness, naturalness, sustainability, craftsmanship, availability and taste. Consumers were informed by means of a PR campaign in Germany.
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The ‘Elstar altijd Raak’ (Elstar Every Time) campaign by the fruit sector generated extra attention among consumers for this Dutch apple, with the aim of acquiring a better position on store shelves.
• A humorous soft fruit campaign was employed to ring in the new
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summer season: under the motto ‘Ik snack naar fruit’ (The Fruit Exchange) consumers were enticed into swapping an unhealthy snack for a small bowl of fruit as a healthy alternative. Fruit Vegetable Agency Holland (GroentenFruit Bureau) coordinated the awareness campaign, which was co-promoted by The Greenery.
Dilemma:
Communication on health and the health aspects of foods represents a major challenge. Within our organisation, there is a lack of clarity regarding what is/is not allowed when it comes to health communication. This lack of clarity is mainly due to the immense body of food safety legislation and the restrictions imposed by the EFSA. The complex biological nature of positive substances contained in foods and what they can do to our bodies also presents difficulties. We now have a set of guidelines that we turn to for communication issues but we still wish to realise improvements in this area.
Health communication In collaboration with a dietician, The Greenery has created guidelines regarding the communication of the healthy qualities of vegetables and fruit, making it clear to those involved within the organisation exactly what they can and cannot say. Where possible, health aspects are given a clearer position in communications and this information is distributed in product communications, press releases or articles. The information is also actively shared with other organisations in the sector, such as the School Fruit project group.
Blueberry campaign
Category management The Greenery supports customers in the areas of category management and display techniques, applying its experience with the marketing of fresh produce to increase its customers’ success. In 2011, The Greenery held information meetings for empolyees from a range of supermarket chains who work in the fresh fruit and vegetable section, introducing them to all aspects of cultivation. Retailers wish to operate closer to the source and growers want more immediate access to the market. The Greenery aims to serve these needs and it functions as the link between growers and retailers.
School Fruit programme In 2011 The Greenery worked hard on the School Fruit programme and was a sponsor for the third year in a row, collaborating with the agricultural industry body Productschap Tuinbouw (PT) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation (EL&I). Thanks to the programme, around 2,000 schools were able to offer their pupils free fruit and vegetables. An evaluation from the 2010/2011 academic year has shown that the campaign is effective in encouraging children to consume more healthy products. To realise the intricate logistics of the School Fruit programme, The Greenery entered into a partnership with Freshweb.
To cope with stressful situations such as exams, The Greenery advises students to eat healthy foods. Fruit and vegetables are known to be full of vitamins and minerals. As a promotional campaign, The Greenery distributed blueberries at a number of secondary schools during the week before the examination resits. Children were encouraged to share their favourite ‘blueberry moment’ via social media.
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Communication on sustainability The Greenery issues several communications per year on its sustainability policy and activities. See below for some examples. The Aeres Education Group (Aeres Onderwijsgroep) and Wageningen University have taken the initiative to set up the Organic Food Campus. During the opening conference, Naturelle Manager Cindy van de Velde explained more about Naturelle’s need for this kind of information. On the German market, The Greenery launched the ‘Enjoyment Guaranteed’ campaign (Sicher Geniessen) to restore confidence in Dutch products, cultivation methods, reliability and origins following the EHEC crisis and to help put vegetable consumption back on the rise. General Manager Philip Smits gave a presentation on sustainability in the fresh fruit and vegetable sector during a meeting of the Sustainable Production and Trade Strategy Group. The new Nature Counts growers have been added to the special Nature Counts lorry.
• •
• •
Healthy cooperation The Greenery supported a number of health initiatives and charities in 2011:
•
The ‘Focus on Sustainability’ incentive award is intended specifically for supermarkets. It aims to reward local sustainability initiatives and bring them to the attention of a wider public.
• Tomato World: a visitor centre dedicated to Dutch greenhouse
horticulture, set up by the Greenco growers’ association. Visitors are introduced to the world of tomato cultivation and the various aspects involved, such as organic crop protection, energy and technological innovations.
•
Wageningen Chair: The Greenery and Rijk Zwaan jointly support the ‘Fresh Innovation’ Chair at Wageningen University and Research Centre for a five-year period. The contract expires in 2012, at which time an evaluation will take place.
• Restaurant of the Future: In this restaurant, consumer behaviour
is studied under controlled conditions. The research is conducted by Wageningen University and catering and IT specialists.
• Open Greenhouse (Kom in de Kas): Growers associated with The
Greenery open their doors to the public, in an event that attracts over 160,000 visitors per year who come to take a look at greenhouses and gain an introduction to horticulture.
32
Social commitment The Greenery’s staff regularly take part in social initiatives.
•
Cyclists from The Greenery took part for the ninth time in the Ride for the Roses: a team of 100 staff members and growers participated in a cycle tour to raise money for the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF Kankerbestrijding).
