Sustainability Report The Greenery 2008 by The Greenery

The Greenery

Healthy is more

2008 Sustainability Report

Table of contents Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Sustainability according to The Greenery . . . . 4 Healthy cultivation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Healthy innovation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Healthy variation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Healthy communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Healthy business operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Healthy employees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Healthy is more, also in 2009 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 2

The Greenery in brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Other information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 GRI Table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Foreword The Greenery supplies a full range of vegetables, fruit and mushrooms to customers worldwide all year round. Increasingly these buyers value sustainability in the supply chain. Together with our domestic and foreign growers we are able to meet their needs.

In this sustainability report we would like to tell you how The Greenery defines the concept of sustainability and how it is embedded in the entire organisation, from cultivation all the way to sales. Despite a turbulent year marked by high energy prices, production fluctuations in various areas and the advent of a financial crisis, we have successfully reinforced efforts related to sustain ability. And we are proud of this. In 2008 we adopted the motto “Healthy is more” to add focus to our sustainability strategy. The main thing is to deliver healthy and safe products. Once again we are seeing many new initiatives within the sector to boost fruit and vegetable consumption. The Greenery is helping by joining these initiatives or launching its own new products or sales channels at every possible opportunity. After all, fruit, vegetables and mushrooms are part of a healthy diet.

In addition we have taken a number of important steps with respect to various aspects of sustaina bility. For example we have achieved far-reaching residue reductions lowered CO2 emissions in the cultivation process and the significant reductionly reduced consumption in logistics and business operations. 3

Healthy and motivated employees, enthusiastic growers and fully involved trade partners, business relations and customers are vital to integrating sustainability in The Greenery. We appreciate their effort and enthusiasm. In this sustainability report we describe results, illustrated with various examples. We hope that it will inspire you. We welcome your suggestions and comments. And you can be sure that we will continue on our chosen course in 2009. Healthy is more! Philip Smits, General Manager The Greenery B.V.

Albert Knol Financial Manager The Greenery B.V.

Sustainability according to The Greenery The Greenery is a leading international fruit and vegetable company. We supply a complete range of fresh vegetables, fruit and mushrooms to our customers worldwide all year round. To us, it all starts with high quality and professionalism. Doing business in a sustainable fashion, and making the lowest possible impact on our surroundings, is a key feature of all our operations.

Healthy is more

The Greenery continuously aims to get more health gains from fruit and vegetables. At The Greenery, health is the foundation of sustaina bility. This includes paying special attention to the following:

• Healthy cultivation • Healthy innovation • Healthy variation • Healthy communication • Healthy business operations • Healthy employees

At The Greenery, sustainability involves production, logistics and consumption, as well as employees, customers and consumers. This makes sustainability an integral part of business operations. The goal is to bring all of these aspects into harmony with one another. This not only maintains the health of the organisation but also that of the consumer and the surroundings. After all, sustainability is all about the balance between People, Planet and Profit.

Healthy cultivation Healthy cultivation is sustainable cultivation. What is good for nature is good for people. Consequently, the growers affiliated with The Greenery use as few pesticides as possible, they conserve (renewable) energy and agreements are made regarding fair working conditions throughout the entire chain. The Greenery is convinced that the use of pesticides can be mini mised by combining the expertise of various chain partners and through independent innova tion and monitoring.

Healthy innovation Innovation is important for improving products and expanding the range of products. Innovation takes place throughout the entire production process. The Greenery looks into new growing methods, new harvesting methods, new trans port methods and new packaging methods as well as new packaging and new products. The innovation process involves working both with growers and with research institutes. Innovation enables us to continue to respond to the buyers’ wishes.

Healthy variation The Greenery offers a huge selection of flavourful, special fruit, vegetable and mushroom varieties, all packed with healthy nutrients. Each variety has a specific mix of fibres, vitamins and minerals. The growers affiliated with The Greenery tend to select specific varieties in order to meet consumer wishes even more effectively. In addi tion, the company adds variety through the types of packaging offered and in the wide range of sales locations which include vending machines, supermarket checkouts, schools and workplace dining areas. Most of the assortment is also available as organic produce.

by using various communication initiatives. This includes cooperating with buyers to display the products in the most appealing way possible in stores. Another communication strategy is to pro vide information about healthy food, for example online at: www.thegreenery.com.

Healthy business operations The smart application of a number of activities allows The Greenery to limit the impact of its own operations on the environment and surroundings. Much of this involves structuring the logistic processes more efficiently. Keeping the supply chain as short as possible and reducing waste in every single link of the chain is the best way to reduce the burden on people, environment and surroundings.

Healthy employees Healthy employees and healthy growers are the basis of a healthy organisation. The Greenery therefore works in various ways to create a healthy and enjoyable work atmosphere. This includes offering an array of training programmes as well as making improvements in the working environment and supporting employees involved in physical fitness-related activities. Special attention is also paid to reducing the physical strain experienced by employees in warehouses and other locations where produce is handled. 

Healthy cultivation Healthy cultivation is sustainable cultivation. What is good for nature is good for people. Consequently, the growers affiliated with The Greenery use as few pesticides as possible, they conserve (renewable) energy and agreements are made regarding fair working conditions throughout the entire chain. The Greenery is convinced that the use of pesticides can be minimised by combining the expertise of various chain partners and through independent innovation and monitoring.

Residue standards harmonised EU-wide As from 1 September 2008 the maximum residue limits (MRL) for pesticides on fruit and vegetables has been harmonised EU-wide. A number of retail organisations impose stricter requirements. The Greenery is happy to meet the requirements of our key buyers and is working hard to reduce levels as much as possible. Because of our extensive knowledge, government agencies and social organisations come to The Greenery for information about residue levels and ways of reducing them.

