Northern Foods shares were delisted from the London Stock Exchange from 13 May 2011

British and Irish Farm-produced Ingredients

Around 80 per cent of our raw materials are purchased in Britain and Ireland, where our factories are based, and through the supply chain are sourced mainly from British and Irish farmers.

Consequently we believe we have a responsibility to support our home agricultural economies and to help rural communities to thrive. Two significant examples of initiatives that support this are the Northern Foods Farm Assurance Policy and the Northern Foods Rural Action Award

Northern Foods Farm Assurance Policy

Our industry-leading Northern Foods Farm Assurance Policy specifies the quality assurance standards we require from all our suppliers of farm-produced ingredients. It provides our customers and consumers with the confidence that legal requirements and best-practice standards are met in areas such as animal welfare, land management, crop protection, the environment and wildlife protection. Among the principal policies are:

  • Adherence to the basic freedoms for animals by providing: access to fresh water; a diet to maintain health and vigour; prevention and treatment of injury, disease or infestation; sufficient space and the company of the animal’s own kind; and conditions and care that avoid mental suffering
  • Compliance with farm-animal regulations governing appropriate feedstuffs, the use of medicines, transportation and slaughter
  • Provision of evidence, by audit and testing, that genetically modified organisms are not used in the supply chain
  • Application of a crop chemical and pesticide policy, which includes a strategy to minimise chemical and pesticide use
  • Compliance with regulations and best practice to minimise microbiological contamination occurring anywhere in the supply chain, from seed to final product delivered to Northern Foods
  • Provision of a documented traceability system to permit the identification of the source of any product in the event of adverse test results, hazard alerts or other incidents
  • Provision of an environmental management plan, which provides for the maintenance of good quality water, soil and air, the reduction and safe disposal of waste, prevention of pollution, and the optimisation of energy use
  • Recognition of the need to manage wildlife and the landscape to maintain biodiversity and natural habitats.

Click the link for full details of the Northern Foods Farm Assurance Policy.

Northern Foods Rural Action Award

The Northern Foods Rural Action Award is one of the prestigious Business in the Community Awards for Excellence. We are proud to be the major sponsors of this award, which recognises the rich contribution that rural communities make to Britain's economy and celebrates some of the outstanding initiatives within the business world that have helped Britain's rural communities to prosper.

Business in the Community is one of the Prince’s Charities, and it works with businesses to build a sustainable future for people and the planet. The Awards for Excellence recognise companies that have shown innovation, creativity and a sustained commitment to corporate responsibility. The Northern Foods Rural Action Award is supported by the Commission for Rural Communities. Previous winners are:

2010 – United Utilities
2009 – Riverford Organic Vegetables
2008 – Lincolnshire Co-operative
2007 – Northern Rail