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Bunzl pillars as a basis for sustainability targets
Our success as a specialist distribution and services Group is influenced by a constantly changing sustainability landscape that presents both risks and opportunities for a business like Bunzl. In 2020 Bunzl plc conducted its first materiality assessment to ensure that its activities took account of the significant social and environmental issues that were of most interest to its stakeholders. It is critical that we keep abreast of the requirements of our stakeholders as new legislation is introduced, consumer habits and perceptions change and markets evolve. We also acknowledge that ESG risks and opportunities can be material from both a financial and non-financial perspective and recognise that companies must manage and take responsibility for the actual and potential adverse impacts of their decisions on people, society and the environment.
Following the assessment and evaluation, Bunzl plc identified four key themes on which its sustainability strategy is based. The strategy covers all companies of the Bunzl Group, including Bunzl Hungary.
The four key themes and the related commitments are as follows:
Responsible supply chains
- 90% of our spend on products from all high-risk regions will be sourced from assessed and compliant suppliers by 2025
Investing in our people
- Encouraging more women into leadership roles;
- Continuing to focus on building a truly inclusive culture;
- Identifying the next generation of leaders from a more diverse pool of talent
Taking action on climate change
- Scope 1 & 2: 50% more carbon efficient by 2030 (27.5% absolute reduction) against 2019 baseline;
- Scope 3: 79% of suppliers by emissions will have science-based targets by 2027;
- Net zero by 2050 at the latest
Providing tailored alternative solutions
- Support customers to remove, replace and reduce single-use plastics;
- Significantly increase the recyclable, compostable or reusable packaging supplied to customers
These four issues support five of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). This is why the Bunzl Group contributes to the implementation of the globally agreed SDGs, which aim to set the world’s development path in a sustainable direction. Undoubtedly, it is one of the UN’s greatest undertakings so far.
We support the following SDGs at group level:
- Decent work and economic growth (8.)
- Gender equality (5.) and Reduced inequalities (10.)
- Climate action (13.)
- Responsible consumption and production (12.)
Bunzl’s 4 ESG pillars
Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and Scope 1, 2 & 3
SBTi is a global initiative that offers companies a clearly defined path to reduce emissions in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Targets set by companies can be considered “science-based” if they are in line with the latest climate science and limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
In 2022, the Science Based Targets initiative verified that the corporate GHG emission reduction targets submitted by Bunzl plc meet the SBTi criteria and recommendations. The SBTi team evaluated the company’s Scope 1 and 2 target ambitions. For detailed information on emissions under Scope 1, 2 & 3. In short, it can be said that
Scope 1: Direct emissions
→ Direct emissions from the company’s operations (e.g. fuel consumption of company cars).
Scope 2: Indirect emissions
→ Emissions from purchased energy (e.g. electricity, district heating).
Scope 3: Additional indirect emissions
→ Everything else related to the value chain, such as emissions from suppliers, emissions from the life cycle of products, etc.
Scope 1, 2 & 3
Activities supporting Bunzl’s pillars at Bunzl Hungary
Our company’s priority is to play its role and participate effectively in supporting and achieving sustainability targets. It is important for us not only to fulfill the obligations of the parent company, but also to pay attention to the direct and indirect effects of our operation at national and local level and to contribute to the good of society and the community. As a result, we have policies, objectives and programs in place to support all three pillars of sustainability – environment, society and economy. We measure and report our progress, achievement of objectives and program effectiveness through performance indicators (KPIs).
Responsible supply chains – Ethical sourcing and operation
An estimated 28 million people are in forced labor conditions across the world and everyday more people are deceived, persuaded or pushed into highly exploitative situations that they are unable to refuse or leave. This is why Bunzl takes a proactive, direct and risk-based approach to ensure that our supply chain partners are complying with the high ethical standards demanded by our policies. Our company has zero tolerance for all unethical practices and is committed to respecting human rights in its operations and supply chain.
In accordance with our Ethical sourcing policy, our supply chain management processes ensure these products are manufactured and sourced responsibly. We intend to develop and maintain supplier relationships that are ethical, based on mutual benefit and focused on a shared commitment to meet our customers’ requirements. We ensure that our company sources products in an ethical and consistent manner while working with suppliers to improve their social and environmental practices.
