Universal Robina

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

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

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
The company has developed commitments and key performance indicators (KPIs) which go across its business operations. It has identified three areas: People, Products and Natural Resources. However, there is an opportunity for Universal Robina to enhance its reporting by disclosing time-bound targets for all its most relevant sustainability topics.

Governance and accountability for sustainable development strategy
While responsibility for the company’s sustainable development strategy lies with its sustainability steering committee, the company has an opportunity to strengthen accountability by assigning this responsibility to its highest governance body and disclosing further information on its decision-making processes and oversight responsibilities.

Stakeholder engagement
The company does not disclose stakeholder engagement activities, including how it selects the stakeholders, nor an overview of the topics discussed or their outcomes.

Water use
Universal Robina discloses a target to reduce water use ratio by 30% by 2030. It provides quantitative evidence of reductions in water use against the target. However, there is an opportunity for the company to increase its disclosure on the topic by providing evidence of dependency on water-stressed areas across its own operations.

Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions
While Universal Robina states it will optimize its energy use by improving energy use ratio by 30% by 2030, it does not disclose a sufficient target to reduce its scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions. Furthermore, the company does not disclose quantitative evidence to demonstrate that it is reducing its scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions.

Protection of natural terrestrial ecosystems
The company does not disclose activities aimed at achieving deforestation and conversion-free (DCF) supply chains for its relevant high-risk commodities. It has an opportunity to increase its disclosure on commitments to source its high-risk commodities through recognised certification programmes or by disclosing targets for achieving DCF supply chains.

Protein diversification
The company does not disclose that it is diversifying its protein portfolio, for instance, by increasing the proportion of plant-based proteins and other alternatives such as cell-based meat analogues.

Fertiliser and pesticide use
The company does not disclose that it is adopting sustainable sourcing practices that optimise the use of fertilisers and pesticides.

Food loss and waste
While the company is addressing food loss and waste in its own operations through composting, it has an opportunity to disclose a commitment by setting targets to reduce food loss and waste across its own operations and supply chain and reporting against these targets. It can also disclosing quantitative data to demonstrate that it is reducing food loss and waste in its own operations.

Animal welfare
The company does not disclose that it is addressing key animal and aquatic welfare issues for its relevant key species in its own operations and supply chain. It has an opportunity to disclose a commitment that addresses key issues for animal and aquatic welfare across its relevant species, geographies and products.

Availability of healthy foods
While Universal Robina states it will improve the nutrition and wellness profile of its product portfolio, the company 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
The company 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.

Responsible marketing 
The company does not disclose a responsible marketing policy, nor guidelines specific to marketing to children.

Food safety 
While the company discloses evidence that some sites of its own operations are certified to a Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)-recognised food safety scheme, it does not demonstrate that all its own operations are certified to a GFSI-recognised food safety scheme programme or other widely recognised certification.

Child and forced labour
The company does not disclose a commitment to prohibit child and forced labour in its own operations and supply chain.

Health and safety of vulnerable groups
The company 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.

Farmer productivity and resilience
The company states that its ‘Kabalikat sa Pag-Unlad’ programme teaches locals efficient hog raising and other farming practices. However, there is an opportunity for Universal Robina to enhance its reporting by disclosing the impact of its activities supporting farmers’ productivity and resilience.

Land rights 
The company does not commit to recognising and respecting the legitimate tenure rights related to the ownership and use of land of local communities.

While Universal Robina has a grievance mechanism which is accessible to both employees and external stakeholders, it lacks disclosure on all other indicators related to respecting human rights. Within its own operations, this relates to committing to respect human rights and the ILO core labour rights identifying, assessing, and taking action to address its human rights salient risks, and identifying and engaging with stakeholders whose human rights are potentially or actually impacted. Furthermore, it does not expect the same in relation to its supply chain partners.

While the company commits to respecting health and safety of its employees through its code of conduct, it lacks disclosure on all other indicators related to providing and promoting decent work. This includes commitments and targets towards paying a living wage, achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment and supporting practices in relation to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

The company publicly commits to protecting personal data but does not accompany this with a privacy statement on the use of personal data. It also does not disclose a global tax strategy, including tax payments for all its tax jurisdictions, or an approach towards lobbying and political engagement, including lobbying expenditures. Furthermore, the company does not have a policy prohibiting bribery and corruption or a grievance mechanism to report related issues.