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

Sustainable and Ethical Supply-chain

At Northern Foods we believe that our food should be produced sustainably and ethically, so we set high standards for the sourcing of ingredients and the production processes we use, and we constantly monitor and review performance.

Each year we spend more than £350 million on raw materials, which means that our procurement and supplier audit teams have to be among the best in the industry. We were among the first food manufacturers to set policy guidance for our UK and overseas suppliers and agents. We use the guidance to audit suppliers and ensure that together we achieve the quality standards our customers require in a sustainable manner.

No genetically modified ingredients – We source only non-genetically modified ingredients for all the products we manufacture, and we require our suppliers to provide evidence, by audit and testing, that no genetically modified organisms are used in the supply chain.

Free-range eggs – All eggs used in Northern Foods products are sourced from certified free-range supplies in Britain and Ireland.

Sustainable palm oil – Palm oil is an increasingly attractive ingredient because of its low levels of saturated fat, but using it can create sustainability issues because it is grown in areas of tropical rainforest. Since January 2010 all of our bulk, raw palm oil has been sourced from sustainable supplies, and we are making good progress towards our target of all palm-oil ingredients being from sustainable sources by 2012.

Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex)

We are proud to have been one of the six founding members of the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange (Sedex), a UK-based organisation dedicated to improving ethical standards in the treatment of workers in supply chains around the world. In the six years since it was established, Sedex membership has grown to cover 28,000 sites in 132 countries.

The Sedex system generates transparency through exchanging data. It enables companies to maintain data on labour standards at their production sites in a secure environment that can easily be shared throughout the supply chain. The system also has a facility for employees anonymously to 'whistle blow' against failing employers.

Currently 34 of our leading suppliers are members of Sedex, and we continue to encourage more to get involved. Members of Sedex acknowledge various international standards of ethical corporate behaviour, including the widely acclaimed base code of the Ethical Trading Initiative. Northern Foods requires all suppliers in its supply chain to adhere to the code, which in summary states that:

  • There is no forced labour, child labour, or harsh or inhumane treatment of workers
  • Wages meet national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher
  • There is a safe and hygienic working environment
  • There is no discrimination in hiring, compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement based on race, caste, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, union membership or political affiliation

Read more about our sustainable and ethical supply chain at British and Irish farm-produced ingredients