We regard suppliers as partners and work with them to help us achieve our corporate responsibility (CR) policy aspirations in the delivery of our products and services. We are committed to working with our key suppliers of products to ensure that adequate standards are maintained in all areas of CR. We periodically complete a risk assessment of our global supplier base to establish social risks, including modern slavery and bribery risks in our supply chain. This allows us to focus our attention and resources on the areas of greatest exposure to risk. We aim to improve our understanding of the social and environmental impacts of our supply chain.
The Supplier Code of Conduct establishes our expectations for suppliers in the areas of labor and human rights, environment, health and safety, ethics and management systems. The Code applies to the selection and retention of all suppliers that provide products and services to Bunzl worldwide. By trading with Bunzl, we expect suppliers to accept and apply our standards. This also applies to subcontractors.
Bunzl reserves the right to cease a relationship with a supplier if it is found that unacceptable practices are being employed at any sites used for producing or sourcing Bunzl products. Such practices include but are not limited to the use of child labor, forced or bonded labor, physical abuse or discipline and intimidation as well as non-compliance with antibribery legislation.
Additionally, all of our senior procurement staff are required to complete the CR training on bribery, modern slavery and other social risks. The training helps these employees to understand and recognize risk issues that might occur in our supply chain and informs them of the appropriate actions that should be taken if such issues are found.
We are committed to ensuring that our business is conducted in all respects according to rigorous ethical, professional and legal standards. As part of its commitment to ethical business practices, Bunzl will not tolerate any form of bribery or corruption. The Anti-bribery and corruption policy outlines the behavior and principles required to support this commitment. The requirements set out in this policy apply not only to our company and employees, but also to agents, representatives and intermediaries who act on behalf of Bunzl.
Given the serious nature of a breach of anti-bribery and corruption laws and regulations, an employee’s failure to comply with this policy, whether intentionally or by an act of negligence, may lead to disciplinary action being taken that could ultimately result in termination of employment. Failure of a third party to comply with the policy, may lead to termination of the business relationship.
All Bunzl employees are required to report any actual or suspected acts of bribery, fraud or other malpractice to management. Employees may also report their concerns to the relevant business area management, to Bunzl’s head office or through use of the Speak up policy.
In our company, we have standards and codes of ethics for business conduct, mandatory training for our employees on key issues, regular internal audits, zero tolerance for unfair discrimination in the workplace, and regular consultation of our employees.
Last but not least, both our company and its employees are subject to competition law, which aims to protect consumers as much as possible by ensuring fair competition among companies in terms of price, quality and innovation.
Under no circumstances will we tolerate prohibited anti-competitive practices, such as may be exemplified by agreements with actual or potential competitors, whether written or verbal. These types of agreements may include those involving price fixing, output limitation, market sharing, fictitious bidding and the exchange of commercially sensitive information. Agreements with customers, suppliers, retailers and distributors may also be anti-competitive if they concern goods or services subject to export bans, fix resale prices or impose exclusive purchase/supply obligations.
Investing in our people
We believe that Bunzl’s employees are a particularly key part of our success. We are therefore committed to focusing our employment procedures and practices around maximizing the potential of each individual. We believe this is best achieved by developing our employees’ talents, while recognizing their different cultures, perspectives and experiences. Our Equality and diversity policy is designed to ensure this commitment by supporting various aspirations and regulators.
We seek to develop a work environment where we treat all employees as individuals, fairly and in a consistent way. We will endeavor to remove unnecessary real or perceived barriers for our employees seeking opportunities through training and development, role moves and career planning. We are committed to treating employees fairly and respectfully and expect our employees to understand and comply with the principles and requirements set forth in the Bunzl Code of Conduct.
Bunzl supports equal opportunities in employment and condemns all forms of unjustified discrimination. We expect individuals to be treated equally and fairly and that all employment, training and promotion decisions are based on work-based criteria. This also applies to job application processes, where our sole goal is to appoint the most suitable person for the job.