Residue Management System In order to study ways to improve pesticide use, over 3,500 residue analyses are conducted annu足 ally on fruit and vegetables produced and handled by The Greenery. The findings are compiled in a unique digitalized Residue Management System.

So far this system contains over 20,000 analyses results that make it possible to design projects geared toward reducing these agents. The base足 lines are less than 1/3 of the MRL and less active substances. In early 2009 this system earned the European Award for Cooperative Innovation in the Food Chain category.

Alternative method for preventing fruit rot in strawberries using antagonists 5 4 3 2 1 0 Antagonist Test Field 1

Traditional Test Field 1

Antagonist Test Field 2

Traditional Test Field 1

Number of active substances in residue analysis

Working together to reduce pesticides The Greenery works together with many organi sations in searching for ways to achieve more sustainable pesticide use in a large number of Food Chain projects. As part of this we have successfully convinced the major pesticide manu facturers about a new approach. The Food Chain projects will be expanded further in 2009 to cover products ranging from tomatoes in Spain to pine apples in Panama.

Italian table grapes

Grower-initiated projects Of course, the growers, too, initiate projects to reduce residue. The Greenery supports their endeavours.

• Everest oxheart cabbage and iceberg lettuce growers are testing residue-free cultivation.

• A number of strawberry and berry growers are testing organic fruit rot prevention methods in greenhouse and field cultivation.

• Ten apple and pear growers are using new, crop-specific spraying systems.

A great example of a Food Chain project is the coo peration with Agricoper, an Italian grape grower and Bayer Crop Science in which we successfully produ ced high-quality table grapes while simultaneously restricting the use of pesticides. The grapes meet the highest European MRL standards over and above the statutory limits and will be available in super markets from 2009 onward.

Research on new growing and harvesting methods Various new growing and harvesting methods are tested in The Greenery’s leaf crop test garden which was established in cooperation with orga nisations from the agricultural industry: Hessing, Syngenta, Agrisemen, Nunhems, Bejo and Rijk Zwaan. The object of the test garden is to find new sustainable methods of cultivation.

• Ten Conference pear growers have successfully tried halting pesticide use at an early stage.

• A number of leek growers are conducting a

similar test in order to fight leaf spot diseases. The test involves comparing the traditional method to a new method using a sophisticated schedule developed in cooperation with pesticide manufacturer Syngenta.

• A number of pear growers are testing residuefree pear growing.

Test garden leaf crops

Hard fruit initiatives In addition to these grower initiatives, we work with Fruitconsult to find ways to further reduce hard fruit residue after storage, for example by submerging the fruit in water, applying temperature shocks and special lighting.

Organic cultivation A large part of The Greenery’s assortment of fruit, vegetables and mushroom is also available as organic produce. These products are marketed under the Naturelle name. Naturelle is an inde pendent part of The Greenery and supplies products that are EKO-certified. The Greenery has been fully certified to package and sell Fair Trade pro ducts for a numbre of years. It purchases the pro ducts from FLO-affiliated producers. Fair Trade products can be produced using traditional or organic methods; Naturelle sells organic Fair Trade products. 8

least. An increasing number of growers are also HACCP and BRC certified.

• GLOBALGAP

is an internationally recognised reference for Good Agricultural Practices in the global market place that sets voluntary standards for farmers and growers for food safety, sustainability and quality.

• HACCP helps systematically identify, evaluate

and manage (potential) risks related to food safety as a means of prevention as opposed to finished product inspection.

•

Tapping into the earth’s internal heat T he BRC norm was designed to approve a supplier to deliver to various supermarkets with a single audit. This eliminates the need for the supplier to undergo separate inspections for each supermarket.

More and more energy savings

Grower certification The Greenery feels very strongly about food safety, quality and sustainability. Our organisation strives for the highest standards. The Greenery is happy to oblige if customers have additional wishes. All growers who are part of The Greenery supply chain must be GLOBALGAP certified at the very

Growing crops requires energy. Innovative methods can help save energy. For example, using closed greenhouses, LED lighting and geo thermal energy can be profitable. These methods translate into considerable savings: closed green houses and LED lighting can reduce the energy bill by as much as 75%. Geothermal energy can cut gas consumption by 90% and reduce CO2 emissions. The Greenery consequently supports growers who implement these types of energy conserving measures.

Support for African growers In cooperation with the Dutch Ministry of Agri culture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) and the Dutch Food Retail Association (CBL), The Greenery helps small Senagalese and Kenyan growers meet the high food safety standards for the European market. 400 Growers in Senegal and 900 growers in Kenya now meet the GLOBALGAP standards. 

Healthy innovation Innovation is an important tool for improving products and expanding the range of products. Innovation takes place throughout the entire production process. The Greenery looks into new growing methods, new harvesting methods, new transport methods and new packaging methods and packaging as well as new products. The innovation process involves working both with growers and with research institutes. Innovation enables us to continue to respond to our buyers’ wishes.

Innovation within the organisation Innovation is guaranteed within The Greenery in a number of ways. The Innovation Steering Group, which comprises the General Manager and Managers of Sourcing NL, Greenery Benelux, Quality and Environment and the Marketing Manager, focuses on current and future innovation projects. The Greenery also employs two innovation managers who work with the Product Managers on innovations at the product group level. The Greenery is also part of Frisblik, the sector consultative platform on innovation.

