Berentzen Gruppe : Sustainability Report

Sustainability Report

2023

Sustainability Report 2023

2

Inhalt

2  Introduction

3  Foreword from the Executive Board 5  Company portrait

7  Key figures

8  Principles

8  Sustainability strategy 13  Sustainability management 16  Stakeholder engagement 18  Compliance and transparency

22 People

25  Employee retention and satisfaction 33  Health and safety in the workplace 37  Training and development 39  Our commitment

40 Planet

42  Value added chain 46  Water 48  Climate protection 53  Use of resources

57 Products

58  Sustainable products and packaging 60  Climate-neutralised products 61  Product security and quality 63  Responsible sourcing

66 Annex

(1)  Introduction

About this PDF report

This PDF document is optimised for use on screens. To make optimal use of the links, download the PDF file and open it in Adobe Acrobat. You can jump directly to the content you wish to view either via the table of contents or via the linked page references. You can return to the last single page you visited or to the next or previous pages by using the following buttons, which can be found in the toolbar in this report.

Navigating via the toolbar

Search

Contact

Previous page

Next page

Last visited page

66  About this report

Back69  GRI content index 76  Company information

Sustainability Report 2023

3

Introduction

Forword from the

Executive Board

Company portrait

Key figures

Principles

People

Planet

Products

Annex

Back

(1.1) Foreword from the Executive Board

We are pleased to present the seventh consecutive, voluntary Sustainability Report of our corporate group to you today. The regular annual publication of this report since 2018 is clear proof of our commitment to the responsibility we have to people, the planet and products. We are firmly convinced that sustainable activity and economic success are inseparable prerequisites for creating long- term value for all our stakeholders. Although it has long been an important trend, the concurrence of economics, ecology and social responsibility gained fresh momentum in 2023. The importance of this topic is reflected by the many

activities and projects related to sustainability that we as a corporate group implemented in the past year and which we describe in detail in the present report.

If you have followed our commitment to sustainability over a longer period of time, you will know that we divide the measures we take as part of our sustainability strategy into three areas of activity: People, Planet, and Products. In the forewords of our preceding Sustainability Reports, we placed a particular emphasis on our projects in the areas of Products and Planet, including the measures we have taken to make our products climate-neutral or the installation of photovoltaic systems at our business locations, for example.

In the past year, we have pursued measures especially in the area of People. We are proud to report today that we successfully implemented all the individual measures we defined as part of our sustainability strategy by the end of our 2023 financial year. In the area of corporate health management (CHM), for example, we developed and implemented the holistic concept of care@work, introduced a CHM steering committee, and broadened our system of key indicators. As a result, we have significantly improved our internal processes and maximised our contribution to occupational health and safety. At our Group company Citrocasa GmbH, we successfully established a corporate health promotion programme we call Citrofit. As of last year, moreover, our corporate group is a proud member of the occupational safety campaign known as "Vision Zero".

Sustainability Report 2023

4

Introduction

Forword from the

Executive Board

Company portrait

Key figures

Principles

People

Planet

Products

Annex

The success of our initiatives is reflected not only by the awards we have received in the category of family-friendly employer for our business locations in Haselünne, Minden and Linz, but also in the positive feedback of our employees and job applicants.

We have not been idle in the other areas of activity, either. For example, we updated our Code of Conduct and Marketing Code, introduced a new, Group-wide digital whistleblower system, and significantly increased the capacity of our photovoltaic systems.

Again last year, our commitment to the cause of sustainability was recognised in the prestigious EcoVadis Rating, in which we won a gold medal for the third year in a row. Our rating rose from 72 to 77 points last year, lifting the Berentzen Group to the best two percent of the more than 100,000 enterprises across the world rated by EcoVadis.

As always, we have only been able to highlight a small selection of our measures, initiatives and projects in this foreword. We therefore urge you to read all of the present Sustainability Report. And of course, we have big plans for 2024 as well. Aside from measures meant to prepare us for new regulatory requirements such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the EU Taxonomy, we also intend particularly to revise and improve our sustainability strategy. There is much to look forward to!

Sincerely yours,

Ralf Brühöfner

Oliver Schwegmann

Back

Sustainability Report 2023

5

Introduction

Forword from the

Executive Board

Company portrait

Key figures

Principles

People

Planet

Products

Annex

Back

(1.2) Company portrait

With a company history going back over 260 years, the Berentzen Group is one of the oldest producers of spirits in Germany. Berentzen-Gruppe Aktiengesellschaft, with its head office in Haselünne, Germany, is the highest-level company of the Berentzen Group, which consists of more than 20 national and international subsidiaries in addition to the parent company. In the 2023 financial year, the Group generated revenues of EUR 185.7 million (EUR 174.2 million), employing a headcount of 513 (495) at seven locations in three countries as at the December 31, 2023 reporting date.