• For the second time, a group of employees once again took part in
the spinning event, the proceeds of which go to the Sophia Children’s Hospital. A total of € 339,958 was raised to help provide a better future for children with kidney disorders.
•
The Greenery sponsors a variety of public events by donating its products. Examples include the HomeRide (a fundraising cycle tour organised by the Ronald McDonald Children’s Fund) and the Scout-In by Scouting Netherlands.
An open attitude The Greenery takes complaints seriously and stores them in a database which is used to send reports to the relevant grower, department or retailer, as well as the Quality & Environment department. This structured approach ensures that customer complaints are received, recorded, processed and evaluated in such a way that:
• the customer receives a proper response; and • repeat incidents are prevented and policy is amended where possible. The Quality & Environment department works with the relevant grower to address any complaints regarding product quality. The Corporate Communication department takes care of communication with customers and consumers.
Our plans for 2012 concerning Healthy Communication: Our long-term Healthy Communication objective is for The Greenery to encourage consumers to eat more vegetables, fruit and mushrooms.
•
Fresh Harvest (Verse Oogst) should reach 2,500 fans on Facebook and 1,500 followers on Twitter.
•
The Greenery should issue at least 10 communications on sustainability per year.
• The Greenery should carry out audits among the current Nature Counts growers.
33
Tomato grower: Cornerways Nursery ‘With a 10% market share in national tomato production, we are the biggest producers in England. And unlike other greenhousebased businesses here, we do not use any fossil fuels for heating. Instead, we use residual heat from the nearby British Sugar factory. 380 kilometres of piping carries hot water to keep the tomatoes at the ideal growing temperature.’
6.
Healthy Business Operations Our dedication to sustainability has prompted us to search for new ways to reduce our ecological footprint, with the reduction of CO2 emissions as our primary goal. The excessive production of greenhouse gases contributes significantly to global warming and climate change. In its 2010 report, The Greenery formulated a number of Healthy Business Operations targets which we will report on in this section. The Greenery’s target for 2013 is to reduce the ecological footprint of our business operations by 25% compared to 2008.
Targets for 2011
Progress
Performance of conservation checks, investigating how we can release less CO2. Produce 25% less CO2 by 2013 relative to 2008.
Ongoing Ongoing, 19.8% reduction by year-end 2011.
Lean & Green Award In 2011, the Lean & Green Award was presented to The Greenery. This award acknowledges The Greenery’s leading position in the realisation of logistic carbon emission targets within the international food industry. The company’s sustainable logistics operations place it within the top 250 in the Netherlands. Lean & Green is an incentive programme by the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment that encourages businesses to move towards a new level of sustainability, by taking steps that not only increase efficiency but also reduce the impact on the environment. The Lean & Green Award was presented to The Greenery based on a plan outlining our concrete CO2-reduction goals for the 2009-2013 period and defining our KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). The greatest CO2 savings can be achieved by reducing:
• energy consumption in the distribution centres, • the number of vehicle kilometres, and • fuel consumption of the transport organisation.
35
The sustainability performance of The Greenery’s logistics activities are regularly monitored by the Connekt implementing agency, on behalf of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, in collaboration with the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). In 2012, The Greenery will once again aim to earn the Lean & Green Award for its objectives in this regard.
LEAN philosophy The measures taken by The Greenery in the area of sustainable logistics are not limited to its Sustainable Logistics business plan. Sustainability is an integral part of The Greenery’s business operations and is aptly expressed by the LEAN philosophy. This philosophy is based on the conviction that continuous waste in the logistics process can be eliminated in collaboration with employees and partners in the chain in order to enhance operational efficiency and shorten the logistics chain. This process was implemented in all major distribution centres in 2011.
Transport savings
In 2011, logistics manager Stan de Ridder was presented with the Lean & Green Award on behalf of The Greenery. This award acknowledges The Greenery’s leading position in the realisation of logistics CO2 emission targets within the international food industry.
The Greenery serves customers worldwide from a variety of locations. Transport and logistics therefore represent a major component of our total energy consumption and CO2 production. The Greenery aims to organise transport in as efficient and energy-conscious a manner as possible. Some examples:
• Using Long and Heavy Lorries (LHLs) for longer journeys means fewer
trips. These vehicles typically carry 60% more cargo than conventional semitrailers. The Greenery purchased three LHLs in 2011, bringing the total up to five and reducing the CO2 emissions of the entire fleet by 1.4%.
• The Greenery has maintained a strong focus on keeping the supply
chain as efficient as possible: the load factor of lorries has been optimised and the number of direct shipments from growers increased by 6% in 2011, resulting in fewer transport movements overall. The number of transport movements between sites of The Greenery dropped by 22%.
• In 2010 and 2011, trials were carried out using aerodynamic trailers
that had been fitted with panels (called ‘sidewings’) on the underside. These trials will be evaluated in 2012.
• More and more retail customers are switching from rigid EPS
containers to EPS folding crates, resulting in a reduction of the total number of transport movements.
