Grupo Agroponiente makes an important commitment to its ESG (‘Environmental, Social and Governance’) policies within the company

The company has implemented a protocol of behaviors that include tangible objectives in the field of the Environment, social relations and good governance and that affect all the actions of the organization

In addition, it has acceded to the United Nations Pact in several of its basic objectives (#ods), transferring them to the daily development of the company’s operations and actions.

Grupo Agroponiente has undertaken an important and profound work related to the Environment, social relations and good governance, internally implementing a strategy of what is known as ESG (Environmental Social and Governance), with the objective of giving the company its own personality and a series of objectives to be met chronologically in the future in the short and medium term.

ESG’s strategy incorporates environmental, social and good governance factors in the company’s decision-making at all levels, which means that these three areas of action are present in the general philosophy of the company and that all operations and decisions They take into account their repercussions on them, forming a guide of behavior within the organization and that affects and conditions the behavior of all the actors of the same, whatever their work and position.

That means, as Andrea Alonso affirms, director of Marketing and ‘ESG Champion’ (responsible for ESG) of Grupo Agroponiente, that “all decisions, operations, strategies and behaviors of the company, regardless of the segment and scope, must take into account what our values are in relation to ESG and respect them at all times.”

In this way, a manual has been prepared that includes goals, deadlines and ways to achieve them in the three branches of which the ESG is composed, with the primary objective of the company providing value in each of these areas. These are “achievable and progressive objectives, which seek to improve a starting situation in the ESG field, which has previously been evaluated and defined,” adds Alonso.

Thus, Grupo Agroponiente has already implemented strategies and actions such as the implementation of the ESG system itself and the appointment of the ‘ESG Champion’ itself (responsible). Together with them, other more specific actions have also been developed, such as the review of the cold stores certifying that no toxic gases are used for the environment, the implementation of the waste management protocol and the update of the registration book on the destination of the waste for its correct recycling, the adjustment of the environmental and waste management policy, the installation of containers for recycling of the staff’s own plastic in the dining rooms, the development of an internal code of conduct that will govern the behavior within the organization to dictate the rules and protocols in the employee behavior in relation to colleagues, suppliers, customers, farmers, administrations, etc. and the establishment of an absolutely protected and anonymous complaints channel aimed at informing the company of any anomaly of any kind.

Likewise, a welcome manualfor the employee, which includes the entire structure of the company and extra information on matters related to behavior, responsible for each area, etc., has also been launched.

Specifically, regarding aspects related to the Environment, a water and electricity consumption control system has also been put in place for better use and a better contribution to the environment, reusing water from certain machinery that allows it; the use of a system for controlling the contribution of resources for crops, both water and fortifying products, has begun; and special emphasis is being placed on the management of organic waste within the working relationship with the Frutilado company, of which the Agroponiente Group is a shareholder, for the transformation of waste for livestock feed.

In social terms, an ambitious strategy has been developed in the Department of Occupational Risk Prevention, with a plan to prevent accidents and workers’ health problems.

In addition, Grupo Agroponiente has adhered to the United Nations Pact in its sustainable development goals, creating an internal awareness of the company’s impact on the planet. This agreement works for specific objectives called #ods and Grupo Agroponiente has adhered to the following:

– #ods2.4, from the point of view of the commitment to the sustainability of food production systems and the application of resilient agricultural practices, assuming the commitments to obtain 100% of farmers certified by Global Gap and Grasp, as well as the promotion of use of the 100% integrated fight and the maintenance of the collaboration with the donation of fresh products to charities.

– #ods6.4, committing the company with the efficient use of water resources and the assurance of the sustainability of the extraction, and the efficient and sustainable use of the farmers’ water thanks to the drip irrigation system; In addition to the promotion of the implementation of a rainwater collection system aimed at its storage in the rafts of each farm, also promoting new technologies in order to improve the sustainable use of this precious asset. Along with this, this point also implies a commitment to use 100% desalinated water in those territories that have that water available (Campo de Níjar), which will contribute to the preservation of underground aquifers.

– #ods12.3 y #ods.12.4, the first of which will mean halving food waste and ecologically sound management of the chemicals allowed, progression and progress in the relationship with Frutilado for the

effective management of agricultural waste, the realization of a better forecast and promotion in the commercial management to avoid product losses and the effective management of commercial rejections for its use in other destinations and an adequate management of the recycling of the products that are used in the greenhouse

All this new ESG strategy supposes an important transformation and modernization of Grupo Agroponientewhich seeks to place itself at the forefront of active policies related to the Environment, social relations and good governance, forming an organization that takes into account the basic aspects to improve people’s lives and relations with the planet in the Short, medium and long term.