In this pillar we strive to significantly increase the offerings of products that support health and wellness. We do this for example by decreasing the salt and sugar levels in our products. We also inspire customers and consumers to a healthier lifestyle by promoting healthier products.

To achieve this, we expand our product portfolio to own the number one position in the Dutch market with gluten free and vegan bread. As such, we have expanded the gluten free and vegan product portfolio with 10 sku’s (stock keeping unit) already. Together with our OFI-sister Credin and our customers, we achieve to co-create new products for the product portfolio in the categories pastry and ice cream.

Achievements:
In a joint effort with the bakery supply chain, an increase of wholemeal bread consumption in the Netherlands above 50% (coming from 25% in 2015) was desired throughout the bakery sector. By offering great tasting wholemeal products and supporting the Wholemeal Bread Campaign, we have contributed to substantially in line with increasing the wholemeal bread consumption in the Netherlands. The consumption of wholemeal bread products is now exceeding 50% of the weekly bread consumption, with the remainder 50% consists of wholemeal/white flour based bread and multigrain breads.

By supporting and active participation in large consortium projects at the Wageningen University & Research, we contribute to improving the health impact of wheat based products.

Sonneveld and the EBIC actively participate in the Bakkerszout 2.0 (bakery salt) project to reduce the sodium consumption via bread in the Netherlands by 30-60% in 2024. 

Goals:
Furthermore our goals are:

• Further expansion of the gluten free and vegan product portfolio
• Expand wholemeal product range with more healthy and more delicious fibre rich products
• Contribute to the reduction of the amount of salt in bread products by 30-60% with the whole bakery supply chain in the Netherlands
• Together with consortia and Wageningen University & Research we strive to deliver better insights in the health benefits of wheat based products

At Sonneveld we recognize that responsible and safe products are an important part on the path to a more sustainable future. Therefor the assurance of quality and food safety is our unwavering priority.

Our factories and warehouses are regularly audited both on international recognized standards (BRCSG, RiskPlaza, SKAL, RSPO, Halal and Kosher), as on our own internal standard: the Orkla Food Safety Standard (OFSS). The OFSS standard is based on the British Consortium Global Standard for Food Safety and has been further developed by Orkla, our parent company, to cover risks that are important for our food manufacturing operations.

Thorough risk assessments are integral before launching any product. This comprehensive analysis anticipates health hazards tied to packaging, ingredients and usage. Supplier compliance holds the utmost importance for Sonneveld in order to guarantee the safety of our raw materials. Our protocols for producing safe raw materials exemplify our dedication, cultivating trust and enhancing safety across the entire supply chain. Sonneveld efforts to ensure food safety and product safety contribute to the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals 2, 12 and 17.

Achievements:
In November 2022 our factory in Duiven has scored green on the Orkla Food Safety standard. This factory has been part of Sonneveld since 2019, but due to the COVID-19 period there was not possible to perform the OFSS audit earlier. All factories of Sonneveld have now the green score on the Orkla Food Safety Standards. 

Goals:
We wish to further improve this pillar, to which our goals are:

• To achieve 100% approved suppliers according to OFSS standard
• Continue to keep our manufacturing facilities at green level
• Continue to ensure that all products are safe

Our food business makes Sonneveld a large purchaser of agricultural raw materials. We have many direct suppliers globally and many sub-suppliers. We require our direct suppliers to accept our Supplier Code of Conduct which outlines our sustainability expectations.

This means that the supplier commits to carry out their production in accordance with internationally recognized standards relating to human rights, working conditions, the environment and anti-corruption. We follow up our suppliers through on-going dialogue, supplier evaluations and third-party audits. Our raw materials must be produced with the interests of people, the environment and animal welfare in mind. Our focus is on promoting human rights, high environmental standards and responsible business practices, but also on ensuring sustainable production of raw materials in the long term. Transparency is key. We communicate openly about how our products are manufactured and about their impact.

Our company is increasingly using certification and labelling systems that make it visible for customers how sustainable our contribution is to the supply chain. Packaging has an important function in terms of protecting products, prolonging shelf life and facilitating easy use by customers. However, packaging should be sustainable too and the environmental challenges attributable to single-use plastic inspires us to find new packaging solutions.

