Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
Transforming the planet with the SDGs
In September 2015, 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by 193 UN countries. Also known as the 2030 Agenda, this agenda aims to transform society by eradicating poverty and ensuring a just and inclusive transition to sustainable and inclusive development. GRAINES VOLTZ has adopted the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals as a benchmark for assessing the Group’s CSR contribution and accurately measuring related policies and performance.
The GRAINES VOLTZ Group contributes primarily to the following 10 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
GRAINES VOLTZ conducts extensive research on a number of vegetable and flower breeding programs, including the historical varieties HILD SAMEN, a German company acquired in May 2020.
The Group also conducts numerous research programs in partnership with suppliers around the world. The selection programs are managed from France, and the varieties are judged in numerous research stations in Europe and internationally.
The development of the group is based on the passion of the men and women who work every day in the Group’s entities. More than 600 employees work in the Group, over 85% of whom have permanent contracts.
On the basis of its activity, the Group has paid particular attention to 2 key issues for its employees :
Quality of life at work
Work/life balance.
Work/life balance. The gender equality plan has been signed and sent to the DIRECCTE. It is updated every year. The parties confirm their commitment to continue to maintain near parity between men and women in the company in terms of pay, training and career development. The parties agree to set objectives for reflection in the area of work-life balance.
A Generation Contract was signed in March 2015 and sent to the DIRECCTE. In it, the signatory parties affirmed their desire to guarantee access to and retention in employment for all workers, regardless of their age or level of qualification, by promoting the transmission of knowledge and skills. This scheme was abolished in 2017.
Each employee benefits, at his or her request or that of his or her manager, from the training most suited to his or her job and professional development within the company.
The group has asked each of its sites to reduce its energy consumption as far as possible in order to participate in the collective effort to combat climate change.
Regulatory monitoring is organised by the site managers and their employees. Environmental issues are the responsibility of the Brain sur l’Authion site, the Saint Barthélémy site and the process managers of these sites. The company is alerted to future regulatory changes, in particular through the UFS (Union Française des Semenciers) network.
Colmar site: Creation of vegetable garden for employees and a botanical garden.
Brain site: green spaces with the introduction of flowering mixtures, planting of hedges and numerous fruit varieties. GRAINES VOLTZ participates in the preservation of the soil and the diversity of species by purchasing eco-certified products that are not treated with insecticides and/or pesticides
GRAINES VOLTZ SA encourages producers to practice sustainable agriculture by using more environmentally friendly methods than traditional ones. GRAINES VOLTZ adheres to the ECOCERT standards.
GRAINES VOLTZ SA is a listed company audited twice a year by an accounting firm and two auditing firms. The half-yearly and annual balance sheets as well as all information on significant events are published with the Autorité des Marchés Financiers. In addition, in 2021, the Group defined the Group Ethics Charter, which came into force on 3 July 2021, and the Anti-Bribery Code, which came into force on 29 August 2021.