Wageningen research group and Restaurant of the Future provide insight For The Greenery, changes in consumer eating patterns and habits are the basis of many inno vations. In order to gain more insight into these patterns The Greenery signed a participation agreement with the Restaurant of the Future, an initiative of Wageningen University and Research Centre (Wageningen UR). The Restaurant of the Future is a field laboratory designed to collect exact data on consumer eating and drinking choices. Cooperating with Wageningen UR allows The Greenery to respond to consumer needs more precisely. The Greenery also supports the product physiology and product quality research group at Wageningen University. Aspects studied include shelf life, flavour and substances that promote good health, such as vitamins, anti-oxidants and fibres.

Pre-cooked asparagus

Innovations in Brussels sprouts

New varieties

During Fruit Logica 2008 the international trade fair for fresh fruit, vegetable and mushroom sales and marketing The Greenery introduced pre-cooked asparagus. The asparagus is peeled, vacuum-packed in a specially designed package and pre-cooked. As a result, it has a significantly longer shelf life than normally peeled asparagus. Cultivation and the peeling and packing process are carried out by companies in The Greenery’s network.

The Greenery regularly introduces new varieties, processing and packaging methods in order to meet consumer wishes more effectively. Three recent examples involve Brussels sprouts:

The Greenery introduced a number of new products/varieties in 2008:

Cucumber-picking robot Together with its cucumber growers The Greenery is conducting a test involving a robot picker for cucumbers. The robot can help growers cut costs and save time. The robot works the rows by itself, loca lising the cucumbers on the plant and using an electric eye to determine whether they are the right size. This ensures uniformity in size and shape, and the harvest is packed in crates. Basically, the robot picker makes harvesting faster and better as well als helping to improve product quality and hygiene.

•

leaned sprouts are cut slightly closer to the C stalk and the outer leaves are removed during harvesting. This way, the consumer no longer has to clean them and they are ready to go directly into the pan.

• Using a special procedure, ice-chilled sprouts

are cooled back down to 2 - 3°C. This prolongs freshness.

•

ild sprouts are special Brussels sprout M varieties that are cultivated in sandy soil with lower sulphur content. This produces less bitter-tasting sprouts, making the vegetable more appealing to children and adults.

• Sweet Sensation: a new variety of pear with a striking red colour and pronounced sweet flavour. The Sweet Sensation is available exclusively from The Greenery.

• Komprima: label for premium cucumbers

grown using an innovative high-wire system. The cucumbers have a crunchy bite and a very long shelf life.

• Red oxheart cabbage: a cross between red

cabbage and oxheart cabbage with the lovely red colour of the former and the mild flavour of the latter. 

Healthy variation The Greenery offers a huge selection of flavourful, special fruit, vegetable and mushroom varieties, all packed with healthy nutrients. Each variety has a specific mix of fibres, vitamins and minerals. The growers affiliated with The Greenery tend to select specific varieties in order to meet consumer wishes even more effectively. In addition, the company adds variety through different packaging options and sales locations, ranging from vending machines and store checkouts to schools and workplace dining areas. Most of the assortment is also available as organic produce.

Snack vegetables at the checkout In April 2008 The Greenery introduced a handy display to draw consumer attention to snack vegetables including cherry tomatoes, mini cucumbers and mini peppers at the checkout. The Greenery is helping to encourage young consumers and their parents to adopt healthy eating habits.

Fruit and vegetable vending machines Vending machines can be used to offer fruit and vegetables where previously this was not possible, for example in workplace dining areas, waiting rooms and schools. The Greenery developed a special Fresh Tapas vending machine for use in schools. This offers students a healthy alternative to the array of snacks that are often available.

Inspiration for more variety Every supermarket has its own formula. This is why The Greenery visits the stores with the retailers to see how it can design the best possible shelving arrangement for fruits and vegetables. A more eye-catching and attractive store display can inspire consumers to include more variety in their fruit and vegetable purchases.

More blueberries Blueberries are high in anti-oxidants, promote healthy digestion and are rich in vitamins, fibres and minerals. It is no wonder that demand for this berry is rising. Blueberry cultivation in the Netherlands is limited in terms of total hectares, which prompted a number of growers in The Greenery network to switch to growing blueberries.

Dutch Vegetables Range

Supermarkets are seeing an ever-rising demand for easy to prepare meals. The Greenery developed the ‘Dutch Vegetables Range’ concept in response. The range comprises six different types of Dutchgrown field vegetables, namely red oxheart cabbage, green cauliflower, chicory, celery, leek and Chinese cabbage, packaged in pre-measured portions perfect for stir-frying or adding to a tasty salad. Each package features two delicious, timesaving recipes along with storage and prepara tion tips. The range was tested in a number of supermarket formulas in 2008 and was so success ful that the decision was taken to introduce the Dutch Vegetables Range widely in 2009.

Dutch Vegetables Range

Special pepper varieties Sunrise Pepper Growers is a collective of several dedicated pepper growers affiliated with The Greenery. Today they offer no less than 32 special pepper varieties that are grown year-round, inclu ding mini peppers in various colours and different types of peppers. They are also experimenting Sunrise Pepper Growers, Grower of the Year

with a jumbo variety and an extra-healthy variety with a higher anti-oxidant content. Sunrise Pepper Growers is clearly responding to the increasing demand for these specialties and their efforts were recognized in 2008 with the “Grower of the Year” award. 

