Each of us has the superpower to reinforce actions that support the environment and social rights . For example, we ourselves, as a company, will reinforce this philosophy by doing the right things in our day-to-day business, in line with our corporate social responsibility, and at the same time, by choosing the best possible suppliers.
For their part, consumers, with their purchasing decisions, also have the superpower to bet on those who do well at the environmental, social, etc. level.
And this is what we want to talk about in this article.
Supporting good environmental and labor practices within the company
Peris is an agri-food company, so we participate in a chain that has many responsibilities, including environmental care and food safety.
There are processes that we control in an integral manner. We choose the varieties of seeds to be planted and in the field we work the soil and take care of the products according to the guidelines of our technicians. However, there are other processes that do not depend directly on us, but are the responsibility of our suppliers.
Suppliers are companies that we contract to supply us with certain products that we cannot grow ourselves, either because our production capacity is limited or because they are products that are not grown in Spain, as is the case with pineapple, which comes to us from Costa Rica.
And that, in the contracting of suppliers, is where Peris pays a lot of attention. Because, obviously, product quality is essential, but it is not enough for us. We seek to ensure that our partners are committed to sustainable agriculture and that they maintain an adequate labor rights policy, in line with European requirements in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
An example of socio-environmental responsibility: Fruitpoint
Continuing with the case of pineapple, we would like to tell you about one of our collaborators who is a great example of how things can be done well and that this is not at odds with profitability.
Fruitpoint is our pineapple supplier. They are in Costa Rica, the country where we believe the best pineapples in the world are grown. These pine cones are the ones we sell in the fresh cut range.peeled and cut in different formats (cylinders, spears and sliced), ready to eat.
Fruitpoint has a demanding socio-environmental policy. On the one hand, its workers receive a salary that is above average, according to the scales of the agricultural sector in Costa Rica. Moreover, its environmental policies are strict and go beyond what is required by law.
Its sustainability practices include:
- Proper management of organic waste.
- Integrated pest management, which reduces the use of phytosanitary products to a minimum.
- Correct treatment of wastewater.
- The use of renewable energies.
- Recycling of all waste generated by its activity (paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, among others).
- Reforestation of areas in need, to protect them from erosion.
- Its social commitment, supporting initiatives that support local communities in educational and integration projects.
And for all these reasons, Peris and Fruitpoint have been joining paths for many years. Because the vision and actions are shared.
Corporate social responsibility in the agri-food industry
CSR in business is essential, because it is an essential part of sustainable development and the overall well-being of society. In the case of an agri-food company such as ours, the implementation of an adequate CSR policy is of great importance because it reinforces essential areas.
At Peris we regulate many of these processes internally, but we also have external support, such as certifications (Global G.A.P., IFS Food, etc.) that, redundantly, certify that we are doing well in important tasks such as sustainability or food safety.
And that will continue to be our path, which we will continue to follow together with partners who share this work philosophy.