However, our commitment to fair treatment of our employees is not limited to selection for the position or training, but extends throughout the period of employment. We encourage everyone to develop and manage their career. In order to help them with this, we provide trainings and career development opportunities. Moreover, in case of a vacant position, we prefer internal recruitment.We also strive to attract, motivate and retain employees by rewarding them for their good performance and placing emphasis on good communication so that we always understand each other.
We believe that the creation of an inclusive working environment is a leadership accountability. We will continue to support our directors and managers in demonstrating the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion in their everyday activities, roles and functions, providing whatever training is necessary. In addition to our employees, social responsibility and supporting the community affected by our activities are also important to us. In 2023, we supported two foundations with monetary donations:
- Hope for Children with Leukemia Public Benefit Foundation – our colleagues offered a portion of their Christmas reward;
- CsodaCsoport foundation – the money earmarked for Christmas gifts for partners was donated to charity.
In addition, we supported schools with material donations, as we offered them our old, still usable monitors.
Our main goal is for Bunzl to maintain and strengthen its global image as a company that has a positive impact on its employees and their communities.
Great Place To Work (GPTW) Survey
The Great Place to Work survey
is a recognized tool for assessing employee’s perception. The key principle of the survey is that it measures the level of trust that employees have in their company and its leadership. In September 2023, we asked our employees, a total of 139 people, to fill in the questionnaire. Of these, 129 completed it, resulting in a participation rate of over 90%. Based on the result, we have GPTW certification from October 2023.
GPTW measures 5 key pillars of trust, each of which consists of 3 sub-pillars:
Credibility:
- Communication: measures the effectiveness of communication between management and employees in order to encourage two-way dialogue.
- Competencies: measures the ability to effectively coordinate employees and resources, supervise work, outline and execute strategy.
- Integrity: it depends on the honesty and reliability demonstrated in everyday tasks. Leaders should lead by example and fulfill their promises.
Respect:
- Support: assesses training opportunities, available resources and equipment, and how we respond to professional success.
- Collaboration: examines the quality of relations and cooperation between employees and management.
- Consideration: measures the extent to which management expresses interest in workers’ well-being by providing them with a safe and healthy workplace, as well as social benefits that make life easier outside of work.
Fairness:
- Equality: assesses the degree of equal treatment applied to all individuals within the organization regarding the distribution of tangible and intangible rewards.
- Impartiality: assesses employees’ perceptions of the extent to which management avoids partiality and actively seeks to value people in a fair and equitable manner.
- Justice: measures whether discrimination based on personal characteristics is absent.
Pride:
- In your job: work-inspired personal pride values how employees see their contribution to the company.
- In your team: teamwork-inspired pride values the pride given by the team to the individual, his/her successes and willingness to do more for the benefit of the team.
- In your company: company-inspired pride values how employees perceive the company and its reputation within the ecosystem in a broader sense.
Camaraderie:
- Intimacy: assesses human relationships, how colleagues feel together, how much they are able to be themselves, and are able to rely on others and support each other.
- Warm welcome/friendliness: measures how welcoming employees feel about the work atmosphere, how much they like it, and whether they can enjoy each other’s company.
- Community: reflects the strong moodiness developed within the group and assesses how well employees consider themselves part of a “family” or “team”.
Results are measured by two key metrics:
- Trust Index (TI) – the average number of positive responses to the question; and
- Overall Perception (OP) – positive answers to the question “Taking everything into account, I would say this is a great place to work”.
In Hungary, a company must achieve a Trust Index (TI) of at least 60% to receive GPTW certification. We exceeded this threshold and received a certification with a TI of 73% (Bunzl Group TI: 69%).
The results of Bunzl Hungary compared to the global results of the Bunzl Group:
Results of GPTW survey
WINGS program
According to the ‘Women in the Workplace 2020’ study released by LeanIn.org and McKinsey & Company for every 100 men promoted and hired to manager levels, only 72 women are promoted and hired. As a result, men hold 62% of manager-level positions, while women hold just 38%. This early inequality has a long term impact on the talent pipeline. Since men notably outnumber women at the manager level, there are significantly fewer women to hire or promote to senior managers. The number of women decreases at every subsequent level. So even as hiring and promotion rates improve for women at senior levels, women as a whole can never catch up. There are simply too few women to advance.
