The international group Daifressh, which has long been committed to sustainability across its different business units, has recently published its latest sustainability and social responsibility report, which sets out the different actions carried out within the company during 202 and the results obtained. In addition, the Valencian company is in the process of developing a new strategic plan in which ambitious objectives and commitments related to this area will be a priority.
“We are aware of and committed to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which serve as a basis for carrying out our social responsibility initiatives in the different areas of action: environment, society, and human resources,” says Ana Claramunt, Production Manager.
In the environmental sphere, Daifressh carries out its own berry production mainly through hydroponic cultivation with substrates. This system offers many advantages such as saving resources and greater production efficiency, which, compared to traditional soil cultivation, entails a water saving of 28%, with 93% of the fruit being first class. In addition, integrated production is carried out using biological pest control, thereby obtaining significant savings in the use of chemicals and avoiding soil contamination and the pollution of the surrounding areas of its farms.
Furthermore, it has managed to reduce waste by half compared to the previous year, both in the field and during packaging and subsequent distribution, thanks to the cultivation techniques used and a significant investment in infrastructures with the latest technology.
It also managed to mitigate the impact of its carbon footprint by reducing a total of 1,546,933 kg of CO2 by using more environmentally friendly logistics solutions such as sea and rail transport. At the same time, a hybrid work policy has been implemented at its head office, alternating teleworking and face-to-face work, and car-sharing has also been promoted, which has been very well received by employees.
“Sustainability should not be limited simply to caring for the planet, as we believe that it must also include extremely important areas of action such as the motivation and development of our staff, as well as the revitalisation of the local economy and society in which we operate,” says Ana Claramunt. “Creating quality employment and promoting the viability of local rural economies are also among our commitments”.
To this end, Daifressh has long been developing different measures to ensure equality, training, and the continuous improvement of the working conditions of its workers. This is reflected, for example, in the gender ratio, which is currently 50/50, and in the coming months an Equality Plan will be launched that will include new and ambitious objectives.
In the social sphere, the company has been collaborating for years with various local and international NGOs and charitable foundations to which it donates fresh fruit and vegetables throughout the year. The promotion of sport through the sponsorship of different teams or activities and its participation in events for the development of the agri-food sector are other actions aimed at contributing to sustainable development.
“This report, as well as reflecting our values in a transparent way, serves as an initial basis that we will use to create our new sustainability plan for the coming years”, says Ana Claramunt, Production Manager.