It is a recognition that only a little more than 9,400 companies in the world and very few in Spain have, and is awarded by B Lab based on performance in five main areas of impact: Governance, Employees, Community, Environment and Customers.
The CEO, Imanol Almudí, underlined that ‘this is a great success that comes after many others and that precedes a great future for the company in the short and medium term’.
- Grupo Agroponiente has just received one of the most important and long-awaited news: it has been recognised as a B Corp company for its compliance with high standards in terms of social and environmental performance, transparency and corporate responsibility. B Corp companies are companies that lead a global movement of people who are transforming the economy to benefit all people and, in general, the planet.
- Grupo Agroponiente has worked over the last year to become part of this community of B Corp companies. In this way, it has once again taken a step forward in leadership, in terms of the Almeria economy and in the fruit and vegetable sector in general, since, with this recognition, the company has become a pioneer in both cases within the B Corp movement.
- In this way, the Agroponiente Group joins a growing community of companies that are contributing to redefining the meaning of business success: a success that is measured not only by economic benefits, but also by the well-being of people, communities and the planet. And in doing so, making all companies compete not just to be the best in the world, but to be the best FOR the world.
WHAT IS B CORP?
- The B Corp standard measures management performance across the company as a whole and covers five key impact areas: Governance, Employees, Community, Environment and Customers. It is a recognition awarded by B Lab to companies that are leaders in their social and environmental commitment, after passing a rigorous evaluation process through which companies must provide evidence of their good practices and incorporate their legal commitment to social purpose in their statutes.
B CORP: A RECOGNITION ONLY FOR THE BEST COMPANIES IN THE WORLD.
- From this moment on, Grupo Agroponiente has become part of a community made up of more than 9,000 companies around the world, which have become B Corp. It is a community that is a true reflection of the European economy, of which only companies of the highest prestige, from multiple industries and sizes, such as Patagonia, Rituals, Camper, Triodos Bank, Ecoalf, Motocard, Nespresso, Hijos de Rivera, Isdin, Ricola, Ecoalf, Illy, Danone, Ben&Jerrys, Unilever, Ecosia, etc. are part of.
MANY ARGUMENTS FOR BEING A ‘B CORP’.
- There are many arguments and reasons why the Agroponiente Group has been recognised as a B Corp company, within the five areas of impact and study that define the companies that obtain this recognition (Governance, Employees, Community, Environment and Customers).
Among them, it is worth highlighting that Grupo Agroponiente has managed to reduce its water consumption by 71.4% and its electricity consumption by 27.4%, has reduced its carbon footprint by 68.7%, has achieved a level of waste recovery of 96%, has achieved 88.2% of plastic-free and sustainable packaging and proudly displays a 0% salary gap: there is no such discrimination in the company and, moreover, women represent 60% of the workforce.
A BIG CELEBRATION PARTY.
- Grupo Agroponiente wanted to celebrate the achievement of this important recognition with a big party held last Friday, which was attended by nearly 200 of the professionals who make up the company. The CEO of the company congratulated them and acknowledged the effort and work of all of them and of those who could not be present (more than 2,300 employees), predicting the great future that awaits the company.
BELÉN VILORIA AND IMANOL ALMUDÍ.
- Belén Viloria, executive director of B Lab, stated that ‘we are delighted to welcome Grupo Agroponiente to the B Corp community. This community works to reduce inequality, respect and regenerate the environment, strengthen communities and create high quality jobs with dignity and purpose. Grupo Agroponiente is a new member of the B Corp community, demonstrating by example how these results can be achieved’.
- For his part, the CEO of the Agroponiente Group, Imanol Almudí, wanted to make clear the great importance of this new step forward for the company, since ‘in the company we have worked in a global and transversal way to achieve this recognition, which was important for us because it adds to the trajectory that we have been drawing for years, of being a pioneering company and a reference both in the Almeria economy and in the fruit and vegetable sector in origin in general. The specifications, objectives and areas of work of B Corp coincide in a meticulous and precise way with our corporate philosophy, with that ‘conscious agriculture’ we have been talking about for so long, with the care and respect for our environment, for considering people at the centre of all processes and strategies and for taking care of our products, services and processes with the care of those who believe that only excellence leads to success. Our company has once again achieved this, has once again distinguished itself from the rest and this brings us tremendous pride, but at the same time also a great responsibility that we undertake with the determination, commitment and rigour that characterises us. We must congratulate the whole team, the entire staff of professionals, because this is a success for all of them; a great success that comes after many others and that precedes a great future in the short and medium term for the company’.
- He added: ‘For Agroponiente, becoming a B Corp company is important because it demonstrates our commitment to sustainability, employee welfare, the community and the environment. This differentiates us from other suppliers by demonstrating that we not only care about profitability, but also about the positive impact we have on the environment. As a customer, by choosing products from a B Corp company like Agroponiente, you are supporting an ethical and sustainable supply chain that contributes to the well-being of people and the planet’.
About the B Corp movement
B Corp is a global movement of people using the power of business to solve the social and environmental problems of the 21st century. Unlike companies that only pursue economic ends, B Corp companies – today more than 9,000 worldwide – meet verified high standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability. These companies are transforming the economy and helping to redefine the meaning of business success: a success that is measured by the well-being of people, communities and the planet; and thereby making all companies compete to be not only the best in the world, but above all the best for the world. In Spain, there are more than 250 B Corps. Among them, we find companies from the food sector such as Danone or Hijos de Rivera, fashion such as ECOALF, Camper or Patagonia, banking such as Triodos Bank or imagin, or energy and telecommunications such as Holaluz or MÁSMÓVIL, among others. www.bcorpspain.es
About B Lab Spain
B Lab Spain is a non-profit organisation that is transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities and the planet. As a leader in systemic change towards a new economy, our global network creates standards, policies and tools for businesses, and certifies those companies known as B Corp companies that are leading the way. Its initiatives include B Corp Certification, the implementation of environmental and social impact measurement systems through the B Impact Assessment, and support for governance structures such as collective interest and benefit companies. B Lab’s
of B Lab is to foster an inclusive and sustainable economy capable of generating prosperity for all people. Today, there are more than 9,000 B Corp companies worldwide in 161 industries and 105 countries, and more than 280,000 companies use B Impact Assessment.
Communication Office.
Grupo Agroponiente.