While corporations close their gender gap and make progress on the road to equality, there are some things entry-level women can do to drive the change and advocate for themselves. When women are fully aware of their worth, found their voices, and stand in their power, they are bound to succeed. And that’s how WINGS program can help talented women.
Logo of WINGS program
The program is delivered and organized by IBC, with external training professionals conducting a course designed for female managers and talent. The training is divided into 8 exciting modules covering various topics to support women in their work, ambitions, daily challenges, and everyday lives.
The program gives a transformative experience by making a self-exploration from different personal points of views such as identity challenges women face, stories, values, ambition, strengths, purpose and professional brand. The participants examine their strengths, development areas and opportunities regarding each subject and by the end of the program they define their unique leadership identity that has the potential to influence and motivate others. Going through this program ensures an inside out change approach in which the aim is to transform the way of thinking about leadership and being a female leader.
In 2023, we launched this program at the beginning of October, consisting of 8 modules, with the closing session held on February 28, 2024. In accordance with the regulations, the training was completed by 9 talented female employees, who have increased their self-confidence, ability to advocate for themselves, and become role models for other women.
Families
For us, supporting families is also a priority, as we recognize that work-life balance is key to employees’ long term commitment and performance. Therefore, we seek to provide initiatives and supports that help employees better combine work with family responsibilities. Flexible working hours, the possibility to work from home, childcare allowances and family-friendly policies are all measures that can promote the well-being of employees and their families and contribute to strengthening the company’s workplace culture and competitiveness.
From the very beginning, from the birth of a child, we want to show our support for paternity leave for fathers. The father shall be entitled to ten working days’ leave no later than the end of the second month following the birth of his child, which shall be granted at a time convenient to his request and in no more than two instalments. During the period of supplementary leave, the employer pays the father an absence allowance. The employee is entitled to absence pay for five working days of paternity leave, and forty percent of the absence allowance from the sixth working day. Bunzl Hungary supplements forty percent of the second week to one hundred percent for fathers.
We would also like to help our employees raising children with school, nursery and kindergarten start-up support. In the fall of 2023, the parents received the grant in the form of vouchers after declaring the basis of eligibility.
We consider it important to facilitate the challenges arising from the summer holidays. In 2023, we organized two 1-1 week summer camps with a total of 16 children participating. Three meals a day, DIY, various indoor and outdoor games, free time, rest were all part of the daily programs. In addition, they were able to spend one week on a farm, where they had the opportunity to gain insight into the work and tasks around animals.
Health and safety, health insurance
The health and safety of our employees, contractors and visitors is a priority for Bunzl and we are committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace and to continuously improve our health and safety performance. We implement management systems based on the provisions of our Health and safety policy to ensure we comply with health and safety legislation and continually improve our health and safety performance. Our health and safety management systems will cover at a minimum:
- Warehouse safety: We ensure that our warehouses are laid out and equipped appropriately and our workforce is trained to minimize risks from manual handling, as well as ensuring good housekeeping to reduce the risks of trips, slips and injury from falling objects.
- Vehicle safety: Our drivers receive regular training and our fleets are well maintained. We continue to introduce appropriate monitoring systems into our fleets and review accidents to improve efficiency and safety.
We monitor, audit, review and report our health and safety performance to demonstrate compliance and support continual improvement of our performance.
We report and investigate accidents, incidents and near misses to drive improvement in our health and safety management. Any lessons learned from such events will be used to take corrective action to prevent recurrences.
In addition to the above, from January 2024, we provide healthcare to our employees, through the private healthcare company Medicover. The range of services covered by the health insurance package is wide, employees can use preventive, laboratory and diagnostic tests, and are entitled to unlimited outpatient treatment in nearly 40 disciplines. Additionally, the program allows the relatives of our employees to use the services under certain conditions.
