Ethical sourcing and business

Read also our Human Rights Statement

We aspire to have good corporate governance that develops trust and engagement between Barry Callebaut and its stakeholders. To guide our corporate responsibility, we have built a robust framework of codes and policies.

The foundation of our corporate responsibility is Barry Callebaut’s Code of Conduct, which documents the values and mission of the company and outlines the behavior required of all employees and directors. Available in 17 languages, it is an integral part of employment contracts.

We have also developed a set of policies for suppliers.

Policies are overseen at corporate level by the cross-functional CSR Steering Committee, which is chaired by our CEO and meets quarterly to review sustainability strategy and progress.

To evaluate compliance, we regularly conduct comprehensive audits of our facilities based on risk evaluation. Our independent online whistleblowing platform (www.bcintegrity.com) allows employees to report concerns anonymously and without fear of retaliation.

Read also our Human Rights Statement

Policies

The CSR Steering Committee

Our sustainability agenda is driven from the top of the company. At corporate level, the cross-functional CSR Steering Committee is chaired by the CEO and includes the heads of each sphere of our Sustainability strategy, all members of the Executive Committee and top managers of Barry Callebaut.

Identifying material sustainability issues

We engage permanently with many players along the cocoa and chocolate value chain to identify the key sustainability issues facing our business. In March 2015, we convened a stakeholder panel, with 12 participants from customers, retailers, NGOs, and academia. Following this, and through dialogue with customers, suppliers, investors, governments, NGOs, and academics, we have updated our materiality matrix and reconfirmed the three key areas where we can make the most relevant positive difference to all stakeholders.