36
Distribution centre savings Savings have also been realised in the distribution centres with the aim of reducing the environmental impact of business operations. Motion sensors are being used more often and waste is sorted into compostable, plastic, wood, hard plastic, cardboard and other waste. The administration of the Technical department has incorporated sustainability as a fixed checklist item when selecting new refrigeration and packaging equipment. The Maasland site was closed in 2011 and the distribution centre’s activities and infrastructure successfully integrated into the Bleiswijk centre. The plan is to close the Venlo site in 2012 and to transfer these activities to the distribution centres in Barendrecht and Bleiswijk and to growers in the region. By doing so, The Greenery will be making more efficient use of its property infrastructure, thereby reducing energy consumption. Current equipment will be used more effectively and less space will be required.
Packaging Customer demand for rPET packaging rose in 2011: its lighter weight reduces the total amount of waste, limiting the overall impact on the environment. The Greenery sees this as a positive development and works in partnership with its customers in the development of sustainable packaging. A large percentage of the plastic packaging containers and lids for fruit and vegetables is made of rPET. The Plastic Hero is also included on soft-fruit packaging to alert consumers to the separation of plastic waste. The Greenery’s aim for 2012 is to increase standard pallet loads of EPS packaging, enabling a greater average volume to be transported per trip. We will also investigate whether the organic remains of tomato, cucumber, bell pepper and aubergine plants after processing can be used as a raw material for cardboard.
All drivers completed a course in defensive driving in 2011, covering driving instructions related to safety, the vehicle and the environment, as well as instructions concerning changes to legal requirements in countries where The Greenery’s vehicles travel. The economic driving method was also revised.
Dilemma The Greenery aims for its business operations to create as small a CO2 footprint as possible. At the same time, we also focus on realising turnover growth among the major retailers worldwide and on providing a wide range all year round. These decisions lead to transport movements. In conjunction with its partners, The Greenery contributes proactively to finding joint solutions. We aim for the greatest possible efficiency in our logistics process, by streamlining trip planning and picking up more loads directly from growers, through the use of LHLs, and by optimising the load factor of lorries. We also invest in lorries with cleaner engines and work together with local producers in core markets.
37
CO2 emissions in 1000s of tons 30 25 20 15 Electricity
10 5
Gas
0
2010
2011
Water consumption in m3 x 1000 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
2010
2011
Waste, energy and water usage During team meetings, all employees contribute their ideas for eliminating waste in the logistics process in order to enhance operational efficiency and shorten the logistics chain. The team meetings form part of the LEAN programme at The Greenery.
Water and energy usage at all sites is recorded in a central database. In 2011, The Greenery decided to change its reporting process and only use the consumption figures from sites that it influences directly. The energy consumption and CO2 emissions from our business operations fell from 2010 to 2011. Waste quantities were considerably higher than those in 2010 as a consequence of the EHEC bacterial outbreak which rendered good produce unfit for sale. These products were then disposed of as waste. CO2 emissions in 2011 were down 5.4% on 2010. Electricity and gas consumption fell by 4% and 19.4% respectively in 2011, representing good results from our efforts to increase the sustainability of our business operations.
38
450
Energy consumption in MJ per 1,000 packaging units
400 350 300 250 200 Electricity
150 100 50
Gas
0
2010
2011
Waste in millions of kg 15 12,5 10 7,5 5 2,5 0
2010
2011
The total volume of water used in 2011 dropped from 66,594 to 52,641 cubic metres. Total waste increased in 2011, from 11,678,137 kg to 15,318,099 kg.
Our plans for 2012 concerning Healthy
Innovation:
• Performance of conservation checks, investigating how we can reduce CO2 emissions.
• Reduce CO2 emissions by 25% in 2013 relative to 2008. 39
Berdien Boekestein ‘As part of the GreenTalent Programme at the Greenery, I’ve come to know lots of people and gained knowledge of many areas of the business within a short space of time. Based on my experiences so far, I’m confident The Greenery can offer me plenty of professional challenges.’
7.
Healthy Employees ‘Success in Fresh Produce’ is what The Greenery aspires to and what it promises its customers. The employees of The Greenery are essential to realising its strategy, which is why we invest in our employees and aim to create a healthy and safe workplace.
Targets for 2011
Progress
Create key performance indicators (KPIs)
Ongoing
In the long term, The Greenery’s objective is to achieve a score of 8 out of 10 on the employee satisfaction survey.
Ongoing
Diversity and broad expertise The Greenery employs over 1,500 staff who have a range of cultural backgrounds, ages and positions. The Greenery has an anti-discrimination policy and aims to create diversity in the staff complement that reflects society. In 2011, women represented 9% of management. In addition to its growers, The Greenery staff also possess a wide range of expertise in the area of fresh produce covering cultivation, products, consumers and logistics. This expertise and the diversity of the staff are what make the company an attractive employer.
