Kerry, the global taste & nutrition and consumer foods group, issues the following Interim Management Statement for the first quarter ended 31 March 2019. This statement is issued in conjunction with the Group’s Annual General Meeting which is being held today.
Kerry's Sustainability Programme reflects our vision for making the world of food, beverage and pharma better. Building on our work to date, and our heritage as a farmer cooperative, we now look to use our global scale to positively impact on those we connect with.
In 2015, the Group launched its current five year sustainability programme ‘Towards 2020’. It builds on our success to date and is a comprehensive strategy based around four key pillars that cover all aspects of our business. The programme provides a strong framework for action and sets out clear commitments that help to direct our Group-wide activities.
Our Approach
At Kerry Group, we seek to identify the most material challenges and opportunities presented by sustainability through an inclusive process of engagement with our stakeholders. In 2015, the Group launched its current five year sustainability programme ‘Towards 2020’. It builds on our success to date and is a comprehensive strategy based around four key pillars that cover all aspects of our business. The programme provides a strong framework for action and sets out clear commitments that help to direct our Group-wide activities.
Sustainability Pillars
UN Sustainable Development Goals
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a globally accepted roadmap for addressing many of the most urgent global economic, environmental and social challenges. Although the seventeen goals were agreed at international level, the challenges we face require broad participation and there is a crucial need for companies like Kerry to play its part.
Our most significant contribution will come through enabling our customers improve the healthfulness and nutritional value of their products and doing so in a way that does not compromise the environment, the rights of others or the long term effectiveness of our business.
While we touch on a number of the goals, we believe that SDGs 2, 3 and 12 are areas where we can have the greatest impact and which present an opportunity for our business.