Taking action on climate change - Scope 1, 2 & 3
During 2023, the world has again witnessed real, observable changes in the climate with flooding, droughts and severe heat waves continuing to affect the ecosystems and communities least able to withstand them. The planet’s glaciers and oceans have also experienced changes; our ice caps are melting, sea levels are rising and oceans are warming and becoming more acidic. All of these changes and extreme weather events can be attributed to anthropogenic global warming and as these become more pronounced in the coming decades, without concerted and ambitious action from companies and governments, they will present significant challenges to our society and our environment.
At Bunzl we know that our direct operations, distribution activities and supply chains are all part of the challenge and in addition to assessing the long term risks climate change presents to the business we have continued to deliver against our near and long term carbon reduction targets.
Achieving net zero represents an opportunity for Bunzl to build a more resilient business and our transition plan is a key part of our purpose-led strategy; to deliver essential business solutions around the world and create long term sustainable value for the benefit of all our stakeholders. Reaching net zero represents a significant challenge; we will not only need to assess and change our own operations but collaborate with hundreds of customers and suppliers to achieve the deep emissions reductions required to meet the goals of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (‘UNFCCC’) Paris Agreement. We will continue to leverage our position in the supply chain to drive change and use our influence where we can to bring other businesses on the journey.
Our company is committed to reducing and offsetting CO2 emissions from its activities. In 2023, we achieved a CO2 equivalent emission reduction of 29.2% compared to 2019 for Scope 1 and 2 emissions. On the one hand, this was achieved by installing solar panels at both sites of Bunzl Hungary. In Budapest, the installation took place in 2 phases, the first phase was implemented in December 2021 and the second phase in May 2023. In 2023, the site’s electricity consumption was 80,300 kWh, which was ensured by solar panel power generation, as a total of 98,400 kWh of electricity was generated this year. In Biatorbágy, he installation took place in May 2023, so in 2023 the production was a total of 53,300 kWh, which we used. This year, the total electricity consumption was 190,500 kWh, so 1/3 of the annual consumption was covered by solar panels.
We also managed to replace 5 cars with plug-in hybrids in the company’s fleet. By 2025, the goal is to implement a company car policy that provides strong incentives for EV’s and that is aimed at phasing out ICE cars as quickly as possible. In addition, by 2026, we expect to be able to convert our own small commercial vehicles below 3.5 tonnes (e.g. vans) to electric vehicles, following the termination of our existing van leases. Moreover, after investigating partnerships with 3rd party carriers and/or conduct trials, we intend to promote use of alternative low-emission fuels and electric commercial vehicles.
We want to gradually reduce the precentage of category 1 and 2 bulbs and eventually achieve a 100% LED light precentage. Category 1 includes high intensity discharge bulbs, while category 2 includes fluorescent light tubes. After LED lights, the preference is for category 2 tubes.
Our company’s Scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions
Scope 3 covers waste emissions. At the company, we strive to reduce the amount of waste generated, particularly municipal waste, and to optimize the collection of recyclable waste to ensure the highest possible recycling rate. This ensures that as much waste as possible is recycled and reintegrated into processes as secondary raw materials, thus promoting the principle of circular economy.
At Bunzl Hungary, we strive not only to reduce our emissions but also to compensate for them. To achieve this, in recent years, we have planted trees with colleagues at the company’s site in Biatorbágy on Earth Day.
Planting trees together for Earth Day in 2023
Alternative products: begreen, Prime Source, Pristine
Consumer demand for packaging and products made from alternative materials continues to drive our commitment to the transition to low-carbon products and solutions and to those supporting circular economy. Our customers in the food service, food and retail industries want to respond to new consumer-centric trends and are increasingly looking for products that are recyclable, reusable and have a low environmental impact. Our customers trust us to provide them with expert advice on packaging trends and legislation that provide the data they need to report effectively, make informed decisions, and help them choose the solutions they need to meet their sustainability goals.
Sustainability and social responsibility are very important parts of our company’s strategy. This endeavor offers innovative solutions that contribute to reducing negative impacts on the environment. Responsible use can be based on the use of alternative feedstocks, reuse and recycling. We consider it our priority mission to take an active part in the implementation of Hungary’s environmental protection efforts by influencing fixed customer habits and trends, and by integrating a new customer culture.
