Drohnenaufnahme mit Blick auf große Plantage und Straße, die hindurchführt

Quality from beginning to end

Corporate supply chain responsibility at Seeberger

Taking responsibility, fair partnerships and respect for people and nature are firmly embedded in our corporate values. We want to keep a close eye on every nut, every fruit and every coffee bean on its way from the source to Ulm. A principle we’ve been following for more than 175 years. That’s how we make sure that our products are produced in compliance with human rights and environmental protection.

The Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (LkSG) was passed in Germany in June 2021. It requires companies to consider their supply chains in terms of human rights and environmental risk factors and to address any violations. From 2023, the LkSG applies to companies with at least 3,000 employees. It will also apply to companies with at least 1,000 employees within Germany from 2024.

At Seeberger, we believe that companies should take responsibility for their supply chain regardless of their size or the legal requirements.

Supply chain transparency

Guarantee transparency

with our annual transparency and comprehensive risk analyses, we want to understand and value the supply chain for each of our products and its source country. This is the key requirement in identifying human rights or environmental violations in the first place.

Create commitment:

what we expect is clearly expressed in our Conditions of Purchase. We’ve also initiated a public whistle-blower system, which enables us to identify any disparity in the supply chain and deal with it promptly.

Expanding partnerships:

we see our business partnerships not only as transactions, but also as the foundation of our company. We insist, whenever possible, on direct contact with our suppliers rather than long, complex and convoluted supply chains. We’re continually working to develop and strengthen our partnerships with all suppliers.

Goals along our supply chain by 2025

Carry out our transparency analysis and risk analysis annually and introduce a public complaint system.

Create commitment by applying our binding Conditions of Purchase.

Create added value locally by increasing direct contact and expanding our partnerships.

Responsible procurement: Supplier management at Seeberger

Our Sustainability Guidelines have been an integral part of our Conditions of Purchase since 2012. We use Seeberger supplier monitoring to check whether and how they are being complied with. This consists of complementary blocks that influence and improve each other during the process. Accordingly, we identify risks quicker and can react appropriately. Supplier monitoring helps us to keep developing and improving processes and to demonstrate that we are performing our due diligence.

Seeberger supplier monitoring modules

Seeberger conditions of Purchase & sustainabilty guidelines:

Binding contractual element for all Seeberger suppliers.

Seeberger transparency analysis:

The transparency analysis * assesses where we source our products from and the extent to which we can trace our products. The result is fed into the risk analysis.

Data-based Risk analysis (in progress):

Evaluation of generic data sources for social and ecological risks in Seeberger supplier countries and regions.

Supplier Questionaire:

Digitised questionnaires* for self-reporting by suppliers. They have long been used to develop an individual sustainability index for suppliers. These results are also fed into the risk analysis.

Personal contact:

Purchasing trips and trips in the context of the BioVal research project, personal contact at trade fairs, during visits to Ulm or at conferences. Information from the supplier questionnaires is checked at random using checklists* on visits to the source country.

* Fließen in die Risikoanalyse mit ein

Supply chain milestones –
What has happened so far

seit 1965

For over 70 years, we’ve been going on source country visits to our partners, who grow nuts, fruits and coffee of the best quality for us. From Canada to California, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia and Nicaragua, to Portugal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Slovenia, Turkey and Vietnam. We travel all over the world.

2012

Since 2012, we’ve had Sustainability Guidelines that are an integral part of our Conditions of Purchase.

2016

We’ve been carrying out a regular survey of our suppliers since 2016 and constantly update our questionnaire. This provides us with insights into the social and ecological impact of our business.

2021/22

Since 2021, we’ve been establishing our transparency analyses, in order to create a systematic record of where and how we are buying direct, and in 2022 we gained our first insights into transparency levels in our Retail and Professional business areas.

2022

Since 2022, we’ve been focusing more heavily on potential risks relating to working conditions, environmental protection or human rights in the producing countries. As soon as we identify risks, we initiate steps to investigate them more closely and evaluate them.

For more biodiversity – our participation in the “BioVal” research project

Biodiversity in food production and cultivation: how can protection for biodiversity be increased along our supply chain? We’re starting an innovative journey in the “BioVal” project alongside renowned practical partners and scientific institutions. Together with renowned practice partners and scientific institutions, we are involved in the “BioVal” project.

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity encompasses the entire variety of life on our planet. The smallest microorganisms as well as plants, animals and the ecosystems in which they live. Each of them plays an important role, the loss of which has a far-reaching impact. Therefore, the protection and promotion of biodiversity is of great importance. Only through sustainable practices, the preservation of natural habitats and the protection of endangered species can we ensure that future generations also benefit from diversity. After all, biodiversity is the basis for our food, a healthy environment and the future of our planet.

What exactly is the "BioVal" research project?

We have been involved in the project group of the Biodiversity Valuing & Valuation (BioVal) research project since 2021. BioVal is developing solutions to reduce the negative impact on biodiversity along the entire value chain. One aim is to develop methods to assess the impact of biodiversity loss. The project also aims to help integrate biodiversity into the management of companies. As a participating company, we are a real laboratory for the research project. We want to make our corporate influence on biodiversity measurable and evaluate the influence of our suppliers in a differentiated way. After all, biodiversity should also be taken into account in supplier management.

Where do we currently stand in the project?

We have already set out our expectations of suppliers in our sustainability guidelines, which form part of our purchasing conditions: Responsible use of resources, clear limits on the use of pesticides and complete freedom from genetically modified seeds, the avoidance of monocultures and, of course, the preservation and promotion of biodiversity. As part of the BioVal project, we are currently testing the newly developed BVI method. It attempts to assign a specific ecological value to each area of land under cultivation. On this basis, companies can make concrete decisions or enter into dialog with suppliers and jointly define measures to preserve or promote biodiversity.

What are our goals?

The real experts here are our suppliers, because they know their products and the challenges on the ground. In the course of BioVal, we want to learn from each other and find a basis for discussion on the complexity of biodiversity. At the same time, we see ourselves in the role of multiplier. After all, it's not just Seeberger that can benefit from the wealth of experience of its suppliers. Whether nuts, dried fruit or coffee: others can also benefit from the many tried and tested practices.

Our visit to our Spanish almond supplier

During a visit to Spain, we were able to see just how useful a direct exchange is. Our almond supplier there is part of a joint project with a renowned organization that has experience in implementing nature conservation projects on biodiversity at an international level. Thanks to the discussions on site, we gained a better understanding of how we can integrate biodiversity factors into supplier management. We were also able to test the BVI method for assessing the impact on biodiversity in practice. Such an open exchange contributes significantly to the goal of implementing the findings of the research project in our business practice.