B Corp Certification: Our Collective Commitment To A Responsible Future

At Bonduelle, our goal is to make the world a better place as we strive for positive environmental performance. Accomplishing this task requires a significant amount of time and unwavering resolve. Since 2018, our goal has been to acquire B Corp approval for all our operations by 2025.

This dedication is more than just corporate social responsibility (CSR); it is what enables us all to work together, get results, and leave a legacy worth remembering.

What is B Corp Certification?

B Corp certification is at the heart of one of the most exciting initiatives around the world. It aims to create an economy that is fair, sustainable, and able to regenerate itself. How else do we stand up for a future that will last? The B Corp certification, run by B Lab Global, is one of many sustainability badges available to companies meeting specific sustainability requirements. It provides a unique and thorough method to measure the entirety of a company’s social and environmental effects.

This certification is a mark of quality for businesses that care about how they treat people, as well as how they treat the planet. Companies that meet strict criteria for responsibility, success, and openness are awarded B Corp certification after a thorough evaluation process. The certification encourages and guides companies on the path to progress.

Our Achievements And Path To B Corp Certification

In the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Bonduelle achieved B Corp accreditation for 80% of its operations. After Italy and Bonduelle Fresh Americas in the United States in 2023, France (Long Life and Fresh), Spain, Portugal, Denmark, The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany have obtained this certification. In addition to tackling contemporary global difficulties, our organization is dedicated to upholding the sustainability and durability of our business objectives. The purpose of this methodology is to provide advantages to all stakeholders, including our employees, suppliers, the local community, the public, and beyond.

Our Path to B Corp Certification

Action was initiated in 2018, when the Bonduelle Group set an ambitious objective: by 2025, we wanted to be a 100% approved B Corp company.

When we joined five other innovative global companies as B Movement Builders in 2020, it was a huge step forward. B Lab initiated this group to afford us the opportunity to work alongside other
leaders, adopt best practices, transform our corporate culture, and accelerate progress within our organizations.

The Commitment of Our Team: 10,400 Employees At The Heart Of B Corp Certification

We are united in France and worldwide for a sustainable future. Our 10,400 employees have a huge impact in unifying our efforts as they work together to support our objective to B Corp certification.

Ensuring people have jobs is at the heart of what we do. At the core of what we want to accomplish is our promise to provide our workers with a fulfilling place to work and to maintain fair, long-lasting relationships with our partners. This method led to an employee engagement rate of 70% and saw 88% of our contracts with farmers being renewed every year.

We also ensure that all our permanent workers have easy access to health benefits and death insurance. To make jobs more available to a greater number of people, we promote an inclusive recruitment model.

B Movement Builders: All Towards B Corp Certification

To become a certified B Corp, a company must not only change how it operates to meet strict legal obligations but also take on a wider duty to all its stakeholders. Transparency is crucially important. This means that these organizations must publish their B Lab test results to ensure that anyone can see this information using the B Lab website and their B Corp accounts. This approach demonstrates a profound commitment to integrity and openness.

To keep the B Corp license, organizations must renew it every three years. Plus, businesses can better handle fast changes in the economic, social, and environmental environments if they are always improving their processes and transparency.

B Corp Requirements

Obtaining the prestigious B Corp certification is a challenge that pushes Bonduelle to do its best in the long term. Our company is pursuing certified corporation status and needs to receive at least 80 points on the social environmental impact assessment and pass the B Lab’s risk assessment which demonstrates our concern for people and the environment. Leaders who are truly committed to a safe and responsible future stand out in this process.

Some of these business certified corporations’ requirements are helping good causes, giving proper benefits to employees, ensuring materials are sustainable, and using good supply chain practices.

The Benefits of B Corp Certification

A big difference between the B Corp label and other CSR labels is that it promotes success for everyone instead of only a specific subgroup profiting. B Corp certification assesses the whole business, not just one part of corporate social responsibility, unlike many other statuses that only focus on certain areas. The B Corp certification stresses change and improvement constantly.

For Bonduelle, B Corp certification is not just an accreditation. It is a driver that facilitates progress, innovation and the well-being of our employees while accelerating our positive impact in the world.