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About Us
Our Businesses
Investors
Responsibility
Media
Careers
Our Ingredients businesses understand the importance of working conditions and labour standards within their supply chains and are committed to operating as responsible neighbours to their surrounding communities.
AB Mauri programme for unemployed people with bakery skills, Chile
Our Ingredients businesses adhere to the Group Supplier Code of Conduct which sets out the expectations of suppliers when it comes to managing human rights issues within their supply chains. Each business determines the most effective application of the Group Supplier Code of Conduct for their specific raw material supply chains.
Some AB Mauri businesses use desk-based screening to identify suppliers deemed to be at a potentially higher level of risk of human rights issues. A supplier self-assessment questionnaire is sent to high-risk suppliers to assess working practices.
AB Mauri has been using the Sedex (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange) online platform in the UK to help identify suppliers at risk of human rights issues. The use of Sedex is now being adopted by other AB Mauri businesses across the division.
ABFI uses desk-based screening processes to identify potential risks associated with human rights in its supply chains, based on product origins. Where potential risks are identified, ABFI engages with relevant suppliers to investigate further. Where necessary, ABFI proactively works with supply chain partners to provide training and education to increase awareness of social accountability practices and standards. Some ABFI businesses use the Sedex online database for supply chain mapping and risk management, as well as to promote supply chain transparency and data exchange among industry partners.
ABFI has an online training module for senior leadership members, as well as other relevant employees in different teams across the businesses, to help them understand the risks of modern slavery within the industry. The objective of this training is to equip its employees with knowledge and tools they can use to identify relevant issues that may arise.
AB Mauri and ABFI pursue opportunities to add value to communities beyond their business operations. Areas of focus across the global network include donating food and promoting education and inclusion.
AB Mauri is actively engaged with local communities through various initiatives. In South America, AB Mauri has a longstanding tradition of supporting the training of professional artisan bakers and pastry chefs. In recent years, its businesses in Chile and Argentina have established partnerships with local educational institutions, a college in Chile and a university in Argentina, to deliver certified training programmes. These initiatives are designed to open doors for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, equipping them with recognised professional qualifications and improving their employment prospects. At the same time, the programmes help address the declining number of skilled artisan bakers and pastry chefs in the region. To date, more than 700 individuals have graduated from these programmes, with many now working in the baking and pastry industry.
In Sri Lanka, AB Mauri launched an initiative seeking to address the lack of safe, potable drinking water in rural villages, a challenge that has contributed to chronic kidney disease (CKD) affecting 8-20% of the population1. As part of this initiative, a reverse osmosis plant was constructed at a community school in a rural village in Anuradhapura district. The plant, with a daily capacity of 10,000 litres, serves 1,100 students and 400 households, providing clean water and helping reduce the risk of CKD.
AB Mauri Brasil collaborated with its distribution partners and a local NGO to distribute products made from cashew nuts grown by the NGO’s members in an underdeveloped region of the country.
ABFI continues to promote careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to young people in its local communities. For the third consecutive year, AB Enzymes welcomed school children into its laboratories in Darmstadt, Germany, offering hands-on experiences in enzyme technology and encouraging students to explore STEM careers. Similarly, Ohly’s Boyceville site in the US participated in the 2024 Smart Girls Rock event, aimed at raising awareness of STEM opportunities among middle school girls. SPI Pharma partnered with the Delaware Department of Education and held a STEM day to provide teachers with a better understanding of what STEM careers are available for students in the area.
1.Asanga Venura Ranasinghe, Lakshmi C. Somatunga, Gardiye W. G. P. Kumara, et al., “Decreasing Incidence of Hospital Diagnosed CKD/CKDu in North Central Province of Sri Lanka: Is It Related to Provision of Drinking Water Reverse Osmosis Plants?” BMC Nephrology 25, no. 91 (2024), https://bmcnephrol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12882-024-03534-w
