Sustainable growth in AAK
Sustainable growth is the key objective of our
strategy and essential to our vision of being the
first choice for value-adding vegetable oil solutions.
For us, sustainable growth is about our responsibility
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towards all of our key stakeholders – the local
communities where we operate, our customers, our
employees, our investors, and our suppliers. Our
model for sustainable growth guides our sustainability
work. The model has been slightly modified
over the years and is today known as AAK’s House
of Sustainability. Furthermore, the substance of the
model’s individual elements has been continuously
developed.
Five sustainability focus areas
We have defined five sustainability focus areas – the
“pillars” – that are important to our business: Our
Customers, Our Suppliers, Our Planet, Our People, and
Our Neighbours. They provide an overview and guide
us in setting objectives and focus our resources.
Sustainability ambitions and GRI
To maintain momentum and drive improvement, we
define ambitions within each of the five focus areas.
Achievements and future ambitions are publicly available
in our Sustainability Report. Further, based on the
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the GRI Standard
guidelines we globally monitor indicators of importance
to our stakeholders and ourselves. To identify indicators
of importance we use the materiality analysis methodology
outlined in the GRI Standard.
Global CSR team
The engine behind a lot of our sustainability activities is
our decentralized global CSR team, established in 2007.
It consists of local CSR teams possessing competencies
covering our sustainability scope. The Global CSR
Manager reports to the CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)
who is a member of AAK’s Executive Committee.
Sharing and partnerships
Sharing our knowledge, ambitions and achievements
with our stakeholders is a fundamental part of our
approach. In our annual Sustainability Report we
share global information based on the GRI framework
supported by a variety of local projects and initiatives
UNGC principles and SDGs
The UN Global Compact (UNGC) is a solid platform
and a broad concept based on ten universal principles
within Human and Labor Rights, Environment and
Anti-corruption. It enjoys participation by all of the major
players in global business and CSR, including the
GRI (Global Reporting Initiative), ETI (Ethical Trading
Initiative), ICC (International Chamber of Commerce)
and OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development). AAK has been a member of the UNGC
since 2003.
In 2015, all member states of the United Nations
adopted 17 goals – the Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) – setting out to end poverty, protect the planet,
and ensure prosperity for all. Each goal has specific
targets to be achieved by 2030. As a global company
AAK recognizes that businesses have to play an important
role in that process and we have therefore included
the SDGs in our model. We are developing further ways
to support the process and monitor and report on our
progress.
Policies and codes
AAK’s sustainability policies and codes are based on
the UNGC as well as on our own principles and are
implemented globally for all AAK business activities.
The policies and codes are aligned with many of our
customers’ requirements and values, which strengthens
our strategic alignment. AAK’s policies and codes are
available at our website.
Monitoring
& Dialogue
Sharing &
Partnerships
AAK
Sustainable Growth
Global CSR Team
Ambitions and GRI
Our Planet
Policies & Codes
UNGC principles & SDGs
Our Customers
Our Neighbours
Our People
Our Suppliers