An environmentally conscious approach is a top priority for us, so we pay close attention to catering and gastronomic packaging that is made from natural ingredients and decomposes during composting, or is made from recycled materials such as paper packaging. As of July 2021, the use of single-use plastic plates, cutlery, ear sticks and mixers, as well as cups, food boxes and other products made of EPS has also been banned in Hungary. These materials and products have been replaced with other, more sustainable materials such as sugar cane, corn starch, wheat bran, wood, paper, bamboo.
Following food service trends, begreen (Bunzl’s own brand) product range includes many environmentally friendly products that come from 100% renewable sources. We are pleased to present the diversity of our product range, which allows everyone to find the products that best suit their needs and goals. Whether for household use, restaurant environment or various events and festivals, everyone will find the best solution here. Our products are chosen by restaurant chains, fast food restaurants, food delivery companies, public institutions, hot and cold kitchens, bakeries, confectionery, dairy, meat plants and industrial users.
The advantages of environmentally friendly packaging:
- Environmental protection: Its use reduces the environmental impact. Environmentally friendly packaging materials can be easily degraded or recycled, thus helping to reduce the burden on landfills and prevent the resulting environmental problems. These materials usually come from recycled or renewable sources such as paper, sugar cane, wood or biodegradable plastics.
- Positive message: By using environmentally friendly packaging, you can show your business’s commitment to sustainability, which sends a positive message to customers. This contributes to improving business reputation and customer engagement.
- User satisfaction: Environmentally conscious consumers are more inclined to choose businesses that use environmentally friendly packaging, which can increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
In addition to begreen’s product range, we consider it important to make changes in the product range of another own brand and to think environmentally conscious. Prime Source’s own brand products cover building cleaning in its entirety. Our customers can choose from a wide range of cleaning products, which we have expanded with a high-quality microfiber wipes and plan to introduce more products in the future. In order to make our product range even more diverse, we intend to introduce 5 environmentally friendly cleaning products with Ecolabel certification. It is important for us to obtain this certification, because what distinguishes the Ecolabel from other labels is that it can be obtained through an official, independent and third-party certification program. The Ecolabel label of a product means that the product has been approved according to a science-based standard.
Our Prime Source Green Line products are: bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner, general cleaner, hand dishwashing detergent, kitchen cleaner. Hygiene and cleanliness are essential in any environment, be it at home, at work or in public spaces. Pristine foam soap and skincare dispensing systems are an excellent choice for those looking for the highest level of hygiene and comfort. In addition, it is also an excellent choice for those who are environmentally conscious, as the refills shrink to 1/5 of the original size and are made of 100% R-PET material, thereby reducing the environmental impact.
Information security and digitalization
The loss of valuable or business-sensitive data, potential financial losses, damage to our reputation, virus attacks that can disrupt our systems, and online fraud targeting Bunzl employees with unsolicited emails—these are all risks associated with digitalization and the proliferation of IT systems.
The Bunzl Group considers information assets – including data, products, IT systems, networks, computing devices and business applications – to be essential and highly valuable business assets and is committed to protecting the company’s information assets against misuse or compromise. To this end, the Group information security policy sets out how we protect Bunzl and its reputation against threats (internal or external, intentional or accidental) related to the misuse or compromise of our information assets. With a risk-based approach, we take appropriate measures to protect our information assets, reduce the frequency and impact of information security incidents, enable business, increase productivity, and comply with legal and regulatory requirements. This information security policy is binding and applies to all business areas, operating companies and employees of Bunzl, as well as to third-party suppliers and other parties working on behalf of Bunzl who have access to Bunzl’s or customers’ property, systems or data.
In addition, our Information security policy defines the types and levels of security of IT resources and capabilities that must be established and operated in order for these elements to be considered secure. The purpose of this security policy is to define security requirements for the appropriate and secure use of IT services within our organization. It also aims to protect the organization and users as much as possible from security threats that could compromise their integrity, privacy, reputation, and business results. This document applies to all users in our organization, including temporary users, visitors with temporary access to services, and partners with limited or unlimited access time to services. Adherence to the guidelines contained in this document is mandatory for everyone who has a business relationship with our company.