41
Key figures for Healthy Employees:
Staff
2010
2011
Management/MT/office
591
577
Logistics
864
759
Transport and other
176
171
1631
1507
Aantal fte op jaareinde in dienst
Total
Number of FTEs in service at year-end
0
2010
2010
272
500
1323
288
1000
1449
1500
2011
2011 Men
Year
42
Women
2010
2011
Attrition
254
327
Of total
1737
1627
Total %
15%
20%
Age group
242
267
401
406
35 31
71 58
75 73
91 94
256
16 16
200
115 85
281
400
339
380
Number of people in service at year-end
0 <25
25-34
35-44
45-54
>55
Men 2010
Number of employees per country
Women 2011
2010
2010
2011
2011
(in FTE)
vast
uitzend
totaal
vast
uitzend
totaal
The Netherlands
1.527
1.026
2.553
1.410
961
2.371
United Kingdom
21
21
19
19
Italy
6
6
6
6
Spain
7
7
7
7
China
14
14
11
11
Belgium
49
51
44
US
3
3
3
10
Germany
3
3
3
3
Poland
1
1
1
2
Russia
0
0
1
1
Romania
1
1
2
2
2.660
1.507
Total
1.631
3
1.029
Absence due to illness (Excl. Maternity leave) Absence due to illness (Excl. Maternity leave)
4,7% 4,7%
43
1
970
45
2.477
Professional development
In 2011, 1,900 employees attended in-company courses and 143 individual training sessions/ courses were provided externally. In 2011, our employees spent an annual average of 8-9 hours each on training programmes, which is more than in 2010.
The Greenery encourages and supports its staff in their professional and personal development. Some examples from business practice: In late 2010, The Greenery launched the third trainee programme for those with a higher-education qualification. As part of ‘GreenTalent’, trainees work with young professionals already employed at The Greenery to complete a training programme specifically aimed at developing knowledge and skills relevant to the fresh fruit and vegetable sector. In total, seven trainees in financial, logistics and commercial positions have commenced the two-year programme. This working method unites a theoretical background with experience gained in practice.
•
• In-company training courses whose purpose (where possible) is to
Personnel Policy Accreditation
make sure that theory and practice at the Greenery correspond as much as possible. Examples include language courses, forklift courses, team development, practical management, Microsoft Office courses, and workshops on the performance cycle used to inform employees about performance and career development.
•
The Greenery offers a continuation of senior secondary vocational education (MBO) under the name ‘Green Future’, in which students complete a work-study programme.
•
The Greenery runs an internship scheme, with 48 interns working at the organisation during 2011.
Satisfaction survey
Our personnel policy has resulted in an accreditation by the AWVN. In late 2011, The Greenery was nominated for the ‘Modern Employer Award’ and received it in January 2012. The award aims to reward companies or sectors that play a leading role in sustainable innovation in the interests of the employeremployee relationship. The panel’s decision was made using criteria such as company vision, innovation, sustainability, results and good employment practices, with an emphasis on working relationships and employment practices. The judges also take conditions at comparable businesses into consideration.
44
An employee satisfaction survey was conducted in 2009; 80% of the improvement points that emerged from the survey were addressed in 2010. In 2011, additional attention was devoted to improving work meetings and steps were taken to make information more accessible. The Greenery greatly values the opinions of its employees which enable improvements like this to be made. It is for this reason that another satisfaction survey will be conducted in 2012.
Participation The Works Council of The Greenery has set up various separate committees to deal with a range of important issues. In 2011, these committees worked on pensions, working conditions and company culture to reach agreement with the management on these matters. The advantage of working this way is that the committees are in more frequent contact with The Greenery management, enabling matters to be discussed via short lines of communication.
Working conditions The Greenery endeavours to create a safe and healthy working environment. In order to assess health & safety policy objectively, The Greenery has developed key performance indicators (KPIs) which are discussed during the regular meetings between Logistics Control and site managers. In 2011, OH&S working groups were formed at various sites to address local issues in a targeted fashion. These issues were identified by a hazard identification and risk assessment, through accident analyses
and during safety rounds. The status of all health & safety measures at all sites is also monitored by means of an organisation-wide overview. FrugiVenta, the umbrella organisation of which The Greenery is a member, tackles OH&S issues that are of sector-wide relevance. The Greenery takes a pro-active stance in this process.
Reducing physical strain In 2011, The Greenery had the Occupational Health and Safety Service (Arbodienst) carry out a workplace survey for office staff. This survey resulted in the adjustment of a number of employee workstations and the purchase of new office furniture. Steps to reduce work strain were also taken at the distribution centres in 2011: a reorganisation took place in Bleiswijk after the operational activities from the Maasland site were integrated there, with a focus on reducing physical work strain as much as possible. Safety and reducing physical strain were also taken into consideration during the purchase of new machines, forklifts and other materials.
Company emergency response teams (CERTs) Every site of The Greenery has its own CERT. Centralised regular meetings are held between the various OH&S heads to discuss matters that are not site-specific. At site level, CERT members continually refresh their training and certain types of incidents are recreated during drills. A national training day was also held in 2011, when all relevant OH&S activities received due attention.