Healthy communication Each Greenery product and every grower has a unique story which includes cultivation method, nutritional properties and application possibilities. The Greenery wants to stimulate healthy choice by using various communication initiatives. This includes cooperating with buyers to display the products in the most appealing way possible in stores. Another communication strategy is to provide information about healthy food, for example online at: www.thegreenery.com

Recipes with every product By offering recipes and weekly menus The Greenery wants to prompt consumers to prepare tasty meals using the many different varieties of fruit, vegetables and mushrooms. Pro duct information is also provided, for example nutritional values, origin and seasonal availa bility, as well as tips for using and growing facts. The website and packaging are essential sources for this type of information.

Tomato World: innovation on display The Greenery sponsors Tomato World, a new visitor’s centre show casing the innovative power of the Dutch greenhouse agricultural industry. Com panies and schools can learn all about cultiva tion, breeding and growth. In addition to the

information and education centre there is a hightech greenhouse with over 50 tomato varieties, a semi-professional kitchen and a conference centre. Minister Verburg (Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) officially opened Tomato World in September 2008.

National school breakfast The Greenery feels that it is important for children to start learning about the importance of a healthy diet from an early age. Therefore we are a partner in the Dutch Bread Advisory Council’s “National Breakfast Week” (Nationale Ontbijtweek). During the week-long event, primary school pupils receive information about the value of a good breakfast. Some 2,200 schools and half a million pupils par ticipate in the event. The highlight of Breakfast Week is an organized breakfast in the classroom during which the children experience the enjoy ment of a fun and delicious breakfast firsthand in a playful and festive setting. The breakfast boxes contain a number of healthy products, including apples and tomatoes from The Greenery.

CO2 footprint per product

Policymakers are increasingly demanding infor mation about the CO2 emissions caused by the transport, production and consumption of a product, which is collectively referred to as its Carbon Foot print. Together with the Commodity Board for Horti culture (Productschap Tuinbouw - PT) and the Agri cultural Economic Institute (Landbouw Economisch Instituut - LEI) The Greenery developed a calculation system for determining the Carbon Footprint of Dutch horticultural products. The Greenery and the tomato growers’ association Prominent are involved in a joint pilot to test how the norm can apply to the vast range of growing methods.

Tracing origins A number of different links between customers and growers were established in 2008. This enables direct delivery from the grower’s operations to the buyer’s distribution centre. In addition, The Greenery and the Super de Boer supermarket chain have initiated a project involving a tracking and tracing system using packaging, which allows a product to be traced back to the grower.

Meet the grower Consumers are becoming more and more interested in finding out the origin of the products found in the supermarket. They want to know where, when and how the products are grown, as well as who is growing them. The website www.verseoogst.nl provides grower photos, biographies and answers to consumers’ product-related questions.

Healthy cooperation In 2008 The Greenery was a partner in a number of different high-profile initiatives:

many years. During the major fundraising show in 2008 The Greenery donated an additional E 25,000.

• Herrie aan de Horizon. The RTL 4 television pro

• Euroskills. The Greenery sponsored the European

gramme follows celebrity chef Herman den Blijker as he searches for the best amateur chef in the Netherlands. The Greenery supplied the products for the cook-offs between the candidates. The Greenery’s display of quality products was an attractive addition to the set design.

• Voedselbank

Rotterdam. The Greenery has worked with the food bank in Rotterdam for

cooking competition by donating a wide range of products during this European event in which 49 different professions go head to head.

• Four-in-hand horses. The Greenery has sponsored

four-in-hand driver IJsbrand Chardon since 2000 in the spirit of “wanting to get the best out of what nature gives us.” In 2008 Chardon won his fourth world champion title in the four-in-hand world cup competition in Beesd. 

Certified quality assurance

Fresh Corridor

Food safety-related procedures, work instructions and forms were standardised throughout the entire organisation in 2007. Employees receive training and instructions about quality and hygiene on a continuous basis in order to guaran tee the food safety of the fruit and vegetables. The Greenery’s sites meet the requirements for standards including IFS, BRC and QS and, depen ding on customer wishes, are certified accordingly. In addition to the Quality Control System The Greenery has an Environmental Care System that meets ISO 14001 requirements. The Greenery’s three major sites are all certified. Both the Quality Control and the Environmental Care Systems are aimed at ongoing improvement. In addition to internal audits, the SGS certification team carries out annual inspections to determine whether the sites still comply with certification requirements.

The Greenery is involved in Fresh Corridor. The object of this initiative is to improve accessibility to ports in the Netherlands in order to make Europe more accessible for shipments of fresh goods. This involves relieving the traffic arteries and using other means of train or boat transport. The development of the Maasroute is one example. The Greenery supports the project and is a member of the Project Board.

More efficient transport

Delivery by quiet lorry

Reduction of CO2 emissions

Fruit, vegetables and mushrooms take up a lot of room, which means The Greenery deals with a lot of transport movements every day. Products are picked up from the grower and taken to consumer packaging plants and in some cases are also shipped between the organisation’s own sites. Next they are shipped to customers all over Europe. One way to reduce the number of transport movements is through effective management of the process, which is why a new planning system was imple mented in 2008 to optimize transport; part of this involves using longer heavier lorries (LHV). The reduction of fuel consumption is 15% per pallet.

Subsidiary Hollander Barendrecht uses quiet lorries in order to be able to operate outside of peak hours. This cuts down on the time spent idling in traffic, reduces CO2 emissions and avoids dis ruptions in urban areas making deliveries to stores.

CO2 emissions caused by electricity and gas use were down by 2 tonnes in 2008 compared to 2007. This reduction can be attributed to the activities carried out as part of the Energy Conser vation Plan, which included implementing mirror optics at the Bleiswijk site. By positioning mirrors around fluorescent bulbs, the same light intensity can be achieved using half as many bulbs. As from 2008 The Greenery also measures CO2 emis sions produced by the company’s own transport movements and refrigeration emissions.

