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Audits, visits and certifications in Poland, Portugal and Colombia

P.187-194

 

P.187

In 2020, we conducted 12,764 internal audits

(including follow-up audits) of the Group’s

infrastructures, complemented by 147,589

analyses of work surfaces and product

manipulators, among others, and 59,869 food

product analyses.

4.3.1. Certifications

During 2020, the following certifications were

renewed or extended to new infrastructures:

• ISO 22000:2005 on the storage and distribution

processes of animal and plant-based food

products in all 16 Distribution Centres in

Poland, and on the Private Brand food product

development process at Biedronka’s head

office;

• FSSC 22000 v.5 (which includes ISO

22000:2018) for the Soup Factory in Poland,

within the scope of ready-to-eat after heating

and individualized packaging;

19 For more information, see sub-chapter 7. “Supporting Surrounding Communities”, section 7.5. “Other Support”.

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Standing strong on the front line

• ISO 9001:2015 for the Development of Private

Brands in Portugal and Post-Launch Product

Follow-Up/Supplier Follow-Up;

• HACCP in accordance with the Codex

Alimentarius for the Pingo Doce Central

Kitchens (with regard to Food Safety), 16

Recheio stores, the Recheio Masterchef Food

Service platforms in Porto and Lisbon, and

for the Azambuja, Vila do Conde, Alfena

and Algoz Distribution Centres (with regard

to Food Safety);

• Food Safety Management System, according to

the EN ISO 22000:2005 Portuguese standard,

in 21 Recheio stores and in the Recheio

Masterchef Food Service platform in Tavira.

In 2020, all the Polish Distribution Centres

renewed their certification for handling organic

products, according to Council Regulation (EC)

No. 834/2007.

4.3.2. Audits

In addition to internal audits, we also audited

the suppliers of Perishables and Private Brand

products, the results of which are available in

sub-chapter 6.“Sourcing Responsibly”.

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P.197

We audit our stores, warehouses, Distribution

Centres and other operational units to ensure

compliance with environmental management

procedures and to identify opportunities for

improvement. In 2020, we carried out 6,059

environmental audits (5,545 at Biedronka, 352

at Ara, 155 at Pingo Doce and seven at Recheio),

30 Available at www.cbd.int.

31 According to the World Resources Institute (2003), ecosystem services are the benefits provided by nature and include: (i) provisioning services, such as

food and water; (ii) regulating services, such as flood regulation, drought, soil degradation and disease; (iii) supporting services, such as soil formation and

nutrient cycles; and (iv) cultural services, such as recreational, spiritual, religious and other non-material benefits.

19% more than in 2019. The average score was

91%, up 4 p.p. compared to 2019. Corrective

actions are defined whenever the score obtained

is less than 100%.

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Quality and Food Safety Audits

These audits mainly cover the monitoring of

development and production criteria, and

also include aspects related to environmental

and labour requirements. The environmental

requirements, which also include criteria

associated with water, effluent and waste

management, carry a weight of 5% in the selection

audits of non-food Private Brand and Perishables

suppliers (in all countries where we are present73).

With regard to labour requirements, which carry

a weight of up to 10%, audits assess aspects such

as health and safety working conditions, training,

the use of appropriate clothing, hand washing

equipment, rules of conduct and personal hygiene,

the existence of adequate social areas, changing

rooms and employee bathrooms.

Each supplier is regularly reassessed at predefined

intervals based on the score they obtained previously

and audited at least once every 18 months. An

initial selection assessment is performed for new

suppliers. Audit intervals are defined based on the

risk assessment of products and suppliers, the result

obtained in the previous audit and their performance

over time (e.g. outcome of analytical control or

complaints) and are carried out every six months for

those who obtain a score of “Basic”, every 12 months

for a score of “High”, and every 18 months when a

performance score of “Excellent” is achieved.

For international suppliers, when a product risk

assessment (composition and potential risk of

contamination) is low, audits can take the form of

the monitoring of food safety system certification

as approved by the Global Food Safety Initiative,

in particular British Retail Consortium (BRC),

Global Good Agricultural Practices (Global G.A.P.),

HACCP/Codex Alimentarius, International Featured

Standards (IFS), Food Safety System Certification

(FSSC) 22000 or ISO 22000.

73 For the other suppliers – Food Private Brand in Colombia, Poland and Portugal –, and if approved in Quality and Food Safety audits, we assess their level

of compliance with environmental requirements. For more information, see the sub-section on “Environmental Audits” under this sub-chapter.

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We also continued to audit Perishables suppliers

in the meat category, in which animal welfare

criteria carry a weight of 29% in the assessment.

The criteria are defined based on the Global G.A.P.

standard and laws in force, and cover aspects such

as density, the condition of facilities, lighting and

other aspects. In 2020, we assessed 93 suppliers/

farms. Whenever necessary, corrective action

plans are drawn up, the progress of which we

monitor together with the suppliers.