Collab and connect: Ferrero releases sustainability report

The Ferrero Group has released its 15th Sustainability Report.

The latest Sustainability Report, for the 2022/23 financial year, shares the company’s focus on driving greater transparency across its core-ingredients supply chain, in line with its responsible sourcing approach. In its hazelnut supply chain, Ferrero has achieved 90% traceability — an increase from the 79% reached in previous year 2021/22 — sustained by its continued work with farmers, suppliers, institutions, universities and research centres to promote and share sustainable farming practices.

Supply chains

In collaboration with partners on the ground, Ferrero has also helped address complex supply chain challenges, such as deforestation, across the areas from which it sources ingredients. For example, using satellite mapping to help increase traceability of cocoa back to farm level to 93% in 2022/23. As well as working extensively with cutting-edge technology, Ferrero is a long-standing member of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) and the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI).

Collaboration has also played a key role in accelerating progress on tackling the causes behind child and forced labour. Ferrero continues to partner with Save the Children, working with 65 communities in the Haut-Sassandra Region in Ivory Coast, one of the main sourcing countries for cocoa, reaching over 18,000 people. Ferrero is also working with Earthworm Foundation and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) across its palm oil and hazelnut supply chains respectively to help support responsible labour practices.

Packaging

As the company aims to improve its sustainable practices for generations to come, 90.7% of Ferrero packaging is now designed to be recyclable, reusable or compostable — up from 88.5% in 2021/22. The company has also achieved a 20% reduction in water intensity at Ferrero plants, through reduction and reuse initiatives since base year 2017/18 (9.6% vs 2021/2022).

Giovanni Ferrero, Executive Chairman of the Ferrero Group, said: “As Ferrero grows and diversifies its portfolio, we continue to value our long-term partnerships, in particular those dedicated to the communities where we operate and where our raw materials are sourced. We believe in the importance of partnerships to achieve progress, to move forward our sector's social and environmental agenda, and finally to create societal value.”

You can read more about the Ferrero Sustainability Report here.

Image credit: iStock.com/Christian Rummel