May the 9th, 2023 - The large Croatian company Podravka, based in Koprivnica, is set to invest a massive 100 million euros into doing greener business and focusing on sustainability.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, Podravka will pour as much as 100 million euros into development based on sustainability by 2030, according to an announcement from Martina Dalic at a recently held presentation of the Sustainability Strategy of this corporation.
"As one of the leading food companies in Central and Southeastern Europe, Podravka is aware of its economic importance and responsibility for the environment and the community. Just as we constantly strive for excellence in terms of our basic business, we also want to follow the highest standards in the implementation of the principles of engaging in sustainable and responsible business," said Dalic.
She added that the Koprivnica-based company celebrated 75 years of doing business last year. "In order to be just as successful or even more successful in the coming decades, we must treat the environment, resources, all our stakeholders and the community in which we operate responsibly. The numerous challenges we've been facing in the last few years further indicate that there's absolutely no alternative to doing sustainable and responsible business. This isn't merely an option, but the only way any company can survive and remain successful in the long term. By adopting the Sustainability Strategy of the Podravka Group, we're publicly committing ourselves to the fulfillment of specific goals, which is an additional incentive to successfully and completely realise all our plans. We are investing 100 million euros into the fulfillment of these goals, which are significant financial resources, but we're convinced that in this way we will further improve our competitiveness and strengthen our market position,'' said Dalic.
As explained by Ines Ignjatovic, Director of Strategic Business Development of Podravka, the key investments that support and enable the fulfillment of the wider Podravka Group's sustainability goals include, among other things, the expansion of their solar power plant, the construction of a cogeneration plant, the concentration of bakery production in neighbouring Slovenia at one location, the modernisation of their fleet and the construction of a new logistics and distribution centre at home in Koprivnica.
In the area of healthy eating, Podravka will increase the number of products it sells with a lower content of salt, added sugar and saturated fat per serving, as well as products that contain positive ingredients and/or promote a healthy, balanced and sustainable diet. In the area of a clean environment, Podravka will focus on goals such as reducing its own carbon dioxide emissions, increasing the share of renewable energy sources (OIE) it uses in its total energy consumption, using recyclable packaging, reducing mineral fertilizers and pesticides in agricultural production, and many other things.
When it comes to caring for employees and the wider community, Podravka will continue to work actively on equal gender representation and reducing the difference in wages between men and women, improving the general material rights of employees and their working conditions, as well as developing new skills, gaining new knowledge and furthering the competences of their employees. Looking at more concrete figures, by the year 2030, Podravka plans to have 100% of its electricity come from renewable sources in production in the European Union (EU) and 50% of its heat energy from renewable sources in production.
Sasja Beslik, an international financial expert and advocate of sustainable business and the author of the global bestseller "Where the money tree grows", also gave an interesting lecture at the presentation of Podravka's sustainable business strategy. Beslik spoke about the importance of integrating a more sustainability strategy into the company's business strategy, stressing that it is the only path to profitable growth with a positive impact on society and the environment.
At the very end of the event, one of the leading Croatian experts on sustainability topics, Dunja Mazzocco Drvar, Director of the Directorate for Climate Activities of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, spoke about climate change and the need for urgent action from us all.
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