To manufacture high-quality ingredients for the bakery, patisserie and chocolate industry, Puratos sources many different raw materials from around the world. The global demand for raw materials such as palm oil, cocoa, flour or sugar can put pressure on our natural ecosystems and can affect the sustainable development of local communities. At Puratos we know that responsible sourcing is key to ethical trading and that consumers are right to be concerned about where their food comes from, how it is produced, and the way in which it is sourced. That is why we make sure that we collaborate and keep an open dialogue with the people involved in our supply chain. We are committed to responsible sourcing.
Our performances in 2020
- Although the total purchased volume of cocoa decreased by 17%, the share of sustainable cocoa increased from 26,64% in 2019 to 26,67% of which 9,89% was through our audited Cacao-Trace™ programme (vs. 9,17% in 2019)
- In 2020, we reached our target of 100% sustainable palm oil by increased buying of certified sustainable palm oil under the supply chain models Mass Balance and Segregated. RSPO credits from the book & claim supply chain model compensated for the volumes of non-certified palm oil products used in Puratos’ Group production sites in order to support the production of RSPO certified palm oil
Our long-term objectives
- Favour raw materials, packaging, equipment and services that are environmentally friendly, benefit society, and give value for money over their lifecycle.
- Favour suppliers who share our vision of sustainability and who work towards maintaining a more sustainable supply chain.
- Have our main suppliers signed our Supplier Code of Conduct.
- As from 2024, all palm oil purchased by the Puratos Group will be RSPO certified under the supply chain model RSPO Mass Balance, if not Segregated in Europe, the United States and Canada.
- As from 2025, all palm oil purchased by the Puratos Group will be RSPO certified under the supply chain model RSPO Mass Balance, if not Segregated in the rest of the world.
- By 2025, all chocolate produced and sold by Belcolade will be sustainable (in accordance with Beyond Chocolate);
- By 2030, cocoa growers will earn a living income (in accordance with Beyond Chocolate);
- By 2030, deforestation due to cocoa growing for the Belgian chocolate sector has ended (in accordance with Beyond Chocolate).
- By 2030, Puratos will have planted 3.440.000 trees in its direct Cacao-Trace cocoa supply chain to promote climate-smart farming technique, provide additional income and sequestrate carbon.
- By 2025, 100% of the eggs and egg products used by Puratos Group will come from alternative breeding to cages, wherever we are present.
The traditional way of working in the chocolate industry does not provide a sustainable future and the prices paid for cocoa are too low.
This forces many cocoa farmers to stop cultivating cocoa and convert their plantations or simply to quit agriculture completely. In recent years, the industry has focused on helping farmers produce more cocoa, but this has resulted in even lower prices.
Cacao-Trace focuses on taste improvement.
Our exceptional fermentation expertise and an unparalleled international network of post-harvest centers are key to creating superior tasting chocolate.
We train our farmers and help them to deliver cocoa beans of superior quality.
Together with our customers and their consumers, we reward our farmers for their superior quality cocoa beans by providing them with an additional and sustainable income. The Cacao-Trace program guarantees a premium price and our unique Chocolate Bonus of €0.10 per kg sold, 100% paid back. This game-changing added value strategy is resulting in tangible impacts on farmers’ living income.
Thanks to this program and by increasing farmers’ living income, farming will remain an attractive activity for them to pass on to their children and build a promising future for the next century and beyond.
Our commitments
As a member of the Beyond chocolate initiative, Puratos has taken the following commitments:
- By 2025, all chocolate produced and sold by Belcolade will be sustainable.
- By 2030, cocoa growers will earn a living income.
- By 2030, deforestation due to cocoa growing for the Belgian chocolate sector has ended.
- Since 2020, Puratos is signatory of The Cocoa & Forest initiative.
- Since its implementation in October 2020, Puratos supports the LID (Living Income Differentail) Initiative in Ivory Coast and Ghana.
For Puratos palm oil is an essential raw material due to its excellent sensory characteristics and functional properties, enabling us to supply our customers and consumers with the quality products they expect.