New packaging The Greenery has designed a new type of packa ging for soft fruit that uses less material than the conventional container and lid combinations. In addition The Greenery is developing containers without a lid for several types of vegetables including pepper, cucumber, aubergine and cour gette. We are currently experimenting with packing peppers in a stackable box without a lid. The Greenery developed the box in cooperation with our growers in order to lower handling costs. The goal is to deliver all peppers in the new packaging from late 2009 onward.

CO2 emissions in tonnes (kg) x 1000 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2006 Electricity

2007

2008

Gas use

Gas used according to IPPC, 1998. Purchased electricity according to GHG, 2008.

Lower energy consumption Electricity is the largest single component of The Greenery's energy consumption. Electricity use decreased by over 7% per box in 2008, which surpasses the company’s targeted 2%. Energy consumption in GJ by 1000 1200

Ozone-depleting refrigerants

waste in million kg 15 12,5 10 7,5 5,0 2,5 0

1000

2006

800

2007

2008

600 400

Water use

200 0 2006 Electricity

2007

2008

The total amount of water used in 2008 decreased from 264.000 m3 to 242.000 m3.

Gas use

Working to reduce waste The Greenery monitors waste production and handling at the various sites. Waste refers to: paper and cardboard, biodegradable, household and chemical waste, wood, plastic, sludge and leftover material. A large portion of the waste is recycled immediately. The total amount of waste has been gradually decreasing since 2006.

Water use in m3 x 1000 300 250 200

At The Greenery, fruit and vegetables are kept in cold stores. These cold stores use fluorocarbons and hydro fluorocarbons as refrigerants. If these refrigerants start leaking, they may cause ozone depletion. In order to reduce this potential damage, The Greenery uses harmless CO2 as a refrigerant instead of (hydro)fluorocarbons at the new Hollander distribution centre in Barendrecht. As the graph below illustrates, this has kept the ozone depleting potential of the older generation of refrigerants from increasing. Ozone-depletion in R11 equivalents 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 2006

150

2007

2008

100 50 0 2006

2007

2008

The Greenery will consider using CO2 as a refrige rant when installing new cold stores. However, replacing the existing cold store systems with CO2 -powered units is too costly. 

Healthy employees Healthy employees and healthy growers are the basis of a healthy organisation. The Greenery therefore works in various ways to create a healthy and enjoyable work atmosphere. This includes offering an array of training programmes, making improve ments in the working environment and supporting employees involved in physical fitness-related activities. Special attention is also paid to reducing the physical strain experienced by employees who are involved in handling produce.

Training opportunities for young talent 18

The Greenery offers a variety of youth training programmes. For starters who have completed a higher level of education, the company offers a career development plan in which participants spend 14 months rotating between different departments in order to gain experience in logistics, sales, marketing and supply chain management. In addition to these traineeships, The Greenery also offers the GreenFuture plan, which gives young people the opportunity to earn their intermediate vocational diploma in a work-study programme. Last year The Greenery was pleased to congratulate 11 employees on their graduation. In 2008, the number of training hours per FTE was 8.5.

Physical strain study An extensive study on physical strain in the con sumer packaging department was conducted at

two locations in 2008. Researchers used two methods to calculate the burden of specific (workrelated) movements on the body: the Ovaka Working Posture Analysing System (OWAS) and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) formula. The results indicate that employees do not need to worry about physical strain and no complaints were revealed. How ever, the study illustrated the importance of pay ing close attention to posture and the workplace. The Greenery continues to focus on physical strain, continually searching for ways to further reduce stress.

Solutions for physical strain The Greenery has a programme aimed at reducing strain on employees caused by lifting and hoisting. In addition to a number of guide lines, the programme has produced 27 solutions ranging from a step loading platform to a pallet changer, a mobile clip hoist system, modifying reach distance and adjusting worktable heights. The solutions were formed in cooperation with the RMU, FNV and CNV trade unions and the Frugi Venta trade association. For more information visit: www.healthyhandel.nl

Active employees People who exercise are often healthier and more productive. The Greenery therefore wants to sup port employees who are interested in pursuing physical fitness. For example, The Greenery has a scheme that offers employees a discount on health club memberships and a bicycle plan that offers an incentive to commute to work by bike. The Greenery also sponsors employees and growers who participate in major sporting events, such as the RoPaRun marathon (running) and Ride for the Roses (cycling). Company bikes are available at the Barendrecht sites, where typically there has

Ethical and responsible business practices

been a lot of driving between the various buildings. Now it is possible to travel by bike which is healthier and better for the environment.

Illness-related absenteeism The Greenery set the target for illness-related absenteeism for 2008 at 4.5% or lower. Illnessrelated absenteeism in 2008 was 4.01%, not including maternity leave. The target for illnessrelated absenteeism in 2009 is once again a maximum of 4.5%. 

with the ETI code of conduct (www.ethicaltrade. org). In addition, The Greenery meets the require ments of the customers who are increasingly setting requirements related to ethical and responsible business practices. A large number of companies, including a number of UK buyers, belong to Sedex

2008 436 1857 23%

Outflow Of total In % of total Workforce Number of FTEs employed at the end of the year Executive management/ MT/administrative Logistics Transport and other Total

2008

2007

565

526

928 168 1661

891 221 1638

management provider for measuring and improving companies ask their suppliers to register on the Sedex site. This way, supplier performances can be measured in terms of ethical and responsible busi ness practices. All growers in The Greenery network that deliver to the UK are registered in the Sedex databank.