Supplier information can be business sensitive, which is why we do not operate with open supplier lists. However, we report on risk issues and our work with important supply chains through our parent company Orkla on their annual and sustainability report. 

Achievements:
With the raw material Rapeseed oil: we have implemented the ISCC Plus or REDcert². ISCC Plus is an international independent certification system for the implementation of environmentally, socially and economically sustainable supply and value chains based on mass balance. REDcert² offers certification schemes for sustainable agricultural raw materials to use in the food/feed industry.

Both are equivalent to FSA 2.1 Silver via SAI. Benchmarking with FSA 3.0 Silver is in progress. On our High Oleic Sunflower oil we implemented also the ISCC Plus on HOSO. 

When it comes to soy, we buy Proterra certified Soy flour. Canadian Soy beans certifications will be available for all export out of Canada starting from the new crop harvest in 2023. 

Goals:
In the upcoming years we’ll be working on:

• Ensuring respect for workers-rights
• Achieving verified sustainable production of key raw materials including promotion of sustainable farming
• Getting our packages to being 100% recyclable
• Evolving our packaging to being 75% made of recycled materials
• Making sure that 50% of the plastic packaging is made of recycled or renewable materials

Sonneveld operations is in transition to sustainable production to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. A sustainable energy system starts with reducing and reusing energy and thereafter converting remaining sources. We follow a structured approach for our scope 1 & 2 emissions (like stationary combustion and electricity). We prioritize to reduce and re-use our energy, after which we we look at all opportunities to re-new energy, convert energy to other sources and or compensate (via emission rights, certificates or offsets). For scope 3 we strongly focus on reducing waste (scope 3) in all operations mainly driven by continuous improvement engine.

Achievements:
We have already made some achievements in the past years and will continue to do so in the upcoming years. For example in 2021 we have changed the lighting facilities in all factories to LED, resulting in quite a reduction in use of energy. In 2023 we are renewing the isolation of the factory roof and already a substantial reduction of waste (in means of process, raw materials and finished goods) has been realised. Next year, all operations will run their electricity via hydro certificates (in terms of compensation) and we will invest in heat regeneration in all factories (re-use).

Goals:
To keep working on environmental engagement and improving our efforts, we have set several goals for ourselves. By using EBIC enzyme technology, we are working together in the bakery supply chain to reduce the waste of bread by 30% in collaboration with Advocational and Higher education, the Bakery Sweets Centre in Leeuwarden and the Stichting Samen Tegen Voedselverspilling (Alliance against Food Waste). Furthermore our scopes up to 2030 are:

Scope 1 & 2

• 63% reduction in climate gas emissions
• 60% energy from renewable resources

Scope 3

• 29% reduction in scope 3 emissions.
• 50% reduction in waste

We have to take care of our earth and everything on it. We are stewards of this earth. It’s our corporate responsibility to respect and safeguard human life. We wish to be a good place to work for our employees and a good neighbour in society. Care for our people and society is about building a strong, resilient company, managing risks and making a difference that really matters in people’s lives. We foster a culture of safety, health, integrity, respect and inclusion.

Achievements: 
There is a good level of engagement; up to 80% was measured in our last employee engagement survey. All departments have developed and implemented a follow-up plan. It is our aim to increase diversity and inclusion through life phase-aware personnel policy, better gender balance throughout the entire Sonneveld group as well as in leadership positions and equal pay. We also strive to have fewer accidents in the company.

Goals:

• Full implementation of the Orkla responsible employer and human rights policies.
• All employees participate in our People Dialogue Program; they receive and provide feedback and are given the opportunity to develop themselves.
• We secure EHS performance standards by engaging leaders and employees in EHS-audits, behavioural training and practical workplace e-learning modules.
• Full implementation of the compliance program and risk monitoring system to ensure integrity, using repetitive training on code of conduct, data privacy & protection and anti-corruption.
• We engage in external networks and collaboration projects to achieve sustainable change.