Key societal topics

Climate change is a planetary issue that affects us all – and some more than others. As an international family of trusted brands, we are committed to working across our industry to address the impact of a changing climate. To this end, we not only work to drive improvements in our own operations, we also partner across the value chain. We work with others in our industry to accelerate transition to a more healthy, sustainable, and resilient food system.

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Food loss and waste negatively impacts food security worldwide, and fuels climate change. To build a well-nourished and sustainable society, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 on sustainable consumption and production calls for cutting retail and consumer food waste in half, as well as reducing food losses along production and supply chains, by 2030.

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It is almost impossible to imagine the world without plastic, as our food system has come to depend on plastic for safety and convenience. In our business, packaging protects the safety of our food, helps reduce food waste and communicates information to customers. Packaging made from plastic can provide additional benefits, such as a lighter overall weight that reduces material use and greenhouse gas emissions.

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Ahold Delhaize acknowledges that food systems need to change to reduce the negative influence on biodiversity. Therefore, we have created approaches towards 2025 to influence those changes.

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Around the world, forests continue to disappear, often for agricultural, ranching and logging purposes. Deforestation is a particular concern for tropical rainforests as these forests capture carbon emissions (and thus help mitigate climate change) and they are home to much of the world’s biodiversity. For these reasons and more, it is critical the food industry helps reduce deforestation by identifying alternative methods to produce the commodities that feed the world.

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As the world’s population grows, the challenge of feeding more people with less negative impact on the planet becomes more urgent, and with it, the global focus on building a more sustainable, equitable food and farm system. Consumers, employees, regulators and shareholders expect companies to tackle issues such as biodiversity, regenerative agriculture, circularity, deforestation and water usage. We feel the responsibility to take a seat at the table to provide input into how food production and sourcing will look in the future and how food can be produced sustainably, with respect for the environment and protecting biodiversity. We can make a real impact with our own-brand products, since we can direct what is sold and how and where it is produced.

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Seafood is the daily source of protein for 3 billion people, making it an important part of our business. As marine fish stocks decline and demand increases, both the global fishing industry as well as the marine ecosystem face tough challenges. Destructive fishing methods and climate change are heavily damaging ocean environments. Similarly, the seafood industry experiences pressure from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, undermining efforts to ensure sustainable production.

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Palm oil is an important ingredient in many processed products like cookies, margarine and instant noodles, but also in non-food products like shampoos and detergents. This makes palm oil a highly versatile and key ingredient in our daily diets and routines. At the same time, palm oil production faces a number of key challenges.

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Although a steaming hot cup of coffee or tea share many similarities, their production is quite different. The majority of the world’s coffee is grown on small farms, by farmers who sell only a small number of bags of coffee annually, while most of the world’s tea is produced by millions of hired workers tending to tea shrubs on large plantations. For both, earning a decent income can be difficult. The two crops are vulnerable to a changing climate, where erratic droughts and rainfall can lead to lower yields. At times this leads to worker exploitation and poor living conditions in the sector.

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Soy is one of the most widely used ingredients in our food products, including tofu, soy milk, soy oil, soy flour, or soy lecithin. However, the clear majority of the soy used in our supply chains, is embedded in our animal protein supply chains (meat, farmed fish, eggs and dairy). This is because soy, a high in protein legume, is fed to animals to help maintain healthy growth. In recent years, there has been a sharp increase in demand for soy. This resulted in a rapid expansion of soy production in South America, particularly in Brazil, where there are large amounts of fertile land and water.

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Chocolate is the ultimate feel-good treat, and at Ahold Delhaize, we want to make sure that everyone can feel good about the way it is produced. Over 70% of the world’s cocoa is produced in West Africa, where the majority is produced by hundreds of thousands of small farmers. These farmers face several problems including depleted soils, aging farms and farmers, pests and diseases, and low global cocoa prices.

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Perhaps unknown to some, a large number of products in grocery retail contain wood fibers. Ahold Delhaize brands use wood fiber in the form of pulp and paper for products like toilet paper, kitchen paper, or paper plates, and in cardboard packaging. The wood fiber used in our products comes from either natural forests or pulpwood plantations. Both face sustainability challenges. Illegal logging of natural forests can result in forest and habitat loss, but also in major economic losses for production countries and communities.

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Ahold Delhaize brands are committed to working with suppliers who share the Ahold Delhaize values and concerns for animal welfare. They look to work with suppliers who are committed to sound, science-based animal care practices and the elimination of animal cruelty, abuse and neglect.

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Ahold Delhaize supports transparency for customers through on-pack product labeling that is consistent and easy to read, so that customers are aware if a product contains GMOs or not and can make their preferred choice.

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We aim to make healthier eating commonplace. By making fresh, nutritious and delicious food available and affordable for everyone, we contribute to healthier communities.

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A safe work environment is fundamental, but the workplace should also offer opportunities for development and for a healthy life, as well as a true spirit of inclusiveness and diversity. Investing in health and inclusion programs increases morale and job satisfaction, creativity and innovation.

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As part of our strategy, Ahold Delhaize and each of its brands share a set of values and ethical principles that support an ethical culture. Those values are the foundation of our commitment to conduct our business the right way, every day. That includes our commitment to respect the human rights of each of the associates, customers, communities and the people who work throughout the supply chains of Ahold Delhaize and its brands. By stepping up, we aim to contribute to a more equitable society that recognizes and respects human rights. You can read more about our commitment to human rights in Ahold Delhaize's Position on Human Rights.

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The protection of personal data is paramount to Ahold Delhaize. Customers, associates, and business partners entrust our businesses with their personal data and we are committed to safeguarding this information. At Ahold Delhaize and its brands, we strive to use customer data to benefit customers, whether it is checking their home address for grocery deliveries, accessing their shopping history to receive personalized benefits or confirming account details for online orders.

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At Ahold Delhaize we have implemented a variety of mechanization solutions for both our supply chain and e-commerce businesses. Mechanization covers any automated physical handling of items in our operations, from creating mixed-case pallets destined for our stores, to bringing individual products to one of our brands’ associates to pick and prepare an online order.

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By 2050, the global population is expected to reach nine billion people. How can we feed everyone and guarantee high levels of food safety and nutrition, without depleting our natural resources? It is a challenge that must be addressed at all stages of the supply chain.

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At Ahold Delhaize, we seek to make a positive impact in the communities where our brands operate and be good neighbors. We do this by paying taxes in a way that takes into consideration social and corporate responsibility and the interests of all our stakeholders. Our overall tax approach is in line with Ahold Delhaize’s Business Principles, ESG strategy and Code of Conduct.

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