Our plans for 2012 concerning Healthy Employees:
• Draw up KPIs for the Healthy Employee focus area.
• Achieve 70% participation in the employee satisfaction survey.
During the installation of Flow-100 (a packaging line for mixed pepper products) sound measurements were taken and the machine was adjusted to comply with the applicable criteria.
•
The Greenery aims for a sickness absence target of 4.5% or lower.
45
Outdoor grower: Maatschap Boon The green power generated by solar panels and a wind turbine on the premises of the Boon Partnership is used to sort, process and cool green beans and Brussels sprouts. Boon also uses animal manure rather than artificial fertiliser wherever possible. These efforts have enabled the Boon business to achieve a maximum reduction of CO2 emissions.
8.
The Greenery at a glance The Greenery works every day with its growers, staff, customers and suppliers to provide consumers all over the world with healthy vegetables, fruit and mushrooms. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Success in Fresh Produceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; is what The Greenery aspires to and what it promises its customers. In conjunction with its growers, The Greenery supplies its national and international customers with a selection of over 200 different fruit and vegetable products all year round.
The 2011 Annual Report contains the company profile and financial results for 2011 and can be downloaded from www. thegreenery.com.
Key figures
2011
2010
2009
Net turnover
1.099
1.263
1.308
Number of employees
1500
1631
1655
Operating result
4
4
14
Net profit
2
5
7
41,7%
41,0%
39,6%
Capital base as a percentage of total assets
(amounts in millions of euros)
47
Coöperatie Coforta Organisation Chart
Members
Members’ Council
Coöperatie Coforta U.A.
Supervisory Board
The Greenery B.V.
The Greenery B.V. trading company
48
Coforta Verkoop B.V.
Sustainability management Our sustainability policy is reflected in the core activities of the entire organisation, the responsibility for which lies with the director of Quality and the Environment. The organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sustainability objectives for 2012 were drawn up in coordination with the Logistics and Marketing & Communication managers. At management level, sustainability is addressed during the weekly Operational Management Meeting and it is our employees who put our sustainability policy into practice under the direction of the management on a day-to-day basis. Quarterly consultations are also held on quality assurance, environmental affairs and sustainability between the director of Quality and the Environment and the heads of the commercial departments.
Arie van der Linden Director of Quality and the Environment
Yvonne Geurten Manager of Marketing & Communication
Stan de Ridder Logistics Manager
49
The supply chain in focus The Greenery works with growers, customers and suppliers to improve the sustainability of the fruit and vegetable supply chain. We want to minimise the impact of the supply chain at every point, protecting the environment, people and local surroundings. The Greenery is passionate about its products. We produce only the best fruit and vegetables and we ensure that their journey from farm to fork is as short as possible. Our products move along the supply chain as described below.
Seed-enhancement companies
Growers
Sales & Marketing
Innovation is a key concern at The Greenery. Our market and product expertise and central position in the supply chain make us uniquely positioned to introduce and market innovative products. We work closely with seed-enhancement companies in our ongoing efforts to innovate in a dynamic market. In this way, we support growers in the development of new varieties and sustainable cultivation.
Every day, growers both at home and abroad supply us with a full range of fruit and vegetables. A healthy crop is a sustainable crop. Growers affiliated with The Greenery are encouraged to use as few crop protection agents as possible, make sparing use of renewable and other energy sources, and adhere to sound health & safety principles throughout the entire supply chain.
The Greeneryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trading rooms are where our supply and customer demand, both national and international, are brought together. This is where our range is tailored as much as possible to suit customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; varying needs and wishes. Society is easily swayed by hypes and trends. The Greenery monitors these trends and harnesses them to create new market opportunities. Sustainability and health are more than just trends and they influence the product range, for instance by leading to the creation of an organic line. This marketoriented approach is what enables The Greenery to offer maximum flexibility in providing a specific response to every demand. We share our expertise with growers and customers in order to meet the changing needs of consumers.
50
Logistics
Customers
Consumers
Fresh produce relies on speed, which is why efficiency and good logistics are so vital to our business. After harvesting, products go through a sequence of steps from sorting to processing to packaging. Every link in this chain must be perfectly forged so as to minimise product movements, leading to fresher products and ultimately reducing our environmental impact. Keeping the supply chain as short as possible and reducing waste at every opportunity will enable us to minimise our impact on people and planet. The Greeneryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aim is to reduce its transportrelated CO2 emissions by using more efficient logistics and fuel-efficient transport options.
Supermarkets see the fresh fruit and vegetable sector as an important product category when it comes to distinguishing their own formulas from competing concepts. The Greenery supports supermarkets in making a thorough analysis of their fresh fruit and vegetable range and in designing the layout of the fruit and vegetable section. We help them with promotional campaigns, product demonstrations and in-store materials and, in some cases, by training employees who work in the fruit and vegetable section. This support is often based on research into consumer preferences and behaviour. The Greenery also works with supermarkets to raise awareness of sustainability among consumers.
