UHRENHOLT – A GLOBAL COMPANY ACCELERATING OUR SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA The business world is undergoing an upheaval. COVID-19 has turned our lives upside down. It has fundamentally affected the way we live our lives and conduct business. We have changed our habits and adapted to a new reality. At the same time, we all face difficulties that require us to adopt new behaviours. For Uhrenholt, 2020 was a year of extreme uncertainties and challenges in all our markets. Despite this, we managed to deliver a record result through intense focus and a massive savings program that did not include layoffs. We see this as a testament to our commitment and ability to adapt, even in these extraordinary circumstances. During the pandemic there has been a marked shift in patterns of consumption, from the food service industry to retail, due to the many lockdowns around the world. It has also changed the way we work. Very rapidly indeed, most of our employees had to start working remotely. Our strong IT setup, combined with a remarkable multinational display of determination and ability from our employees, brought about a new working environment in which we continued to do a great job. Digital alternatives have enabled colleagues around the world to get together when needed, to carry out work to the benefit of our business and our business partners. We also made important progress with our sustainability agenda. We interpret the term “sustainability” broadly. We work with respect for the environment, develop healthy and nutritious products to feed the Earth’s rapidly growing population, and respect human rights abroad and at home. SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING At Uhrenholt, packaging plays a crucial role in the high standards of food safety and quality we set for ourselves and our products. We are committed to meeting the markets’ increasing demand for sustainable packaging especially for alternatives to plastic packaging. During 2020, we intensified our survey of all packaging types across our portfolio of products, starting with our Emborg brand and our private label products. The purpose was to revisit how much of our packaging is recyclable, and how much of it is made from recycled rather than virgin materials. The results documented that 95.9% of our product packaging materials now are recyclable, with the remainder mainly being complex packaging such as laminated plastic, and 41.5% of the materials we use now are made from recycled materials. The great result is a testament to our focus towards more sustainable packaging. However, we are motivated to do even more. It is imperative that we continue the transition to sustainable packaging. Such packaging must minimize food wastage and must continue to protect the food, maintaining its quality and freshness. In 2021, we will complete the survey of all our product packaging. While preserving our close relationships with suppliers and customers, we will support the development of suitable packaging alternatives that will meet our quality and food safety requirements in a financially responsible way. While we recognise the difficulty in converting the remaining 4% of our packaging to recyclable materials, our aim is to reach 100% by 2025. A CHARITABLE COMMUNITY We have a number of traditions. One of them is to donate DKK 100,000 annually to a local humanitarian charity, preferably in a country where we operate. Each year the charity is chosen from nominations made by our employees, business partners, followers, and other stakeholders. We choose a cause where our donation will make a significant difference in the lives of the local people, especially children. Our 2020 donation went to help street children in the Philippines toward a better future. 4 | UHRENHOLT – A GLOBAL COMPANY | UHRENHOLT CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020
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