Sustainability
“As part of our responsibility for people, the planet and our customers, we are committed to taking action that contributes to sustainable development and a sustainable society. Our overarching goal is to galvanise positive changes to our world and achieve long-term success for AB Enzymes and our customers.”
Martin K. Nielsen, CEO, AB Enzymes
At AB Enzymes, our dedication to solving challenges and seizing opportunities is making us an organisation fit for the future. We’re addressing our impact on the world and its people with innovative products that create positive change, including contributing to climate solutions. We’re also preparing for unpredictable weather patterns, potential supply chain variations caused by climate change, and changing expectations of businesses.
Leading with integrity
We are open and transparent about our impacts and how we govern our business operations and interactions. Our efforts are grounded in good governance principles. These principles are critical to our operations, but it also applies to how we engage with others along our value chain. They also ensure that we vigorously uphold our philosophy of good and fair trade.
The environmental benefits of enzymes
Enzymes are essential bio-based alternatives to chemical and petroleum-based processes and products. They enable safer and environmentally friendlier processes within industrial activities by accelerating biochemical reactions, working at lower temperatures and moderate pH levels.
Enzymes can help improve food quality and food safety, reduce the need for chemicals, lower energy consumption, and help food manufacturers respond to increasing special dietary needs. For example, enzyme products enhance the performance of laundry detergents so consumers can wash clothes at lower temperatures. They can also extend the shelf life of some foods and improve the energy efficiency of some manufacturing processes.
Our purpose
Being responsible and sustainable are at the core of our business. At AB Enzymes, we want to be continuously progressive to help address global food security challenges and ensure that our purpose and values meet external expectations from our stakeholders. We align with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 (No Hunger) because we are investing in food security, better nutrition and collaborating with others in our industry to address this critical global goal.
Addressing our priorities
Our approach to sustainability ambitions isn't static. We’re acting on what we already know needs to change but always looking for new ways to improve, evolve, innovate and adapt as we listen and learn more.
To inform our efforts, we conducted a comprehensive materiality assessment. This process included extensive stakeholder consultation to examine where our efforts are best focused to achieve the most meaningful impacts. We identified 25 sustainability topics, some with a higher priority than others, across five responsibility areas: economics, employees, environment, product and supply chain.
Economic Responsibility
Compliance
Fully compliant
Corporate governance
AB Enzymes high standards on corporate business practices and culture are demonstrated by individual day-to-day behaviour
Employee Responsibility
Employee benefits & engagement
Create a great place to work
External recruiting
Attract talent and encourage career growth by providing opportunities for continuous development
Gender equality, diversity & inclusion
Foster and maintain a diverse, inclusive and gender balanced workforce
Human Rights (own sites)
We respect human rights in all locations at any time according to ILO core labour conventions and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
Occupational health & safety
Provide a healthy, safe and injury-free work environment that supports the well-being of our employees, contractors and visitors
Product Responsibility
GMO
The stakeholders trust AB Enzymes as a competent partner in utilizing the beneficial of GMO
Product safety & quality
Continue to provide customers with safe products that exceed their expectations
Sustainable impact of products
Support our customers on their sustainability journey with our products
Environmental Responsibility
Biodiversity
Respect and endorse principle in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity and the complementary Nagoya Protocol on access and benefits sharing
GHG emissions
Monitor our GHG emissions and implement reduction activities to achieve carbon neutrality
Odour pollution
Fully compliant and acceptance by the neighbourhood
Water & wastewater
Reduce water consumption, increase efficiencies and minimize risks through water discharge and ensure sufficient water supply in manufacturing
Supply Chain Responsibility
Environmental performance in supply chains
In close cooperation with our strategic partners*, we continuously minimize our environmental impact along the supply chain
*(Strategic partners: Logistics (incl. Warehouses) and >75% of direct materials)
Human Rights in supply chain
We only work with suppliers who respect human rights
In alliance with our parent company, ABF Ingredients, we address our priority sustainability topics across three broad pillars: being responsible to people, respecting the planet and being the partner of choice for our customers.
The Sustainable Development Goals
Aligned to our material issues, we are committed to six United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to guide and inform our progress. The United Nations developed the goals to harmonise international investments and activities, acting as a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The SDGs ensure we align our approach to an international framework of action.
We've identified where we contribute to specific SDG targets across the activities of our People, Planet and Customer pillars.
Our EcoVadis rating
In 2023, we received the universally recognised and highly regarded EcoVadis PLATINUM medal for our corporate responsibility performance. This award places us in the top 1% among similar businesses. EcoVadis assessed 21 indicators across the environment, fair labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement, to determine our PLATINUM rating. It reflects the robust measures we take to support our responsibilities as part of the entire supply chain.
People
From global suppliers to our valued colleagues to the communities we work in and impact upon, we put people first. Their health, safety and wellbeing are always paramount.
Planet
We're proud of our advances in enzyme innovation that help our stakeholders, customers and their consumers contribute to a better future by reducing reliance on precious world resources. We’re taking the steps necessary to safeguard our future against the risks of climate change by changing how we operate.
Customers
Enzymes have the power to unlock better ways for our customers' products to perform. Our innovations are improving how products work to preserve precious resources.