The Greenery is keen to encourage consumers to make healthy choices. We do this in a wide variety of ways. We offer a broad range of products to encourage a varied diet, as well as special products for extra convenience. Information on product origins and cultivation methods is also available from our website www.verseoogst.nl
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Firma Pater Broersen: Lettuce growers â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We grow outdoor hydroponic leaf vegetable crops. The water is contained in a sealed basin of 500 m2; rainwater is captured and used for irrigation. Fertiliser is added to water according to the needs of the crop and remains within the closed system, giving us better control of crop protection and eliminating drainage into the groundwater. The production yield of lettuce from one hydroponic hectare is eight times as much as that from a one hectare field, presenting opportunities for more effective use of the soil.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;
Other information Scope and methodology This report is about The Greenery fresh produce corporation and its subsidiaries. It is an Annual Report that describes the company’s performance over the period from 1 January 2011 up to and including 31 December 2011. The Greenery B.V.’s Annual Financial Report, containing a detailed account of the financial results and legal structure, is available for download at www.thegreenery.com. This report has been drawn up in accordance with the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), level B, self-declared. The GRI guidelines define this report’s most important performance indicators. The report also complies with the criteria set by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation’s transparency benchmark. In using these instruments, The Greenery aims to provide readers, staff members, growers, consumers, customers and other stakeholders in society with the information they require. The data is stored in a central database at company headquarters. Some of the data includes estimates; unlike The Greenery’s Annual Report, this report has not been verified by an external party.
53
Terms and definitions FFV:
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Organic:
Field cultivation using only natural raw materials/ additives and biological crop protection methods.
BSCI:
Business Social Compliance Initiative.
BRC:
British Retail Consortium, a trade association
Packaging unit:
The individual units in which products are packaged.
DPA:
Dutch Produce Association, a trade association for sellers of fruit, vegetables and mushrooms.
Sustainable cultivation: A healthy crop is a sustainable crop. If it is good for nature, it is good for people! ETI:
Ethical Trade Initiative, a code of conduct governing Ethical Entrepreneurship.
Freshfel:
A European FFV sector forum
GRI:
Global Reporting Initiative, the international guideline for reporting on sustainability.
IFS:
The International Food Standard, an explicit quality standard for auditing private label food product suppliers.
ILO:
International Labour Organisation
KCB:
Dutch quality code for fruit and vegetables.
KPIs:
Key performance indicators
LHL:
Long Heavy Lorry
CSR:
Corporate Social Responsibility, a form of business aimed at economic performance (profit) with respect for social aspects (people) in line with environmental criteria (planet).
WC:
Works Council
QS system:
Quality and Safety (Qualit채t und Sicherheit), a German quality system.
RIK:
Internal quality control regulation (Reglement Interne Kwaliteitscontrole)
Sickness absence: Absence from work due to an illness or other medical condition. 54
Certifications and quality labels
55
GRI table
The Greenery Sustainability Report 2011 Indicator
Report
Comments/response
Page number(s)
Vision and strategy 1.1
Management Board statement
1.2
Description of key impacts, risks and opportunities.
Foreword SR 3-4
Looking at the core activities, we can establish that The Greenery can make a difference in the following aspects: - Encouraging sustainable cultivation among its suppliers - Encouraging consumers to eat healthy foods and informing them of the origins of FFV - Reduction of CO2 throughout the fresh produce supply chain - Development of new varieties or concepts that create added value in the supply chain
Company profile 2.1
Name of the reporting organisation
The Greenery B.V.
2.2
Primary brands, products and/or services
SR 51 (The Greenery at a glance) AR 4-5
2.3
Operational structure
SR 48, AR 37-39
2.4
Location of headquarters
2.5
Number of countries in which the company operates
AR 4-5
2.6
Ownership structure and legal form
AR 37-39
2.7
Markets served
AR 4-5
2.8
Scale of reporting organisation
AR 4-5
2.9
Significant changes during the reporting period
2.10
Awards achieved during the reporting period SR 19, SR 25, SR 35, SR 44
Spoorwegemplacement 1, Barendrecht, The Netherlands
Not applicable
Report parameters 3.1
Reporting period
January 1 2011 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 31 December 2011
3.2
Date of most recent report
July 2010
3.3
Reporting cycle
Annual
3.4
Point of contact for questions regarding the report and its content
info@thegreenery.com
56
Scope and limits of the report 3.5
Process for defining report content
SR 9-10, SR 53
3.6
Limits of the report
SR 53
3.7
State any specific limitations on the report or its scope
Not applicable
3.8
Basis for reporting on other entities
Not applicable
3.9
Techniques and calculation bases for data measurements
3.10
Explanation of the effects of any restatement of previously supplied information
The method used for calculating energy consumption, waste production and CO2 emissions has been modified from that used in 2010. In 2011, the only figures used are from sites that The Greenery influences directly.