< 25 years

Male

203

Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female

48 485 136 577 102 267 39 1532 325

25-40 years 40-55 years > 55 years Total

Number of FTEs by country of business Number of FTEs employed at the end of the year 2008 2007 permanent

(Supplier Ethical Data Exchange), a knowledge ethical and responsible business practices. These

Number of people employed at the end of the year

Outflow

The Greenery’s activities are guided by honesty, integrity and openness, and this includes complying

Age group

Diversity Women represent 10% of our management Number of people employed at 2008 the end of the year Male 1532 Female 325 Total 1857

The 1553 Netherlands

England Italy Spain China Belgium US Germany Poland Total

23 5 7 14 53 3 2 1 1661

temporary permanent temporary

928

931

1526 22 6 7 7 66 2 2 1638

893

911

Healthy is more, also in 2009! Just as in 2008, The Greenery plans to focus a great deal of attention on promoting the consumption of fruit, vegetables and mushrooms in 2009. These products form

Also important will be marketing to specific target groups with products or volumes designed to fit their demographic.

the basis of a healthy, delicious and sustainable diet that we desperately need in the fight against obesity. Together with growers, employees and buyers, The Greenery will elaborate on the sustainability strategy in 2009 under the motto ‘Healthy is More.’

In 2009, healthy cultivation will emphasise stimu lating and offering communicative support to growers who are independently taking steps to make their growing methods more sustainable. Further reduction in the use of crop protection agents is also a high priority item on the agenda. The only way to do this is by cooperating with chain partners. The recently launched joint effort with Bayer CropScience is an excellent example. Together with The Greenery’s employees, the growers will pursue healthy innovation in order to come up with new products and concepts for the market. This includes not only the actual products but also everything else that the process involves, such as packaging, logistics and sales channels. The Greenery’s extensive range of products allows us to offer a healthy variety all year round. Increasing the variety of products and cultivation methods, such as organic and Fair Trade, will continue to play an important role in 2009.

Healthy communication in 2009 entails working more and more with the retailers on the optimal presentation and communication for fruit, vegetables and mushrooms in the supermarket. A crucial part of this is to increase produce depart ment employee knowledge about the products. Considerable attention will also be paid to www.verseoogst.nl, the site that puts a human face on the growers. Healthy business operations depend on healthy employees. In 2009, focal points include measuring certain parameters more precisely, such as energy and water use, CO2 emissions and waste flows. The lorries will meet the latest stringent require ments in order to decrease transport-related fuel consumption. All management team members will be given a toolbox to provide support for issues including absenteeism management, com munication and culture development. Using the new employee satisfaction survey, The Greenery is actively seeking to engage employees in a dialogue to discuss topics such as job perception and welfare. The Greenery aims to produce a sustainability report on 2009 that meets Global Reporting Initiative level B. 

The Greenery at a glance Company profile The Greenery is a leading international fruit and vegetable company. All year round and world wide, we deliver a complete, daily fresh range of vegetables, fruit and mushrooms to our custo mers: supermarket chains, wholesalers, caterers and the food processing industry. To us, high qua lity and professionalism are the starting points when it comes to working with natural products. We strive for more: we want to stimulate the market while we simultaneously lead the sector. We do this by applying our professional expertise and enterprising spirit. We are driven by the power of healthy ideas, the courage to blaze new trails and the energy of our employees. Product distribution

tive. The activities extend across the entire chain, starting with the quality of seeds, raw materials and fertilizer and ending with the target groupspecific innovations. Country of product origin

2008

2007

Net turnover

1,308

1,414

Operating result

Net profit

Capital, reserves and subordinated loans as % of balance sheet total

38.7%

41.1%

(in thousands of euros)

Sustainability management

Spain 9%

Overseas 12%

Other European countries 9%

The Netherlands 69%

Geographic distribution of turnover

Mushrooms 4%

Other fruit 10%

The Netherlands 32%

Rest of Europe 29%

Soft fruit 5%

Other vegetables 15%

Germany 18%

Rest of world 4%

Hard fruit 8%

Vegetables botanically classified as fruit 58%

England 17%

The Greenery markets products from Dutch and foreign growers, especially from the approxima tely 1,150 Dutch grower companies that own The Greenery Ltd through The Greenery U.A. coopera

Key figures

Financial information The 2008 Annual Report contains a detailed account of the financial rewsults. The report is posted on: www.thegreenery.com

At The Greenery, the general management is ultimately responsible for sustainability. The first contact person is the Director of Quality and Environ ment. At the management level, sustainability is addressed during the weekly Operational Management Meeting. The participants represent 13 managers and directors of the operational and commercial departments at The Greenery. In addition, a quarterly meeting is held between the Director of Quality and Environment and the directors of the commercial departments with regard to quality, environment and sustainability. At the operational level, a meeting on suppliers is held every two weeks to discuss current issues regarding sustainability. Our employees put policy into practice under the direction of the manage ment every day.

Putting a face on sustainability The employees pictured below are responsible for everything that has to do with sustainability.

