Tereos

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 begun the process of establishing a holistic sustainability strategy by conducting an identification and prioritisation process through which it has defined the sustainability topics that are most relevant to its operations and its supply chain. The company conducted a multifaceted process for establishing its priorities, based on ISO 26000, combined with a risk assessment. The company has however an opportunity to improve by setting time-bound targets and reporting on progress.

Governance and accountability for sustainable development
The company does not 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
The company does not disclose stakeholder engagement activities, including how it selects the stakeholders, nor an overview of the topics discussed or their outcomes.

Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions
The company does not disclose quantitative evidence to demonstrate that it is reducing its scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions.

Soil health and agrobiodiversity
The company has disclosed quantitative evidence regarding its efforts towards soil health and agrobiodiversity, for example with the use of honey bearing species in crop fields in order to develop auxiliary insects. The company is also part of the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) since 2015. Tereos has disclosed the results of its programmes, including increased percentage of production from sustainable practices. There is still room for improvement, specifically by setting time-bound targets to increase the percentage of food produced by techniques that improve soil health and agrobiodiversity.

Fertiliser and pesticide use
While the company discloses qualitative evidence through its participation in prioritising organic fertilisation and by attracting and maintaining certain populations of auxiliary insects, 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
While the company discloses its water use, it does not demonstrate quantitative reductions in water withdrawals across its own operations.

Availability of healthy foods
While the company has a commitment to increase the availability of healthy and nutritious foods, it has an opportunity to undertake activities that contribute to increasing the production, quality and/or variety of healthy and nutritious foods.

Accessibility and affordability of healthy foods
The company does not disclose a commitment to address food insecurity by improving the accessibility and affordability of healthy and nutritious foods.

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

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
While the company commits to prohibiting forced labour in its own operations and supply chain, it has an opportunity to disclose a requirement that prohibits its suppliers from retaining workers’ personal documents and restricting workers’ freedom of movement.

Farmer and fisher productivity and resilience
Agricultural partners at Tereos have access to tools that help farmer productivity and resilience, for example the farmer self-assessment tool from Sustainable Agriculture Initiative. Furthermore, the company organises a yearly innovation forum where best techniques are shared amongst members of the cooperative. The company can improve its performance by consistently measuring the impact of its programmes.

Land rights
Tereos agricultural and business partners and suppliers, as well as its own operations, must use the principle of free and informed consent when it comes to land acquisitions. The company also states that the procedures must respect traditions and customs of local populations. The company can strengthen its commitment towards protecting land tenure rights by implementing a monitoring scheme as well as setting up remediation procedures.

No policies or commitments related to respect for human rights were found in the public domain. This includes the necessary policies and systems to respect basic human rights in its operations and supply chain.

Tereos discloses the proportion of its direct operations workforce covered by collective bargaining agreements. Aside from this, no policies or commitments related to providing and promoting decent work were found in the public domain. As such, Tereos does not demonstrate that it provides secure, safe and healthy workplaces, where workers are fairly remunerated and have a meaningful say in decision making.

Tereos publicly commits to protecting personal data but does not have a global approach to data privacy. The company includes anti-bribery and corruption clauses in its contracts with supply chain partners, but no further evidence that it prohibits bribery and corruption or takes steps to identify and address these issues was found. Further, the company does not address responsible tax or lobbying and political engagement fundamentals. . By and of itself, it is not possible to say that Tereos’s disclosures account for a commitment towards an ethical business conduct.