3.11
Significant changes from previous reporting periods
None
SR 53
GRI table of contents 3.12
Table identifying the location of standard disclosures in the report.
The GRI table is on page 60 of this sustainability report and can also be found at www.thegreenery.com.
Assurance 3.13
Policy and current practices with regard to seeking external assurance for the report.
The financial data (the annual accounts) have been externally verified by Deloitte Accountants B.V.; other data in the sustainability report has not been externally verified.
Governance, obligations and involvement 4.1
Governance structure of the organisation, including committees that fall under the highest governance body.
AR 37-39
4.2
Chair of the highest governance body.
AR 37-39
4.3
For single-tier organisations: state the number of independent and or nonmanager members of the highest management body.
4.4
Mechanisms for shareholders and employees to provide recommendations or direction to the highest governance body.
Not applicable
AR 37-39, SR 44
57
No linkage between compensation for members of the highest governance body, senior and executive managers (including severance schemes) and organisational performance (including social and environmental performance) exists
4.5
Linkage between compensation for members of the highest governance body, senior and executive managers (including severance schemes) and organisational performance (including social and environmental performance).
4.6
Processes in place for the highest governance body to ensure that conflicts of interest are avoided.
AR 37-39, AR 41-42
4.7
Process for determining the qualifications and expertise of the members of the highest governance body for guiding the organisation’s strategy on economic, environmental and social performance.
AR 37-39, AR 41-42, SR 49
4.8
Internally developed statement of mission or values, codes of conduct and principles relevant to the organisation’s economic, environmental and social performance and the status of their implementation.
58
The Greenery’s Code of Conduct and Whistleblower Scheme officially took effect in 2007. The Code of Conduct endorses the rules of the ETI code, and also lays down standards for The Greenery and its whollyowned subsidiaries and employees. In all its activities, The Greenery pursues a policy rooted in the principles of fairness, integrity and transparency. We always maintain a respect for human rights, the environment and legitimate interests. These legitimate interests pertain not only to employees, customers and shareholders but also to suppliers and other involved parties. The Whistleblower Scheme is a way of ensuring that we remain compliant with The Greenery’s Code of Conduct. This scheme offers all employees of The Greenery and its wholly-owned subsidiaries the opportunity to report suspected violations of internal and external regulations (Code of Conduct), without fear of personal consequences. The 2011 Annual Report contains a chapter on Corporate Governance. The report can be downloaded from www. thegreenery.com.
4.9
Procedures of the highest governance body for overseeing the organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s identification and management of economic, environmental and social performance, including relevant risks and opportunities and compliance or conformity with internationally agreed standards, codes of conduct and principles.
SR 18, SR 20, SR 9-11 , SR 49, AR 37-39
4.10
Processes for evaluating the highest governance bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own performance, particularly with respect to economic, environmental and social performance.
AR 37-39, AR 41-42, SR 49
Duties associated with external initiatives 4.11
Explanation of the organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s application of the precautionary principle.
AR 23, SR 18
4.12
Externally developed economic, environmental and social charters, principles or other initiatives to which the organisation subscribes.
SR 17-18, SR 20
4.13
Membership in organisations.
FNLI, Foodpolicy, Frugi Venta, Freshfel, Green and Lean, DPA, MVO Nederland (CSR Netherlands), BSCI
Consultations with stakeholders 4.14
List of stakeholder groups engaged by the organisation
SR 9-11 and SR 13-15
4.15
Basis for identification and selection of stakeholders with whom the organisation engages.
SR 9-11 and SR 13-15 and SR 57
4.16
Approaches to stakeholder engagement, including frequency by type and stakeholder group.
SR 9-11, SR 13-15 and SR 29-35
4.17
Key topics and concerns that have been raised through stakeholder engagement, and how the organisation has responded, including through its reporting.
SR 9-11, SR 13-15 and SR 29-35
Performance indicators Economic EC1
Information on the management approach
AR 11
Direct economic values generated and distributed, including revenues, operating costs, employee compensation, donations and other community investments, retained earnings, and payments to capital providers and government authorities.
AR 46-49
59
EC2
Financial implications and other risks and opportunities for the activities of the organisation due to climate change
AR 7, AR 8, SR 17-21
EC3
Covering liabilities related to the organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s established payment plan
AR 48, AR 54-55
EC4
Significant financial assistance received from a government body.
EC8
Development and impact of infrastructure investments and services provided primarily for public benefit through commercial, in-kind or pro bono arrangement.
None. SR 18, SR 24-25, SR 14, SR 31
Not present
Environment Information on the management approach
SR 35-39 + AR 29
EN2
Percentage of the resources used made of recycled materials.
EN4
Indirect energy consumption by primary source in joules or multipliers
SR 38-39
EN5
Energy saved through conservation and efficiency improvements, in joules or multipliers.