Dialogue with stakeholders

The Greenery feels that it is important to be in close contact with our stakeholders. Cooperation and consultation are the keys to finding a balance between all stakeholders’ objectives. Stakeholders include not only employees, growers at home and abroad and buyers, but also social organisations. In the Netherlands, we meet at least three times a year with The Netherlands Society for Nature and Environment (Stichting Natuur en Milieu) and Friends of the Earth Netherlands (Milieudefensie) conservation groups. The meetings are a place to discuss existing and future problem areas and potential solutions. Decisions resulting from these consultations have a direct influence on policy at The Greenery. Meetings are also held with govern ments and the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (Voedsel en Waren Autoriteit). At the Dutch and European level, consultations are regularly held with the sector, including the

Philip Smits General Manager

Arie van der Linden Director of Quality and Environment

sector meeting on healthy food. In the DPA (the sector association for fruit, vegetable and mushroom sales and marketing organisations) and Freshfel (European branch association), The Greenery participates in working parties speci fically involved with sustainability issues. Part of this also includes meetings with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

respect for human rights, the environment and legitimate interests. This applies to the interests of employees, customers and shareholders, as well as suppliers and other engaged parties.

The Whistleblower Act

In order to determine grower and employee satisfaction, The Greenery conducts an annual satisfaction survey and a two-yearly employee satisfaction survey. The results are used in the policy-making process.

The ‘Whistlerblower Act’ (Klokkenluidersregeling) came into force in November 2007. It is a tool that makes it possible to verify compliance with The Greenery’s code of conduct. The Act offers all employees of The Greenery and its 100% sub sidiaries the opportunity to report suspicions of violations of internal and external regulations (Code of Conduct), without this having personal consequences.

The Greenery’s Code of Conduct

Corporate Governance

The Greenery’s Code of Conduct (Gedragscode), which endorses the rules of the ETI code of conduct, officially took effect in November 2007. The Code of Conduct describes the standards for The Greenery, its 100% subsidiaries and its employees. The basic principle is that The Greenery’s activities are guided by honesty, integrity and openness, with

Corporate Governance is described in detail in the 2008 Annual Report. The annual report is available at: www.thegreenery.com 

Satisfaction survey

Cindy van de Velde-Kremer Director of Human Resources

Yvonne Geurten Manager Communications & Marketing

Peter de Wit Property Manager

Stan de Ridder Logistics Manager

Egbert van Alphen Transport Manager

Edwin Poldervaart Manager Supply Chain Management

Other information Scope and method

Terminology list

The scope of this report covers The Greenery Ltd’s operation, including the 16 subsidiaries. The information in this annually published report con cerns the performances from 1 January 2008 - 31 December 2008. This sustainability report was drawn up according to the guidelines of the Glo bal Reporting Initiative, level C. The financial annual report with detailed information about the financial results is available to download from the website www.thegreenery.com. The informa tion was compiled centrally at the main office. A portion of the data includes estimates.

Colli: the individual packaging units. ISO 14001: one of the standards in the ISO 14000 series. Used worldwide to establish and certify environmental management systems. QS: Qualität & Sicherheit is the German counterpart of GLOBALGAP, a chain-oriented system. IFS: International Food Standard is the German/ French counterpart of the UK BRC Standard for Food Safety. Just like BRC, IFS calls for a quality system, HACCP application and the inclusion of environment, product, process and personnel. GRI: Global Reporting Initiative is the international guideline for reporting on sustainability. SEDEX: Supplier Ethical Databank Exchange is a non-profit membership organisation for businesses committed to continuous improvement of the ethical performance of their supply chains. Members are evaluated on aspects including labour standards and health and safety. ETI: Ethical Trade Initiative is a code of conduct for ethical and responsible business practices. MRL: Maximum Residue Level. GLOBALGAP: The Global Partnership for Good Agricultural Practice. Standards set for farmers and market gardeners regarding food safety, sustainability and quality.

HACCP: Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points. BRC: The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is an inspection protocol used by British retailers and spells out the requirements that suppliers must meet. The BRC calls for a quality system, HACCP application and the inclusion of environment, product, process and personnel in this system. (Nowadays the actual standard is referred to as the GLOBALFood Safety Standard). IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. GHG: GreenHouse Gas Protocol. CO2 equivalents: the figure indicating the relative greenhouse effect, in other words the relative global warming potential (GWP), in relation to the GWP of carbon dioxide (CO2); expressed as a multiple of the greenhouse effect of CO2. R11-equivalents: the ozone depleting potential of the various types of refrigerants used by The Greenery has since been recalculated by means of the Montreal Protocol (2006) into the equivalents of refrigerant R11, commonly known as freon. 

GRI Table Indicator

Explanation

Report page nr.

Comments and weblinks

Vision and strategy 1.1 1.2

General Management statement Description of key impacts, risks and opportunities

SR 3 AR 24 - 25

Organisation profile

2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10

Name of reporting organisation Primary brands, products and/or services Operational structure Location of headquarters Number of countries where the organisation operates Nature of ownership and legal form Markets served Scale of reporting organisation Significant changes during the reporting period regarding size, structure or ownership Awards received in the reporting period

SR 28 SR 21 AR 19 SR 28 SR 19 + 21 AR 14 SR 21 SR 19 + 21

The Greenery B.V.

Spoorwegemplacement 1, Barendrecht

None SR 6

Report parameters 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4

Reporting period Date of most recent report Reporting cycle Contact point for questions regarding the report and its contents

SR 23 SR 23 SR 28

2008 October 2008 Annual duurzaamheid@thegreenery.com

Organisation profile 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11

Process for defining report content Boundary of the report State any specific limitations on the scope or boundary of the report Basis for reporting on other entities Data measurement techniques and the bases of calculations Explanation of the effects of any restatement of information provided earlier Significant changes from previous reporting periods

SR 21 - 23 SR 23 SR 23 n/a SR 16 + 23 n/a n/a

GRI table of contents 3.12

Table identifying the location of standard disclosures in the report

SR 24 -27

GRI Table

Assurance 3.13

Policy and current practices with regard to seeking external assurance for the report

The report was not verified externally

Indicator

Explanation

Report page nr.

