KWS

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
KWS has identified seven Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as its focus through its materiality assessment and grouped them under its “Seeding the Future” strategy. Nevertheless, there is an opportunity for the company to disclose time-bound targets for its most relevant sustainability topics.

Governance and accountability for sustainable development
The company states that its Executive Board has uppermost responsibility for its sustainability strategy. However, there is an opportunity for KWS to link the reward system of its highest governance body to sustainability performance across all environment, nutrition and social inclusion topics.

Stakeholder engagement
While the company discloses a list of its stakeholders across its value chain as well as an overview of the issues raised via its stakeholder engagement activities, 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, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions
While the company states it intends to improve its disclosure on its greenhouse gas emissions in the future, it has yet to disclose quantitative evidence to demonstrate that it is reducing its scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions.

Soil health and agrobiodiversity
While the company discloses qualitative evidence through its catch crops and mixed cropping solutions, it has an opportunity to strengthen its commitment by setting targets to increase the percentage of production from sustainable practices that improve soil health and agrobiodiversity and reporting progress against the targets.

Fertiliser and pesticide use
While the company discloses qualitative evidence through its target of less pesticide usage notably though crop breeding, it has an opportunity to strengthen its commitment by setting targets to increase the percentage of production from sustainable practices that optimise use of fertilisers and pesticides, and reporting progress against the targets.

Water use
The company does not disclose that it is reducing water withdrawals across its operations and supply chain.

Availability of healthy foods
While KWS discloses on development projects in Peru and Ethiopia, the company does not disclose a commitment or strategic commercial activities to increase the availability of healthy and nutritious foods.

Accessibility and affordability of healthy foods
While KWS reports on its Capacity Development in Seeds project in Ethiopia, it has an opportunity to disclose a commitment to address food insecurity and develop strategic activities designed to improve the accessibility and affordability of healthy and nutritious foods.

Workforce nutrition
The company does not disclose sufficient evidence of having any workforce nutrition programmes.

Child labour
While the company commits to prohibiting child labour in its own operations and requires its suppliers to adhere to the same standard, it has an opportunity to disclose a policy requiring its suppliers to have an age-verification system in place.

Forced labour
The company does not disclose a sufficient commitment to prohibit forced labour in its operations and supply chain.

Living wage
The company 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.

Health and safety of vulnerable groups
The company does not specifically recognise the health and safety risks to vulnerable groups, such as migrant and temporary labourers, women, and young farmers.

Farmer productivity and resilience
The company reports on its development projects in Peru and Ethiopia and is planning to create new projects in south-eastern Africa. It states for its Ethiopian project a total of 1,035 farmers participated in seed production during the 2018-2019 season, producing 1,215 tons of certified wheat and barley seed. However, there is an opportunity for KWS to increase its reporting on the impact of its activities supporting the resilience and productivity of farmers.

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.

Although KWS has a grievance mechanism in place, no commitments or assessments related to respect for human rights were found in the public domain. As such, KWS demonstrates a lack of responsibility in protecting basic human rights in its operations and supply chains.

While KWS commits to the health and safety of its workers and along its supply chain, it does not guarantee the payment of a living wage, does not disclose its approach to supporting freedom of association and collective bargaining practices. While women participate in KWS’ leadership, no commitment for gender equality within the company was found.

KWS prohibits bribery and corruption, has a whistleblower system in place, and does not make political contributions. It also commits to protecting personal data. However, the company and the territories in which it operates could benefit from a transparent, global, and company-wide tax strategy.