Our employees in IT work tirelessly to protect our data and protect against viruses and hackers, but we consider it important that all our employees play their part in information security, as they are also responsible for protecting our data and systems. To this end, the Bunzl Cyber Security team periodically conducts cybersecurity trainings for our employees, which helps them to receive security training appropriate to their position.
Digital transformation takes place at our company on three levels – digitization (switching from analog to digital data), digitalization (identification of process losses, involvement of digital tools to increase efficiency), digital transformation (combining digitization and digitalization tasks, developing a new approach (change management/adaptation)). From the point of view of sustainability, continuous introspection, identification and reduction of losses, and the ability to adapt to changes in the environment are very important. The ideas derived from this approach also help to identify and manage physical losses (e.g. waste, wastage, etc.).
When changing workflows, we pay attention to creating a process with as little paperwork and loss as possible, and to identify the losses and waste of the process, so that we can take effective action against it afterwards.
We strive to use as little paper as possible in our operational activities. We try to reuse redundant papers, so we collect them separately. We also consider it important that business documents are increasingly digitized. In order not to print unnecessary documents, we prefer to use e-invoices and e-signatures as much as possible.
Electronic data interchange (EDI)
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is a technology that helps trading partners and organizations speed up logistics deadlines and eliminate manual errors by automating business-to-business (B2B) communication. EDI provides a solution to replace manually processed orders, order confirmations, packing slips and invoices. The exchange of information through standardized communication methods based on standardized messages enables companies to integrate information automatically into their internal systems without human intervention, thus avoiding manual labor and errors resulting from manual data entry.
Bunzl Continental Europe has set itself the goal of completing all communication with suppliers electronically without manual processing. This goal is set for all companies and the entire process, from procurement to invoicing, so we have an interest in achieving it. This goal goes beyond paperless and strives for contactless processing. In addition, companies that cannot or do not want to establish an EDI relationship with Bunzl have the option to use the supplier portal (VIP portal) created by Bunzl. The portal is based on the same functional messages as EDI messages, which means that on our side there is no difference in message processing.
Digital marketing and webshop
The main difference between digital marketing and traditional marketing is that digital marketing takes place in the online space while traditional marketing takes place in the offline world. In digital marketing, we can reach the target group through the Internet, for example through websites, social media platforms or email. This allows for more targeted, measurable and interactive campaigns. Traditional offline marketing, on the other hand, uses offline tools such as printed catalogs, posters, or events. Our online appearances: website, webshop, social media (Bunzl Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube channel), Mailchimp newsletter (instead of printed flyers).
The representation of sustainability is also playing an increasing role in our webshop. For example, we highlight our products made from alternative materials using “Believe tickboxes”:
- Believe Renewable Resources: The raw material of the product comes from renewable resources, e.g. Tana chemicals, paper-based products, indicated by suppliers (e.g. Tana, Duni).
- Believe Recycled Resources: The raw material of the product comes from recycled sources, e.g. Tana chemicals (their bottles are made from recycled plastic), paper products, products made from recycled plastic, etc.
- Believe Compostable: The product is made of compostable material such as poplar, pine, softwood, bamboo, bamboo leaf, palm leaf, sugar cane, bagasse, PLA, corn starch.
- Believe Recycling: The product is made of recyclable material such as poplar, pine, softwood, paper, cardboard, APET, PET, RPET, PETE, PP, PS, CPET.
- Believe Reuse: The product is reusable, e.g. reusable cups, cutlery, etc.
Certifications
ISO 9001
ISO 9001 is a globally recognized quality management standard. It helps organizations of all sizes and sectors improve performance, meet customer expectations, and commit to quality. The requirements of ISO 9001 define how a quality management system should be established, implemented, maintained and continuously improved. ISO 9001 certification indicates that an organization complies with the guidelines of the standard and supports the development of a culture of commitment to quality and continuous improvement.