Our business activities essentially comprise the production and distribution of spirits and non-alcoholic beverages and the development and distribution of fresh juice systems. Accordingly, the business activities are divided into the following segments: Spirits, Non-alcoholicBeverages and Fresh Juice Systems. The marketing, distribution and sale of spirits are grouped together in the domestic branded spirits and the export and private-label sales units within the Spirits segment. The marketing, distribution and sale of non-alcoholic beverages are combined in the Non-alcoholicBeverages segment. Depending on the system component, the development, marketing, distribution and sale of fruit presses, fruit and filling containers are grouped together in the Fresh Juice Systems segment. Other Segments essentially covers the tourism, events and webshop business of the Berentzen Group as well as the Spirits business in Turkey, managed by a local Group company.

We currently produce our spirits and non-alcoholic beverages at four own locations in Germany: spirits are produced in Minden and at the Berentzen Hof distillery in Haselünne, while non-alcoholic beverages are produced in Haselünne and Grüneberg. Besides that, products of the Mio Mio brand are manufactured in Haigerloch and Bad Brückenau under two contract bottling partnerships.

In addition, the logistics centre of the corporate group for the distribution of spirits is operated by an external service provider and located in Stadthagen. The operating business in the Fresh Juice Systems segment is run and managed from the location in Linz (Austria).

Sustainability Report 2023

6

Introduction

Forword from the

Executive Board

Company portrait

Key figures

Principles

People

Planet

Products

Annex

Brands, products and markets

Our brand portfolio of spirits includes not only internationally renowned brands such as Berentzen and Puschkin, but also traditional German spirits such as Strothmann, Doornkaat and Bommerlunder as well as premium brands like Tres Paises, along with numerous premium, medium and standard dealer brand concepts.

With our subsidiary Vivaris Getränke GmbH & Co. KG (hereinafter referred to as Vivaris), we have been operating on the German soft drinks market for a number of decades. Within the assortment of proprietary brands, the beverages of the Mio Mio brand are distributed nationally. Regionally important proprietary brands include Emsland Quelle and Märkisch Kristall, with products in the segments of mineral waters, lemonades and fruit juice beverages. The range is rounded off by energy drinks. The second pillar of the Company is a franchise business, in which the Company has been producing and distributing soft drinks for German soft drinks brand Sinalco since January 2015. In addition, non-alcoholic branded products are bottled for other customers under contract bottling agreements.

With our subsidiary Citrocasa GmbH (hereinafter referred to as Citrocasa), with its head office in Linz, Austria, we are active as a system provider in the business involving fruit juice systems, particularly orange presses. Alongside orange presses, the full range marketed under the Citrocasa brand encompasses oranges under the frutas naturales brand and special bottles for freshly squeezed orange juice. In addition, sales of pomegranate presses and pomegranates are also increasing. The core competencies are in ongoing system development and improvement, technical services and the supply of fruits and bottles.

Thanks to this wide range of brands and products in the Spirits, Non-alcoholicBeverages and Fresh Juice Systems segments, we offer beverages in different price segments and product categories.

The main sales market for our spirits is traditionally in Germany, which is dominated on the demand side by a notably strong food retailing sector that is continuing to consolidate. With marketing centring on Europe, we are internationally present in nearly sixty countries around the world and in the duty-free business. Distribution in these places is carried out either by own subsidiaries that are also involved in the management and adaptation of regional sales measures or by distributors in certain focal points.

With its Mio Mio branded products, the Non-alcoholicBeverages segment has reached a national level in its distribution. In addition, the core sales area for the regional brands extends to the federal states of northern and eastern Germany including Berlin, as well as parts of Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia. The most important sales channels include the food retailing sector, beverage warehouses and the hospitality trades (via beverage wholesalers).

The main sales areas for the products of the Fresh Juice Systems segment are the core regions of Austria and Germany, which are looked after by internal sales teams, as well as the markets of France, the USA, the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Southeastern Europe and the Middle East. Worldwide distribution of equipment in close to forty countries is handled outside of Austria and Germany by local distributors. The main distribution channels are the food retailing sector, the out- of-home market, and the on-trade channel.

Back

Sustainability Report 2023

7

Introduction

Forword from the

Executive Board

Company portrait

Key figures

Principles

People

Planet

Products

Annex

(1.3) Key figures

People

Headcount at December 31, 2023 [number]

Turnover rate [%]

Part-time ratio [%]

Ratio of women [%]

Reportable occupational accidents [number]

Illness ratio [%]

Planet

Total emissions [t CO2e]

Waste and reusable material produced [t]

Water consumption [in thousand m3]

Waste water generated [in thousand m3]

Energy consumption [GWh]

Electricity from renewable energy [%]

Products

Climate-neutral products [number]

Non-alcoholic beverages

Finished product in million litres [million litres]

Fillings [million units]

Share of reusable containers [%]

Share of glass containers [%]

Spirits

Finished product in million litres [million litres]

Fillings [million units]

Share of glass containers [%]

2023	2022	2021
514	495	489
12.4	16.4	16.6
15.6	14.5	15.3
34.5	34.9	34.6
23	9	12
4.8	5.4	4.3
6,044.5	6,155.7	6,703.2
3,201.1	3,716.1	3,669.4
424.90	435.70	390.30
263.80	263.40	228.53
25.00	25.30	26.80
98.1	98.2	97.9
60	57	42
109.86	121.12	123.35
151.05	166.55	161.58
92.11		90.90		86.70
59.60		59.70		58.10
53.02	53.74	51.17
153.45		136.33		127.68
99.12		98.5		99.3

Back

Sustainability Report 2023

8

Introduction

Principles

Sustainability strategy Sustainability management Stakeholder engagement

Compliance and transparency

(2) Principles

(2.1) Sustainability strategy

People

Planet

Products

Annex

As a broad-based beverages group with a company history going back over 260 years, we have firmly embedded long-term thinking into our corporate culture. We consider ourselves, both now and in the future, to be a responsible employer and an integral part of society. As a manufacturing corporate group, we bear responsibility for our products and their consumers and are therefore highly focused on ensuring that our value added chain is sustainable and our range of products are enjoyed responsibly and/or are especially natural and healthy. At a time when environmental protection has become a key global challenge, we believe that safeguarding the natural foundations of life for future generations is part and parcel of our responsibility as a company.

In light of growing challenges related to climate change, increasing shortages of resources and our stakeholders' growing requirements, we are particularly focused on sustainability and are working to continuously enhance it through our sustainability strategy.

Responsible corporate governance plays an essential role in ensuring the future success of our Company. The framework for this is provided by our sustainability strategy, comprising objectives to be implemented by 2025 with effects expected to continue well beyond that. The strategy is in line with our understanding of sustainability: achieving commercial success in the long term whilst taking responsibility for society and the environment.

Based on our three areas of activity People, Planet and Products - the topics that we identified as relevant in our materiality analysis - and taking into account the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relevant to the Group, we have developed specific objectives, measures and action plans, which help us to make sustainable development within the corporate group measurable and controllable. With this, we are continuing to expand our sustainability activities, which have been systematically structured and continuously expanded over the last few years.

Back

Sustainability Report 2023

9

Introduction

Principles

Sustainability strategy Sustainability management Stakeholder engagement

Compliance and transparency

People

Planet

Products

Annex

Our sustainability strategy

Area of
activity	Objective	SDGs

	Zero accidents and
People	improved health

Measures

Developing and implementing a new occupational health management plan

Introducing an occupational health management steering committee

Revising the system of key indicators, implementing a new monitoring system and defining performance indicators

Drawing up an internal communication concept for the new occupational health management plan

Continuing to implement the new company health programme "Citrofit" at Citrocasa

Joining and implementing the occupational health and safety campaign "Vision Zero"

Updating the Code of Conduct

Status

New "care@work" occupational health management plan successfully implemented. Among the key measures: a digital health platform was introduced that enables employees to access video courses, specialised articles, health exercises and personal coaching.

The occupational health management steering committee met regularly. Measures already taken were identified and new measures were decided on, as needed.

Key indicator data collection was systematised. New key indicators and data collection methods were defined. Key indicators were integrated into the central business intelligence software.

A digital health platform was established, making it easier to access health-related offerings. In addition, flyers about the social intranet were posted regularly and ad-hoc to generate awareness of special offerings. The occupational health management steering committee was established as a force-multiplier and additional source of information.

Citrofit has been successfully implemented. It was recognised in the reporting year with the seal of approval for Promotion of Occupational Health.

Joined. An inventory was taken and a comprehensive catalogue of measures was derived. Initial measures have already been implemented or are contained in 2024 action plan.

The updated Code of Conduct was successfully implemented Group-wide. In addition, the new digital whistle-blower system was integrated and the integration process was discussed.

Deadline

2023

Back

Sustainability Report 2023

10

Area of
activity	Objective	SDGs	Measures

Status

Deadline

Introduction

Principles

Sustainability strategy Sustainability management Stakeholder engagement

Compliance and transparency

People

Planet

Products

Annex

	Hundred percent
Planet	resource efficiency

Setting up a digital system to monitor environmental indicators at the production locations on a monthly basis

Defining performance indicators and setting target values in the Planet area of activity

Introducing an environmental management system pursuant to ISO 14001

Deriving potential to improve efficiency and developing an efficiency strategy to optimise resource consumption

Digitalising our fruit presses on an ongoing basis with a view to improving resource efficiency

Optimising the logistics processes at Citrocasa

Environmental indicators were collected at production locations monthly from the beginning of the reporting year. In addition, data collection was digitalised and integrated into business intelligence software. The tool will be further developed in the 2024 financial year and the process of key indicator data collection will be optimised.

Performance indicators and target values were defined as part of the efficiency strategy described below. A review of key indicator selection is planned for 2024.

The environmental management system that was introduced in 2022 was certified for the first time. Successfully recertified under ISO 14001 in the reporting year.

Investment made in a data platform to increase efficiency 2024 for production facilities. Knowledge gained from data

analysis flows into facility-specific catalogue of measures. Several measures to boost efficiency and optimise resource consumption were successfully implemented. Additional measures are planned.

The Citrocasa Cloud was developed to digitalise the fruit presses and was successfully introduced to customers for the first time.

Initial measures were implemented to optimise logistics. For example, the Europe season was extended in the reporting year and the supply chains in the bottling area were shortened. Additional measures are being reviewed and planned.

Back