SR 35-39
EN6
Initiatives to provide energy-efficient or renewable energy-based products and services, and reductions in energy requirements as a result of these initiatives.
SR 6, SR 18
EN7
Initiatives to reduce indirect energy consumption and reductions achieved.
SR 35-39
EN8
Total water withdrawn by source in m3 per year
SR 38-39
EN12
Description of the significant impact of activities, products and services on biodiversity in nature reserves and in other areas with a high level of biodiversity.
SR 17-21
EN16
Total direct and indirect GHG emissions by weight (in tonnes, CO2 equivalent)
SR 35-39
EN17
Other relevant indirect GHG emissions by weight (in tonnes CO2 equivalent).
SR 35-39
60
100% of single-use plastic crates (multicrates) are made of recycled materials. 90% of cardboard boxes are made of recycled paper, and 20% of the plastic trays are made of recycled PET (R-PET).
In part
In part
EN18
Initiatives to reduce GHG emissions and reductions achieved
SR 35-39
EN22
Total weight of waste by type and disposal method.
SR 39
EN28
Monetary value of significant fines and the total number of non-monetary sanctions for failure to comply with environmental laws and regulations.
EN29
Significant environmental consequences of the transport of products and materials that are used in the organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities and for transporting staff members.
None
SR 35-39
Working conditions Information on the management approach
SR 41-45
LA1
Total staff complement by employment type, employment contract and region.
SR 41-45
LA2
Total number and rate of employee turnover by age group, gender and region.
SR 41-45
LA4
Percentage of employees covered by a collective labour agreement.
76%
LA6
Percentage of the full staff complement represented in formal joint employer OH&S committees, and employees who contribute to the monitoring of recommendations for OH&S and other safety programmes.
12% of staff members have had CERT or first aid training. Meetings are also held at various locations within the organisation on OH&S and other safety programmes among the CERT heads, OH&S teams and in the Works Council. There is also a national crisis team.
LA7
Rates of injury, occupational sickness, lost days and absenteeism, and total number of work-related fatalities per region.
SR 41-45
LA10
Average annual number of hours spent per employee on training, broken down by employee category.
SR 41-45
LA13
The composition of administrative bodies and subdivision of employees by category, gender, age group, ethnic minority background or other diversity indicators.
SR 41-45
Human rights Information on the management approach
SR 19-20
HR2
Percentage of significant suppliers and contractors that have undergone screening on human rights and actions taken.
SR 19-20
HR4
Total number of cases of discrimination and the measures taken.
No cases reported
61
HR6
Activities that have been found to involve a substantial risk of child labour and measures taken to eliminate child labour.
SR 19-20
HR7
Activities that have been fund to involve a substantial risk of forced or compulsory labour, and measures taken to eliminate forced or compulsory labour.
SR 19-20
Information on the management approach
SR 13-15, SR 19-20
Social SO6
Total value of financial and in-kind contributions to political parties, politicians and related institutions, by country.
None. Some directors have personal involvement with a political party.
SO7
Total number of legal actions for anticompetitive behaviour, anti-trust and monopoly practices and their outcomes
None
SO8
Total number of legal actions for anticompetitive behaviour, anti-trust and monopoly practices and their outcomes
None
Product accountability Information on the management approach
SR 10, SR 17-21, SR 29-33
PR1
Life cycle stages in which health and safety impacts of products and services are assessed for improvement
SR 17-18, SR 23-27
PR2
Total number of instances of failure to comply with regulations and voluntary codes regarding the health and safety consequences of products and services for the duration of their useful life, organised by result type.
PR3
Type of information on products and services made obligatory by procedures.
SR 17-18
PR5
Practices related to customer satisfaction, including results of surveys measuring customer satisfaction.
SR 33
PR6
Programmes for compliance with laws, standards and voluntary codes related to marketing communications, including advertising, promotion and sponsorship.
SR 29-33
62
Not present
PR7
Total number of instances of failure to comply with regulations and voluntary codes regarding marketing communications, including advertising, promotion and sponsorship, organised by result type.
None
PR9
Monetary value of significant fines for failure to comply with laws and regulations governing the supply and use of products and services.
None
63
More information The purpose of this report is to provide a clear and transparent description of activities and developments within our organisation in the area of sustainable business in 2011. We would be pleased to receive any questions, comments or suggestions at the following address: info@thegreenery.com
The Greenery Sustainability Report 2011 Publication date: juni 2012 Compilation and editing: Karin van der Voort Consultancy: Schuttelaar & Partners, Den Haag Graphic Design: Manon Jamin The Greenery B.V. Spoorwegemplacement 1, Barendrecht Postbus 79, 2990 AB Barendrecht Telefoon: 0180 65 59 11 E-mail: info@thegreenery.com www.thegreenery.com
64
The Greenery Postal address: P.O. Box 79, 2990 AB Barendrecht, The Netherlands Telephone: +31(0)180 65 59 11 E-mail: info@thegreenery.com Website: www.the greenery.com