ISO 14001
ISO 14001 is an internationally recognized environmental management standard. It aims to help organizations improve their environmental performance, use resources more efficiently and reduce waste. ISO 14001 provides a framework for the design and implementation of environmental management systems and continuous environmental improvement. By adhering to this standard, organizations can take proactive steps to minimize their environmental footprint, comply with legal requirements, and meet environmental goals. ISO 14001 is one of the most important certifications for organizations that are committed to a sustainable future and combine environmental responsibility with strategic business growth.
FSC
The FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) is an international organization that promotes sustainable forest management. FSC certification indicates that the timber or paper product has been produced in accordance with environmental and social standards. FSC certified products guarantee that forests are managed sustainably, biodiversity is preserved and the rights of local communities are respected. By purchasing products bearing the FSC logo, we can support forest conservation and environmental protection.
We are committed to ensuring that our wood and paper products in our portfolio come from sustainably managed forests. Therefore, we expect our suppliers and products to be FSC certified.
In the begreen range, the manufacturers of the affected products are certified by the FSC, while our TableSMART dispenser napkin carries the FSC number of Bunzl. Our suppliers manufacture mostly hand towels, toilet paper and industrial wipes from FSC certified raw materials. Our brand products (e.g. Tork, Kimberly-Clark, Vajda paper) also have FSC certification.
Great Place To Work
GTPW is an internationally recognized tool for assessing workplace engagement. Its basic principle is to determine the level of trust of employees in their company and its management.
GPTW measures the 5 main pillars of trust – credibility, respect, fairness, pride, camaraderie – each consisting of 3 sub-pillars. Results are measured by two key metrics: Trust Index (TI) – the average number of positive responses to the question; and Overall Perception (OP) – positive answers to the question “Taking everything into account, I would say this is a great place to work”.
In Hungary, a company must achieve a Trust Index (TI) of at least 60% to receive GPTW certification.
EcoVadis Bronze 2024
EcoVadis is an internationally recognized sustainability assessment organization. It aims to help businesses improve their sustainability performance. EcoVadis certifications help companies measure and track their economic, environmental and social performance.
Sustainability issues are based on the company’s industry, size and location. According to this, they selected the most relevant sustainability issues which define what questions we receive and the impact of each theme on our overall score.
In our case, the assessment was carried out according to 3 indicators, these are:
- Policies: A policy is a set of objectives that addresses specific sustainability issues. It shows a company’s attention to reduce impact, mitigate risk or improve performance. Policies are voluntary and go beyond national legal requirements.
- Examples of policies:
- General principles, statements and qualitative objectives to improve sustainability
- Specific quantitative targets with a defined deadline in the future
- Measures: This indicator is about a company’s actions to support its sustainability policies and commitments.
- Reporting: Reporting is based on quantitative KPIs that measure the implementation of sustainability practices.
- Examples of policies:
They focused on evaluating 4 areas of sustainability, these are:
- Labor and human rights: This theme focuses on two areas:
- Labor rights, such as health and safety, working conditions, structured social dialogue, career management and training
- Human rights, such as prevention of human trafficking, child and forced labor, as well as support of diversity, equity and inclusion
- Sustainability procurement: The theme focuses on the management of sustainability risks in our supply chain. The key questions relate to:
- the materials we buy
- the services we hire
- our actions to promote sustainable practices and operations among our supplier base
- our actions to support sustainable procurement
- Environment: This theme focuses on two areas:
- Environmental management of operations, such as energy use in offices, water and materials used during manufacturing, air pollution and threats to biodiversity
- Environmental management of products and services. It includes:
- Product use and product end-of-life, such as energy efficiency of electronics or take-back programs
- Customer health and safety, such as the hygiene and safety of products for consumption and use
- Environmental service and advocacy, such as programs or services to encourage sustainable consumption
- Ethics: This theme focuses on managing business ethics issues, such as:
- Corruption, including bribery, fraud, conflict of interest and money laundering
- Anticompetitive practices, including cartels, abuse of dominant position, illegal mergers and acquisitions
- Poor information management, including violation of information security
EcoVadis assessment reports help companies understand their sustainability performance, compare it to other companies, and optimize procurement processes. Certifications help attract long term investments and secure businesses’ future.
