We are very aware of the fact that sustainable business is a continuous process. Corporate social responsibility is, therefore, structurally rooted in our business operations. To manage and monitor the progress we make in this area, we work with four pillars:
Consumer & Health
Chain Management and Animal Welfare
Welfare and Safety Employees
Sustainable Production
We report on this annually in our CSR Annual Reports, which can be downloaded from this page.
Our CSR guiding principles
Consumer and Health
The Dutch public’s interest in healthy eating and exercise is still growing. We opt more often for a no-meat day. As a meat processing business, we play an important role in contributing to a varied diet. Safeguarding food safety is obviously part of this. Consumers and customers must be able to have complete confidence in this.
Employee Safety and Well-being
Our employees are our assets. We continually strive to create a safe, healthy and interesting working environment. This means that we provide a safe and pleasant working environment and that we also encourage our employees to adopt a healthy lifestyle. By paying attention and taking an interest in our employees, our goal is to keep every one of them committed and enthusiastic.
Supply Chain Management and Animal Welfare
Successful, sustainable and humane business is only possible if it is embedded throughout the whole supply chain. As certified supply chain manager, Van Loon Group ensures that the required methods are carried out correctly by every link in the supply chain.
Sustainable Production
From solar panels on the roof to stimulating employees towards ‘sustainable behaviours’. And from heat recovery to reducing waste water contamination levels. This is just a selection from the full range of measures that Van Loon Group puts into practice. We do everything we can to minimise our footprint while sustaining the continuity of our organisation.
Van Loon Group, Best Star Meat en chain partners start with Pig at its Best (Varken op z’n Best)
The new Pig at its Best chain concept was launched on 1 October 2020. Van Loon Group took the initiative for this innovative supply chain concept aimed at improving the quality of our pork and at making the chain transparent, sustainable and controllable. The roll-out will take place under the direction of Best Star Meat, memebr of the Van Loon Group. 16 pig farmers have now joined Pig at its Best. Chain partners that are part of Pig at its Best are feed suppliers AgruniekRijnvallei, De Heus Voeders and ForFarmes, venterinary practices De Varkenspraktijk and AdVee vets and De Oosthof vets and breeding organizations PIC and Topigs Norsvin.
Sustainability in practice
Highlights 2020
Saving energy sources
Water consumption has been reduced by 11% for every tonne of products sold.
This year we have generated an extra 1,411,933 kWh electricity using our own PV systems. In total 2,688,242 kWh was generated, 6.2% of our total consumption.
Packaging and emissions In the past year the business Meat Friends North switched from normal skin pack packaging to FlatSkin packaging in which the plastic tray is replaced by a cardboard carrier. This results in a considerable reduction in the amount of plastic used. This FlatSkin packaging will be adopted by a further two Van Loon Group businesses in 2021.
