Quality Policy

The Balconi Group – Valeo Foods Italy proposes the following

• to the Consumers:
  • We will offer reliable products thanks to high quality and food safety standards, at a comparable level with market leaders.
  • We will offer a wide range of good quality products with an excellent quality/price ratio, in line with what is expected in terms of innovation, nutrition and quality of ingredients.

• to our Customers:
  • To be the go-to manufacturer of “Made in Italy” Bakery, efficient and competitive, ready to service a worldwide distribution.
  • To be attentive to product portfolio innovation, in order to expand the worldwide presence of our own brands and our commercial partners.
  • To develop, through research of new formulations and packaging, sustainable products with better nutritional profile and lower environmental impact.

• to our Employees:
  • To develop a safe and healthy working environment through prevention.
  • To increase their involvement and motivation, through communication of company results and skill development.
  • To improve the working environment, to develop equal opportunities, to enhance the well-being of workers in the workplace.

• to our Shareholders:
  • To increase the value of our corporate brands.
  • To increase the degree of penetration into diverse sales channels and markets, creating stable relationships based on trust and transparency with customers, consumers and the various stakeholders.
  • To improve the company’s reputation through actions aimed at enhancing the values of sustainable development.

Balconi has defined and authorized this document and is making it known and is distributing it to all the company’s subjects, as well as to all those who work on its behalf.

This Policy will also be reviewed at least annually along with the objectives for improvement during the Management Review.

This document is made available to all interested parties.

QUALITY POLICY

In order to pursue its quality objectives, Balconi S.p.A. adopts the following basic principles:

• Implementation of a quality policy aimed at continuous improvement, focused on meeting the explicit and implicit demands of both customers and consumers.
• Compliance with the legal requirements of the manufactured products, in accordance with national, European and destination countries’ regulations, with particular reference to:
  • environment, personnel and production processes hygiene
  • safety and health of the manufactured products
  • labeling and related health statements
  • allergens 
  • traceability
  • Genetically Modified Organisms

• Implementation and maintenance of a quality system, verified by independent third parties, according to the main norms and standards (ISO 9001:2015, BRC and IFS standards).
• Respect for the customers’ ethical and environmental sustainability principles, through the supply of raw materials of ORGANIC, RSPO, UTZ and FAIRTRADE origin and of Kosher grade as well as the adoption of the required production methods.
• Enhancement of the level of innovation through the development of new and original technologies and recipes, aimed to improve the characteristics of the offered products (e.g. improvement of nutritional characteristics and reduction of the number of additives used) and production optimization.
• Identification of business processes related to the needs and expectations of all stakeholders (internal and external), definition of how these processes are carried out and controlled (indicators and objectives).
• Analysis of the root causes of internal and external non-conformity, so as to optimize their resolution and thus pursuing an objective of constant improvement.
• Implementation of a system aimed at minimising the risks of voluntary product contamination (Food Defense) and ensuring the authenticity of the raw materials used.
• Involvement of employees and suppliers in achieving quality objectives.
• Enhancement of the know-how of company personnel, through selection, training and involvement activities at all levels, including the implementation of a Plan to increase a Culture of Food Safety, so as to build and preserve the human resources asset that guarantees the company’s continuous growth.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

In order actualize its environmental policy, Balconi intends to take care of the following:

• Training and raising awareness of its staff and external collaborators on environmental issues, such as correct waste management and the reduction of both energy and materials waste.
• Creation of a healthy and liveable environment, insofar as possible, at the company’s production sites, avoiding pollution due to spillage of liquids or harmful substances, emission of pollutants into the atmosphere, or damage caused by an uncontrolled exploitation of water resources.
• Collaboration with local governments, aiming to research and exploit economic resources so as to improve environmental aspects.
• Compliance with our customers’ principles of environmental sustainability through the procurement of raw materials and services that meet the necessary requirements (e.g. RSPO, UTZ).
• Reduction of packaging and of its weight, in order to minimize the need for disposal and the impact on the environment.

ETHICS POLICY

Balconi is committed to pursuing its business with respect and protection of the interests of all partners with whom it deals. For this reason, all Employees and Suppliers have been informed, through the dissemination of the Code of Ethics, of the rights and duties that define the ethical and social responsibilities of each participant in the company organization. Consequently, Suppliers and Employees working with Balconi are required to comply with the general principles contained in the Code of Ethics, thus avoiding misconduct or conflict of interest.

Through this policy Balconi intends to:

• Reconfirm the value that Balconi attributes to the human capital and to the ethical roots of its production, commercial, managerial and research services.
• Ensure compliance with the workers’ contractual requirements.
• Ensure respect and development of equal opportunities among the workforce, without distinction of sex, race or religion.
• Confirm the use of third party companies that operate in compliance with the regulations currently in force, with particular reference to compliance for labor employment.
• To carry out a Budget Certification by an independent third party (SMETA Certification).
• To operate in compliance with Equal Opportunity regulations, so as not to create discrimination based on race, social level, gender, religion or political faith.
• Operate in compliance with regulations regarding the privacy of its employees.
• Prohibit misconduct towards suppliers that may lead Balconi’s personnel to conflicts of interest.
• Develop relationships with suppliers that adopt active sustainability policies in line with the principles declared by the United Nations.
• Disclose the policy itself both within Balconi and to third parties with whom it has relations.
• Respect the ethical and environmental sustainability principles of our customers through the procurement of raw materials and services in such a way as to meet the necessary requirements (e.g. RSPO, UTZ).

For reports relating to ethical issues you can write to the following address: hr@balconidolciaria.com

WORKERS’ HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

By providing human, instrumental and economic resources, Balconi S.p.A. aims to pursue and spread the objectives of improving the safety and health of workers (OSH, Occupational Safety and Health) and related programs, as an integral part of its activities and as a strategic commitment to the more general aims of the company.

In order to pursue said objectives, Balconi S.p.A.:

• It is committed to ensuring that, from the definition phase of new activities, or when reviewing existing activities, safety aspects are considered essential.
• To ensure that all workers are informed, trained (when necessary) and made aware of the need to carry out their tasks safely and assume their responsibilities in OSH, with particular reference to involvement and consultation, including through their safety representatives.
• To clearly define responsibilities in the Management of the Occupational Safety and Health System.

All the above-listed policies will be included from next year onwards in our SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS POLICY, in line with the objectives set by the United Nations.

Objectives and targets for the coming years:

1) Measuring our level of sustainability.

2) Propose challenging targets for improvement in the course of the operating years 2020-21.