Palm oil is solid or semi-solid at room temperature and lends a pleasant, smooth and creamy texture to the final product. It is resistant to oxidation and thus can give products a longer shelf-life. As it is temperature stable, it can be used in high temperature processes. It is also odorless and colorless which means it doesn’t alter the look or smell of food products.
Puratos is a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) since 2010. This means that we follow strict criteria and today we are committed to 100% sustainable palm oil that has an environmental, social and ethical impact. We collaborate with suppliers, customers and other stakeholders to drive forward sustainable palm oil.
Puratos is committed to a sustainable palm oil supply chain that:
- Is free of deforestation and the use of fire.
- Safeguards biodiversity & wildlife.
- Conserves Peatlands because Peat is hugely important to our planet as it acts as a carbon store, is a great habitat for wildlife and plays a role in water management.
- Protects the forest by enhancing high conservation value (HCV) areas and high carbon stock (HCS) forests. These forest areas are in or contain rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems and are critical to local communities. They have high carbon, biodiversity and social value.
- Behaves ethically and respects the rights of workers and local communities in line with international human rights principles and local applicable laws.
- Improves working conditions and the livelihoods of workers through responsible production, education and health services.
- Promotes the inclusion of smallholders into our sustainable palm supply chains.
- Lives up to high standards of transparency through reporting of traceability up to the palm oil trees.
In 2020 Puratos reached the target of 100% sustainable palm oil by increased buying of certified sustainable palm oil under the supply chain models Mass Balance and Segregated. RSPO credits from the book & claim supply chain model will compensate for the volumes of non-certified palm oil products used in Puratos’ Group production sites in order to support the production of RSPO certified palm oil.
Over the next years, Puratos engages to continue to grow the physical sustainable palm oil (being RSPO Mass Balance and Segregated). Puratos intends to purchase 100% certified physical sustainable palm oil, under the supply chain model RSPO Mass Balance, if not Segregated, in EU, USA and Canada from 2024 onwards, and in the rest of the world from 2025 onwards.
More information on the different supply chain models can be found here.
Local fruit sourcing and knowledge of our supply chain from Field to Fork has a positive impact on our quality and gives full transparency to both farmers and consumers.
We want to push local sourcing to further improve our quality and ensure a good supply by supporting local farmers to increase their knowledge, quality and productivity.
Puratos is involved in the selection and follow-up of the fruit growers. Our Local Fruit Sourcing Programme is based on the following principles:
- Quality and traceability
- Social responsibility
- Health and safety
- Best agricultural practices
- Environmental responsability
In Mexico a close cooperation was established with local strawberry and pineapple producers. The contracts are signed directly with the producers or with the processors for the fruits needing a pre-processing step. This enables better living standards, and, thanks to the sales security we provide, our suppliers can invest in projects for the longer term, such as fruit processing plants. This in turn means more – and more diversified – work for their community.
Animal welfare is important for Puratos and is part of our commitments to you and to future generations.
As suppliers of bakery, patisserie and chocolate ingredients, we replace, when requested, animal raw materials (such as dairy products or eggs) with plant-based alternatives. To support this, Puratos has already developed various solutions, including:
- Sunset Glaze, a UHT egg-wash alternative. In 2019, we sold a tonnage equivalent to around 250 million eggs, the annual production of 1.000.000 hens.
- Mimetic, a new generation of fats which provides a real butter sensation, traditionally used in the preparation of croissants, pastries and cakes.
- Ambiante, A UHT non-dairy topping, specially designed for cake decoration.
We ask suppliers to sign our Ethical Trade Charter in order to make sure they have the same level of ethical requirements and are constantly improved. Puratos and its suppliers commit in particular to:
- Providing good working conditions (contracts, health and safety, equal opportunities);
- Opposing slavery, all forms of forced labour, including child labour, and all other forms of abuse and exploitation;
- Maintaining an open dialogue with the local authorities, in particular those in charge of environmental conservation.
Puratos is also a member of several sustainable initiatives like Sedex, Beyond Chocolate, Fedima, Fevia, RSPO, …
Local and transparent fruit sourcing program
Taste Tomorrow confirms that never before consumers have been so conscious about the stories behind their food. Our Field to Fork program is the perfect answer to this need, creating value across the full value chain
Annual Report 2020
Our commitments to you and to future generations