Comments and weblinks

Governance, duties and involvement 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5

4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9

4.10

Governance structure of the organisation, including committees that fall under the highest governance body. Chair of the highest governance body For organisations with a single governance structure: indicate the number of independent and/or non-executive members of the highest governance body Mechanisms for shareholders and employees to provide recommendations or direction to the highest governance body Linkage between compensation for members of the highest governance body, executive managers and managers (including severance schemes) and the organisation’s performance (including social and environmental-related performances). Processes in place for the highest governance body to ensure conflicts of interest are avoided. 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. Internally developed statement of mission or values, codes of conduct, and principles relevant to economic, environmental and social performance and the status of their implementation Procedures of the highest governance body for overseeing the organisation’s identification and management of economic, environmental and social performances, including relevant risks and opportunities and compliance or conformity with internationally agreed standards, codes of conduct and principles. Process for evaluating the highest governance body’s own performances, particularly with respect to economic, environmental and social performance.

AR 18 - 19 AR 18 - 19 nvt AR 14 - 17 SR 22 AR 14 - 17

AR 14 - 17 SR 22 AR 14 - 17 AR 14 - 17 SR 22 AR 14 - 17 SR 22

AR 14 - 17 SR 22

Duties associated with external initiatives 4.11

Explanation of application of the precautionary principle by the organisation

4.12

Externally developed economic, environmental and social charters, principles or other initiatives to which the organisation subscribes Membership in organisations

4.13

AR 14 - 17 + 61 SR 22 AR 14 - 17 SR 22 SR 22

Consultations with stakeholders 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17

List of stakeholder groups engaged by the organisation Basis for identification and selection of stakeholders with whom organization engages Approaches to stakeholder engagement, including frequency by type and by stakeholder group Key topics and concerns that have been raised through stakeholder engagement, and how the organisation has responded, including through its reporting

SR 22 SR 22 SR 22 SR 6 - 7 + 22 AR 46 - 49

Performance indicators

Report page nr.

Comments and weblinks

Economic EC1

EC4 EC7 EC8

Direct economic value generated and distributed, including revenues, operating costs, employee compensation, donations and other community investments, retained earnings, and payments to capital providers and governments Significant financial assistance received from government Procedures for local hiring and proportion of senior management hired from the local community at significant locations of operation Development and impact of infrastructure investments and services provided primarily for public benefit through commercial, in-kind or pro bono arrangement

AR 57 - 60

n/a n/a AR 50 - 51 SR 14

Environment EN1 EN3

EN4 EN5 EN6 EN7 EN8 EN9

EN16 EN18 EN19 EN22 EN25

Total materials used by weight or volume. Direct energy consumption by primary energy sources in joules or multipliers of joules (such as gigajoules). Indirect energy consumption by primary source in joules or multipliers Energy due to conservation and efficiency improvements in joules or multipliers. Initiatives to provide energy-efficient or renewable energy-based products and services, and reductions in energy requirements as a result of these initiatives Initiatives to reduce indirect consumption and reductions achieved Total water withdrawal by source in m3 a year Water sources significantly affected by water withdrawal. Defined in terms of size (in m3 a year) of the water source, status (protected area) and biodiversity value (for example, number of protected species) Total direct and indirect GHG emissions by weight (in tonnes CO2 equivalent). Initiatives to reduce GHG emissions and reductions achieved Emissions of ozone-depleting substances by weight Total weight of waste by type and disposal method Identity, size, protected status and biodiversity value of water bodies and related habitats significantly affected by the reporting organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discharges of water and runoff

SR 21 SR 17 SR 17 SR 17 SR 8 + 15-17 SR 8 + 16-17 SR 17 n/a

SR 16 SR 8 + 16-17 SR 17 SR 17 nvt

Indicator

Definition

Report page nr.

Comments and weblinks

Labour LA1 LA2 LA4 LA7 LA8

Total workforce by employment type, employment contract and region Total number and rate of employee turnover by age group, gender and region Percentage of employees covered by collective bargaining agreements Rates of injury, occupational diseases, lost days and absenteeism, and total number of work-related fatalities per region Education, training, counselling, prevention and risk-control programs in place to assist workforce members and their families or community members regarding serious diseases

SR19 SR19 100% SR19 SR18

Human rights HR2

Percentage of significant suppliers and contractors that have undergone screening on human rights, and actions taken

SR19

Social SO6 SO7

Total value of financial and in-kind contributions to political parties, politicians and related institutions, by country Total number of legal actions for anti-competitive behaviour, anti-trust and monopoly practices, and their outcomes

none none

Product accountability PR1 PR5

Life cycle stages in which health and safety impacts of products and services are assessed for improvement Practices related to customer satisfaction, including results of surveys measuring customer satisfaction

SR 6 - 14 SR 22

More information The purpose of this Report is to provide, in a clear and transparent way, insight into the activities and developments within our organisation in the area of corporate social responsibility. We would be pleased to receive any questions, comments or suggestions at the following address: duurzaamheid@thegreenery.com

Colophon

Published: October 2009 Compiled by: Tim Willaert Advice and editing: Schuttelaar & Partners Photography: Beeldbank The Greenery Design and lay-out: CapsStudio, Abcoude The Greenery B.V. Spoorwegemplacement 1, Barendrecht Postbus 79, 2990 AB Barendrecht Telephone: +31(0)180 65 59 11 E-mail: info@thegreenery.com www.thegreenery.com