PHW Group

No leading practices were identified for the company in the governance and strategy measurement area.

Protein diversification
PHW Group discloses that it is diversifying its protein portfolio, such as through partnerships with and investments in companies that produce plant-based proteins. In addition the company has set a target to double sales of alternative proteins by the end of financial year 2020/2021. PHW Group can further improve by providing quantitative reporting against this target.

No leading practices were identified for the company in the nutrition measurement area.

No leading practices were identified for the company in the social inclusion measurement area.

Sustainable development strategy
As part of its sustainability strategy, PHW Group has identified five priority areas including animal welfare, alternative proteins, climate neutrality, raw materials and animal feed, and packaging. The company sets targets for some but not all of these topics and reports on progress. However, no targets related to nutrition were found, highlighting a key opportunity for PHW Group to further strengthen its sustainability strategy.

Governance and accountability for sustainable development
PHW Group does not publicly disclose the governance structure for the implementation of its sustainable development strategy or targets, such as the person, team or committee that holds ultimate responsibility for its implementation.

Stakeholder engagement
PHW Group has conducted stakeholder engagement activities, such as conducting a survey among its stakeholders. and discloses an overview of the issues raised via these activities. However, it has an opportunity to disclose how it identifies its most relevant stakeholders, along with information on how the outcomes of the engagement process are integrated into the company’s sustainable development strategy.

Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions
PHW Group reports on the CO2 footprint for its products and has set a target to use 100% green electricity at a proportion of its production sites by 2025. In addition, the company discloses a target to achieve climate-neutral production at its ZNU-certified production sites in 2020 However, the company does not provide quantitative reporting on its full scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions.

Protection of terrestrial natural ecosystems
PHW Group discloses that it has achieved a deforestation and conversion free (DCF) supply chain for its high risk commodity, palm oil. The company also reports its ambitions to move towards sustainably sourced soy in its animal feed, including that at least 50% of its animal feed production by 2025 with be sustainably sourced as well as initiatives to move away from soy altogether, such as using insect proteins as feed instead. Going forward, the company could improve by disclosing the sourcing regions of all of its high risk commodities.

Food loss and waste
While addressing food loss and waste in earlier reporting, PHW Group does not consistently disclose that it is addressing food loss and waste in its own operations. The company has an opportunity to enhance its disclosure on food loss and waste, notably by disclose quantitative evidence of its activities.

Plastic use and packaging waste
PHW Group has set a 2020 target to reduce plastic use and reports on progress against this. However, there is an opportunity for the company to demonstrate that it is engaging with value chain partners to reduce plastic use.

Animal welfare
While the company has time-bound targets that address animal welfare issues for its German poultry production, these targets do not apply to all species, geographies and products. In addition, PHW Group has an opportunity to disclose an animal welfare policy that addresses specific welfare issues for its relevant key species.

Antibiotics use and growth-promoting substances
PHW Group has set a target to increase the number of farming partners not using antibiotics to 70 per cent by the end of 2020 and reports progress against this target. However, the company has an opportunity to disclose a commitment to reduce or prohibit growth-promoting substances and the prophylactic use of antibiotics that is applicable across its relevant species, geographies and products.

Availability of healthy foods
PHW Group does not provide evidence of improving the nutritional quality of its products and of proportionally increasing the sales of healthy and nutritious foods.

Accessibility and affordability of healthy foods
PHW Group does not disclose a commitment and activities to improve the accessibility and affordability of healthy foods for vulnerable groups.

Clear and transparent labelling
The company does not disclose that it provides nutritional information through clear, transparent and accurate labelling.

Workforce nutrition
While PHW Group discloses a programme to improve workforce nutrition through health management projects on stress management and healthy eating, it has an opportunity to develop this programme further to ensure the provision of healthy foods at work, nutrition-focused health checks and breastfeeding support throughout its operations.

Food safety
The company does not disclose evidence of ensuring safe food for consumers through compliance with national regulations or the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene, nor an effective food safety certification scheme.

Child and forced labour
PHW Group requires its suppliers to prohibit the use of child and forced labour. However, no English policy containing such a commitment for the company’s own operations was found in the public domain. The Food and Agriculture Benchmark only evaluated corporate policies and reporting publicly disclosed in English and available during the February – May 2021 research period or supplied by the company during the April – May 2021 data collection phase.

Living wage
PHW Group does not disclose that it pays its workers a living wage or requires its suppliers to do the same. Neither has it set targets to do so in the future.

Farmer and fisher productivity and resilience
PHW Group does not disclose a commitment or examples of activities to support the resilience, productivity and access to markets for farmers, fishers and/or small-scale producers in its supply chain.

Health and safety of vulnerable groups
PHW Group does not disclose that it specifically recognises the health and safety risks to vulnerable groups, such as migrant and temporary labourers, women and young farmers.

PHW Group expects suppliers to commit to respecting the ILO core labour rights. However, no English policy document committing to respect human rights and ILO core labour rights in the company’s operations was found. Neither does PHW Group disclose English information about its human rights due diligence process and grievance mechanisms.

PHW Group requires its suppliers to prohibit excessive working hours and overtime. However, English policy containing such a commitment for the company’s own operations was found. No further evidence of English policies or commitments related to key decent work issues were found in the public domain. This includes the provision of secure, safe and healthy workplaces, where workers are fairly renumerated and have a meaningful say in decision making.

PHW Group prohibits bribery and corruption in its code of ethics and requires business partners to adhere to the same standards. However, the company does not disclose its processes for identifying related risks.. While PHW Group sets out its approach to personal data on its website, it does not provide a commitment to protecting personal data or disclose the types of third parties that user information is shared with. The company does not provide policies setting out its global tax strategy and approach to political engagement and lobbying nor report on related expenses.