Better for People: Delivering improvements throughout our global operations

GNT is a family-owned company and people are our most valuable asset. In total, we have more than 400 employees across 11 countries worldwide. As a vertically integrated Coloring Food manufacturer, we also have contracted farmers working across multiple countries to grow our fruit, vegetables, and plants.

Targets for 2030

In our ‘Sustainability Report 2021,’ we set out an ambitious roadmap for 2030 that will enable us to optimize our impacts on planet and people. Our strategy is built around four key pillars – better products, better operations, better agriculture, and better for people. To ensure we deliver improvements for people, we set ourselves four key targets:

  • Achieve a lost-time accident rate 25% below the industry average
  • Maintain an employee satisfaction score (eNPS) significantly above 30
  • Continue to foster diversity and an inclusive environment as an equal opportunity employer
  • Increase sustainable employability, with long-term absenteeism below the industry benchmark

Keeping staff safe

Our most important priority is to minimize accidents among production staff. The average accident rate for the industry is 3.9, which is calculated by multiplying the number of reported accidents by 200,000 and dividing that figure by the number of employee hours worked. Having introduced a number of new safety measures in recent years, GNT achieved a rate of 2.7 in 2021 – 31% below the industry average. We’re now working hard to establish a strong health and safety culture throughout the company so we can maintain this over the long-term.

We also want to ensure people love working for GNT. We use eNPS (Employee Net Promoter Score) to assess employees’ satisfaction with the company. In 2021, the figure was +44, which compares very well with other companies’ worldwide, including those within our own industry.

Driving diversity

We’re working to increase diversity and inclusivity, too. Our staff is currently 64% male and 36% female and comprises 21 different nationalities. We know that a diverse team provides diversity of thought and helps us to be more successful. To achieve this goal, we’re rethinking our recruitment efforts to attract applicants from a wider variety of backgrounds. In addition, all staff involved in management positions and recruitment will be given “open mind” training.

To improve sustainable employability, we’ll be doing more to promote good physical and mental health at all our production facilities, from providing healthy food onsite to offering mental and physical health training.

We’re also implementing five social livelihood projects as part of our ‘better agriculture’ pillar, which will support living standards and local communities along our supply chain. This year, we’re contributing €25,000 toward “Peru: Water, Wind and Trees,” which involves training farmers in organic practices, promoting reforestation, and delivering improvements to water infrastructure, animal husbandry, and living conditions.

To find out more about GNT’s ambitious targets, read the company’s ‘Sustainability Report 2021’ now.

Rutger de Kort