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AAK ­ Responsible Growth 2012-2013 - UK

Shea – a strategic raw material Shea kernels from West Africa are a very important and unique raw material for AAK. Over more than 60 years, we have gained extensive knowledge and experience of this raw material and the local communities in which we operate. Our continued presence in West Africa is essential to us. We monitor selected shea trees to assess the size of the next harvest, and we handle a number of processes to ensure an unbroken supply chain from the collection of shea kernels to early treatment on transportation to the harbours, and to their warehousing and shipment to Northern Europe. Shea trees grow in some of the world’s poorest countries. Here, we work with the women who collect the shea kernels, building capacity in local communities. Our work in these areas includes the formation and teaching of women’s groups in villages and by doing direct business with them we help them markedly improve their livelihood. Combined with our involvement in the Global Shea Alliance, of which we are a founding member, these activities demonstrate our commitment to the sustainable sourcing of shea in West Africa. We are proud of our achievements and are committed to continuing our work. Shea supply chain, West Africa Shea is a wild crop, so we never experience two similar seasons. At AAK, we continued our pursuit of streamlining the supply chain from the West African women collecting shea kernels to our factories in Scandinavia. Recently, we initiated construction of our new yard in Bobo Diolassou (Burkina Faso). This yard will allow us to further our influence on the business conduct and working conditions in the West African bush. A yard consists of warehouses, weighing bridges, offices, laboratories, staff quarters and a workshop for our trucks. In all the operations we run in West Africa, we put great effort into complying with the national legislation and providing 18 | AAK Responsible Growth health care to our staff, such as for example medical check-ups, vaccination programs and mosquito nets. For the companies we work with in West Africa, we focus on increasing compliance with the AAK Supplier Code of Conduct. Working in Africa, we realise that full compliance will only happen gradually. In the years to come, we intend to continue on this path towards a short, streamlined and transparent supply chain, and we are open to cooperating with all stakeholders who share this vision. Knud Larsson Sourcing & Trading Director


AAK ­ Responsible Growth 2012-2013 - UK
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