FrieslandCampina to Implement ISO 26000

FrieslandCampina’s sustainability policy was established based on discussions with important stakeholders, including member dairy farmers, customers and NGOs. This means that the interests of these stakeholders have been taken into account in the company's CSR policy.

Dec 9 2011 --- Yesterday, during the Green Fair, Royal FrieslandCampina’s CEO Cees ’t Hart was presented with the Statement of Self-Declaration NEN-ISO 26000:2010 by Thomas Zwiers, Sector Manager Food of Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA). This makes FrieslandCampina one of the first companies in the Netherlands to introduce ISO 26000 based on a self-declaration. ISO 26000 is the international standard that provides guidance on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and offers companies support in implementing CSR policy.

FrieslandCampina’s sustainability policy was established based on discussions with important stakeholders, including member dairy farmers, customers and NGOs. This means that the interests of these stakeholders have been taken into account in the company's CSR policy.

The ISO 26000 standard is based on seven core subjects to be developed and implemented in a company’s CSR policy: Human rights, Labour practices, the Environment, Fair operating practices, Consumer issues and Community involvement and development. The standard helps to create transparency in CSR principles, guidelines, priorities and concepts and offers tools for the implementation of CSR policy. FrieslandCampina aims to develop and implement its existing CSR policy using ISO 26000 and to actively inform stakeholders.

FrieslandCampina has opted to have its self declaration verified by an external party. LRQA has assessed FrieslandCampina’s self declaration and established that it has been drawn up in accordance with the valid standard. “FrieslandCampina has made its CSR policy transparent and in doing so meets the growing need for transparency in the market”, said Thomas Zwiers of LRQA.
 
Corporate Social Responsibility is an essential element of the route2020 strategy launched by FrieslandCampina in 2010. FrieslandCampina aims to achieve climate-neutral growth throughout the chain, from cow to consumer. The primary focus areas of FrieslandCampina’s CSR policy are Health and Nutrition, Sustainable Dairy Farming, Sustainable Production Chains and Development of dairy farming in Asia and Africa. This means that one of the goals FrieslandCampina has set is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent between now and 2020 (compared to 1990 levels), to use 20 per cent less water and energy and to improve the income of small dairy farmers in South-East Asia and Nigeria. This year, FrieslandCampina rose from 37th to 20th place on the Transparency Benchmark of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation.