Sustainability – It’s Part of BENEO’s DNA

According to demographic developments, the food and feed industry will have to double their production, while taking care of sustainability.

BENEO actively approaches these challenges by constantly improving sustainability along the entire value chain. Through our continued investment in sustainable solutions, we can meet the needs of today, while keeping in mind tomorrow’s generations.

At BENEO, sustainability reaches from field to fork and beyond; providing ingredients that promote a healthy lifestyle in a holistic way. Rather than trying to add sustainability on to the company’s everyday activities, it has been built into the very genetics of BENEO since its early days and this approach is reaping financial, as well as social and environmental rewards.

Nature: Contributing to protection of nature

Contributing to conservation and protection of our nature for the years to come is a major matter of concern for BENEO. As BENEO’s business is based on agronomic products – chicory roots, sugar beets, rice and wheat – we actively support sustainable farming, to encourage biodiversity and to reduce water pollution and soil erosion. The company’s constant re-investment in technology ensures that all the raw materials used are subsequently processed as efficiently as possible, avoiding waste.

BENEO works closely with its contract farmers to manage the long-term health of their soil and to prevent over fertilisation or soil exploitation and soil erosion.

Water reservoirs at 2 out of 4 of BENEO’s production plants have been turned into bird sanctuaries.

BENEO valorizes 100% of its raw material. This means chicory root, rice, sugar beet and wheat are fully used – either for functional products/ ingredients or co-products.

Energy: Preservation of resources

BENEO is committed to conserving resources, through continued reduction of its energy and water consumption and CO2 emissions. BENEO’s state-of-the-art factories use cogeneration of steam and electricity, as well as highly efficient multiple effect evaporation stations and other methods to recover energy. Continuous efficiency programs will further improve energy consumption.

BENEO has focused on energy efficiency over the past 30 years, reducing specific energy consumption by 50% over that time.

BENEO makes 2500 fewer truck journeys per year, while still carrying the same volume of ingredients and raw materials due to the increased transport by barge.

Employees: Caring for employees

BENEO values its employees throughout the supply chain and cares for them. There is high satisfaction amongst BENEO’s employees as caring about people has been a core focus for the business from day one. Operational Health and Safety for example is one of the top priorities at BENEO. It is the first topic on the agenda for technical management and production meetings.

BENEO has continually surpassed and exceeded safety standard expectations and always has the ambition of zero accidents – with just 5 work related accidents per 1 million working hours, BENEO has 50% less accidents than the average in the food and chemical industry.

Globally, almost half of the company’s employees (47%) have spent 10 years or longer working at BENEO.

Community: Long-term partnerships

BENEO actively supports community causes and values its farming community, supporting them through long-term partnerships. BENEO’s focus on its community of people is reflected in the company’s long-term relationships with suppliers, customers and employees. As well as providing work for its core staff, the majority of whom live in close proximity to its factories, this way of working extends to its farmers in Chile and Belgium.

The majority of BENEO’s ingredients are obtained from the company’s highly-valued farming community that carries a golden standard for sustainable farming from the SAI platform (Sustainable Agricultural Initiative).

BENEO encourages people to set up their own businesses in the region surrounding BENEO’s production plant in Chile. The “BENEO Emprende” scheme enables 3 to 4 businesses to be set up each year.

BENEO believes in supporting a wide range of local charitable community initiatives, from giving financial support to flood-afflicted rice farmers in Laos and charity fundraising runs in Brussels, to celebrating Thanksgiving with handicapped children in New Jersey, USA.

Markets: Providing inspiration on plant-based products

BENEO is inspiring consumers to make positive food choices by investing in R&D on plant-based products. Derived from natural sources, BENEO’s ingredients provide short-, mid- and long-term dietary solutions. Its ingredients help customers find answers to the health challenges societies are facing with non-communicable diseases such as obesity and diabetes by promoting good blood sugar management, as well as digestive health.

BENEO has 7 approved EU health claims and two FDA health claim approvals.

BENEO’s chicory root fibres and functional carbohydrates are approved in more than 80 countries worldwide. Their benefits can be communicated in all these countries by nutrition and/or health claims.