Assessing the world’s 350 most influential food and agriculture companies (2024)

No leading practices were identified for the company in the governance and strategy measurement area.

No leading practices were identified for the company in the environment measurement area.

No leading practices were identified for the company in the nutrition measurement area.

No leading practices were identified for the company in the social inclusion measurement area.

Sustainable development strategy
New Hope Group discloses its environmental, social, and governance substantive analysis and issues recognition which includes 19 topics and reports on the latter. However, there is room for improvement by disclosing targets or objectives into a sustainability strategy.

Governance and accountability for sustainable development
While the responsibility for the company’s sustainable development strategy lies with the board office and the brand department, the company has an opportunity to strengthen accountability by assigning this responsibility to its highest governance body and disclosing further information on its decision-making processes and oversight responsibilities, as well as linking sustainability objectives and targets to roles and remuneration.

Stakeholder engagement
While the company has conducted stakeholder engagement activities and discloses an overview of the issues raised via these activities, it has an opportunity to disclose how it identifies its most relevant stakeholders, along with information on how the outcomes of the engagement process are integrated into the company’s sustainable development strategy.

Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions
While the company discloses quantitative evidence to demonstrate that it is reducing its scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, it has an opportunity to strengthen its commitment by setting targets and reporting against them.

Soil health and agrobiodiversity and fertiliser and pesticide use
The company does not disclose that it is adopting sustainable production practices that improve soil health and increase agrobiodiversity nor that optimise the use of fertilisers and pesticides.

Animal welfare
The company does not disclose that it is addressing key animal welfare issues for its relevant key species in its own operations. It has an opportunity to disclose a commitment that addresses key issues for animal welfare across its relevant species, geographies and products.

Water use
While the company discloses its water savings, it does not demonstrate quantitative reductions in water withdrawals across its own operations.

Protein diversification
The company does not disclose that it is diversifying its protein portfolio, for instance, by increasing the proportion of plant-based proteins and other alternatives such as cell-based meat analogues and plant-based dairy options.

Food safety
While the company discloses compliance with national regulations and/or the Codex General Principles of Food Hygiene, it has an opportunity to strengthen its commitment by disclosing the percentage of its own operations that are certified to a food safety scheme by the Global Food Safety Initiative or other widely recognised (industry-specific) certification.

Availability of healthy foods
The company does not provide evidence of improving the nutritional quality of its products and of proportionally increasing the sales of healthy and nutritious foods.

Accessibility and affordability of healthy foods
The company does not disclose a commitment and activities to improve the accessibility and affordability of healthy foods for vulnerable groups.

Clear and transparent labelling
The company does not disclose that it provides nutritional information through clear, transparent and accurate labelling.

Responsible marketing
The company does not disclose a responsible marketing policy, nor guidelines specific to marketing to children.

Child and forced labour
The company does not disclose a commitment to prohibit child and forced labour in its operations and supply chain.

Living wage
The company does not disclose that it pays its workers a living wage or requires its suppliers to do the same. Neither has it set targets to do so in the future

Land rights
The company does not commit to recognising and respecting the legitimate tenure rights related to the ownership and use of land of local communities.

Health and safety of vulnerable groups
The company does not disclose that it specifically recognises the health and safety risks to vulnerable groups, such as migrant and temporary labourers, women and young farmers.

Farmer and fisher productivity and resilience
Although the company assists rural revitalization by means of a training program for 100,000 new farmers for free and discloses the details of the programme, it can strengthen its performance by disclosing the results of these activities.

No policies or commitments related to respect for human rights were found in the public domain. This includes the necessary policies and systems to respect basic human rights in its operations and supply chain.

No evidence of policies or commitments related to key decent work issues were found in the public domain. This includes the provision of secure, safe and healthy workplaces, where workers are fairly remunerated and have a meaningful say in decision making.

No policies or commitments related to key ethical business topics – personal data protection, tax, bribery and corruption, and lobbying and political engagement – were found in the public domain. This includes ensuring ethical business conduct throughout its operations and in its relationships with business partners.