05 Apr 2019 --- In Vion’s new sustainability report for 2018, the Dutch-headquartered meat processing giant reveals it has risen to level 2 on the international Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW). This ranking list analyzes the 150 largest food companies in the world and is deemed to be the leading global benchmark for farm animal welfare management and transparency.

“We have risen on the BBFAW global ranking list for the third consecutive year. Our activities are naturally linked to our farmers and customers, who play a key role in the supply chain, of which all of us are a part of,” Ronald Lotgerink, CEO of Vion explains.

“This ranking is very important to us at Vion, as it is an international renowned benchmark. Also most of our customers are multinational companies, they also consider animal welfare standards as high priorities in their activities. Our society demands openness and action and we are proud to be part of this,” Nancy Aschman, Director Group Communication at Vion tells FoodIngredientsFirst.

Regarding the future prospects of Vion, the ranking signifies that the CSR policies the company pursues are being recognized, and that Vion is making progress in order to increase the transparency and trust, Aschman notes. “Naturally, we are on a long road to success. We want to continue our efforts and take a step by step approach as these efforts require working together with many stakeholders and trust,” she adds. 

Last year, Vion was the first company in Germany to be certified according to the criteria of the German animal welfare organization for dairy cows. In addition, De Groene Weg, the brand for Vion’s organic meat, launched an EKO code for its pork supply chain as a bid in order to make its food production process more sustainable. 

In October 2018 in South Korea, Vion won the Hamel Business Award for its investments in sustainability and animal welfare. This year, Vion is to invest €35 million in its Boxtel location in the Netherlands. By working more sustainably at this location, the company expects to save more than the equivalent of a million kilometers per year on transport.

Last month, it was reported that Vion was considering strengthening its position in vegetarian offerings. Vion already has a subsidiary in Germany which produces and sells dozens of vegetarian products which are available via wholesalers in the Netherlands and the brand deems the extension both a logical and rational move.

“Every day more than 100 million people globally consume a Vion product. The responsibility that comes with this is part of our operations and of the relationships we have with our employees, suppliers and customers every day,” Lotgerink states.

“We also take an active part in discussions about food safety, meat consumption, animal welfare and public health, as we engage in discussions with authorities, focusing on creating a balance in the pig and cattle population,” he adds. 

Vion will publish its Corporate Social Responsibility report 2018 (CSR), which will highlight detail on the nutritional value of meat for top athletes such as brand spokesman Tom Dumoulin, who consumes 25 grams of protein six times a day. In the report, Dutch Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Carola Schouten also emphasizes the importance of farmers as the basis of food systems in our society.

By Elizabeth Green