Corporate social responsibility (CSR)

HARIBO’s corporate responsibility focuses not only on the highest quality and product safety, but also on environmental and climate responsibility and human rights standards.

Employee standing in front of production line.

Respecting the people and the planet

The HARIBO Group takes its corporate responsibility very seriously. It is the company’s belief that respect for both people and the planet plays an important role in developing the business successfully. The company has therefore implemented several policies for this area, which are integrated into the daily work. In below you find our Statement of corporate social responsibility (CSR):

The main focus is Food Safety, as the company’s consumers at any time should be able to enjoy the company’s products without any risk. The HARIBO Group therefore applies high food safety, quality and ethical standards to the selection of all raw material and packaging used in the production of our beloved products. Since 2017, all the HARIBO Group manufacturing facilities have been certified according to FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification), a GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) recognized standard with an excellent reputation in the food industry worldwide. Before 2017, HARIBO was certified according to the international food standard IFS.

Ethics

The HARIBO Group makes high demand on its suppliers of raw materials. It is required that the vendors ensure that raw materials are produced with respect for international conventions and standards, with a special focus on following the current Human Rights Conventions along with avoiding any form of bribery, corruption, forced labor and child labor. All vendors of raw material need to sign a declaration to declare that these demands are met. This declaration is a HARIBO Group Standard. HARIBO Produktion A/S is following the HARIBO Group standards as described above. All raw material vendors used in 2019 have declared that they are following the declaration. HARIBO Produktion A/S is FSSC 22000 certified. This standard ensures that the consumers get a product of the highest quality and safety, which can be consumed. However, there is always a risk that ethic codes are not met outside of HARIBO's control.

Environmental and climate responsibility

HARIBO Group is fully focused on its environmental and climate impact, and is constantly trying to optimize this area so that the company's total environmental and climate impacts remain as minimal as possible. In particular, the focus is on reducing the company's energy consumption. This is done both by investigating how to invest in more energy-efficient technology, but the company will also focus on a change of attitude among its employees so as to avoid unnecessary consumption of energy. Also handling of waste is a company focus, and waste is sorted as an integrated part of the work in order to reduce the environmental and climate effects of production. However, it is not always easy to change old habit. Therefore, the company will continue to focus on implementing good habits to the benefit of both the company and the climate.

''One of the key risks for our business is producing our products with negative impact on environment and climate. This is predominantly managed through ongoing continuous improvements of our production processes.''

In 2019 HARIBO Produktion have continued the work of identifying further areas for reducing the energy consumption. Especially when buying new machinery or replacing existing, energy consumption is an important parameter in decision making. The goal of reducing energy consumption for new/replaced machinery have been reached.

Human rights

It is a high priority for the company to ensure that sick employees return to work quickly and safely. In this, the aforementioned cooperation with the local authorities is very important. In addition to this cooperation, the company pays for a private health insurance for all employees. Employees have continuously given the company the feedback that this private health insurance is a significant employee benefit.

HARIBO has adopted a number of policies which work for continuous improvements of a safe and healthy working environment for all employees. Smoking cessation courses are provided, sports grants, and focus on healthy food in the company's canteen are just some of the initiatives. In addition, the company aims to maintain and motivate current and future employees in these areas. In order to do so, the employees' positive experience of HARIBO as a workplace is an important parameter.

Reducing work-related accidents resulting in absence has a particularly high priority which is why follow-up interviews are carried out when an accident has occurred. In 2019 5,2% of the workforce experience accidents with more than 1 day of absence. Most importantly, however, is the focus on preventing accidents, which is why work environment representatives and environmental boards have been educated systematically in all the company's departments. In 2020, education and training in improving both the physical and social working environment is planned. It is expected that these initiatives will reduce the number of accidents. HARIBO will continue the work on improving the working environment and educating our employees – and thereby reducing accident related absences. One of the key risks for our business is health and safety incidents. This is predominantly managed through ongoing continuous improvements to the health and safety environment at the workplace.