Sustainability

Animal wellbeing

Our goal at Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat is to make great food that is safe and satisfying. And it’s also crucially important to us that we do this responsibly. Our local representatives, veterinarians and animal well-being specialists routinely visit farmers and all suppliers to ensure animals are cared for properly according to the highest standards. We comply with national and international regulations on animal health and welfare.

Great food comes from people who care

Great food starts with good and passionate people. Our relationships with our partners are the cornerstone of our business. We’re proud to partner with only the major leading companies around the world. Some of them have been successfully working with us for decades or even generations. We rely on them and work closely with them to provide healthy animals that have been treated properly and raised using modern, proven animal care practices.

Environment

Zandbergen has a clear philosophy with regard to our role in creating a sustainable environment for our and future generations. We live by a set of values in everything we do worldwide: respect everyone’s family, work, customs, cultures and religions. We furthermore ensure that we meet the needs of the animals and the lands they live on because they are our livelihood and legacy.

Quality meat starts on the farm

The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative developed to advance continuous improvement in sustainability of the global beef value chain through leadership, science and multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration. The GRSB envisions a world in which all aspects of the beef value chain are environmentally sound, socially responsible and economically viable. 

Zandbergen one of the first partners of global roundtable sustainable beef

Solar panels powering Frigomundo coldstore

We have made the storage facility more sustainable by installing a record-breaking (5,800 solar panels) energy system on the 10,500m² roof. This also enables us to positively influence the environmental impact of the total production chain.

By making the storage link more sustainable, we positively influence the environmental impact of the total production chain

The system has a capacity of 1,577 MWp that produces 1,388 MWh every year. This would be sufficient to meet the average annual energy needs of 300 four-person households, significantly reducing the carbon footprint by 950 tonnes per year. Zandbergen’s Frigomundo uses around 2,915 MWh of energy a year and the solar panels will meet around 50% of this requirement. When the cooling systems are not running, the excess power will go back into the local electricity grid.

We are convinced that our sustainable approach gives us a competitive edge and will attract clients who share our sustainable view of the future.

Sustainable daily practices

Since commencing the modernisation of our installations (cold equipment, chargers and isolation) in 2012, we have reduced our energy consumption by at least 25%.

We also put our vision on sustainability into daily practice. For example, we use LED lighting and FSC certified paper and wood. In addition to the solar panels, our warehouse Frigomundo disposes of a modern energy-efficient cascade cooling/freezing unit on the basis of ammonia and CO2. The residual heat is used for the underfloor heating of the cold storage rooms. By means of double door systems and insulation sluices, the flowing off of cold air from the cooling and freezing rooms is kept to an absolute minimum.

Our warehouse Frigomundo disposes of a modern energy-efficient cascade cooling/freezing unit on the basis of ammonia and CO2

Workplace

We recognise that each team member plays an important role in our success. We challenge our employees to apply their skills, education and insight to help improve company performance. 

We see protecting and respecting human rights as a given and recognise the critical role all participants within the beef value chain play in their community with respect to culture, heritage, employment, land rights and health. We are committed building a team from a diverse range of backgrounds who have skills, talents, ambitions and strong work ethics.

Happy employees help us be our best

We know that our hard-working team members are integral to our success and this is why we believe in fair compensation. We offer employees competitive pay and benefits because we appreciate everything they do. We want Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat to be their employer of choice.

While we are today one of Europe’s leading food import companies, we have not forgotten where we come from. Zandbergen began as a small butcher shop in Leiden over 90 years ago. We still hold to our founding core values, while embracing new innovations and technology. Discover all the benefits of a large, internationally- orientated company with a small family business feel.

We started as a one-man butcher shop

Conserving natural resources

“Optimisation of soil and water management is the basis of our sustainability programme at our farms.”

The global beef value chain manages natural resources responsibly and enhances ecosystem health. This principle is based on the concept that ecosystem processes are managed through adopting practices designed to sustain and restore ecosystem health throughout the beef production system. Such practices enhance biodiversity and provide ecosystem services including water recharge, filtration and conservation, ensuring healthy soil conditions and contributing to resilience, including the ability of ecosystems to recover from extreme climate and weather events. This principle is achieved through continuous improvement across all criteria, in which the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef plays an important role. Compliance with all local, national and international laws applicable to natural resource usage is mandatory.

We practice what we preach. At the basis of our sustainability program at our farms in Brazil lies the optimisation of soil and water management. By using modern technologies, we have cultivated dry and arid ground preventing further erosion and degradation of the lands. We also ensure that from every farm a minimum of 20% of the land remains pristine natural forest, thus preserving the biodiversity and ecological systems.

A minimum of 20% of the land remains pristine natural forest

Social compliance

Supply chains are becoming increasingly complex within a global marketplace. It is more imperative now than ever for companies to improve visibility over their production and to drive improvements across their supply chains wherever possible. Amfori BSCI (Business Social Compliance Initiative) has enabled companies to trade with purpose by improving social performance in their supply chain since 2003.

Amfori BSCI unites more than 2,000 companies around a development-orientated system that is applicable to all sectors and sourcing countries. We have integrated the criteria offset out in the Amfori BSCI code of conduct into our business operations. For more information about Amfori BCSI, please visit: http://www.amfori.org/

For example, our investments in our Brazilian farms have resulted in new residential homes for farmers and their families, which raises the general standard of living and educational opportunities for the farmers and their children.

Discover more about Zandbergen World’s Finest Meat