Why we care
At Vandemoortele, we see it as part of our social responsibility to create a diverse and inclusive working environment for our associates. We want our workplace to be a reflection of our society and makes every colleague, regardless of who they are or what their role is, feel equally involved and supported. Investing in diversity and inclusion also leads to a better understanding of our customers’ and consumers’ demands, and provides us with greater readiness to innovate. It helps us to attract and retain talent.
Commitments throughout our associates’ careers
In the first half of 2022, Vandemoortele worked hard to further improve its sustainable performance. We reached several targets and made significant progress on many of our Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Our sustainability strategy is the compass that guides us towards a more sustainable future. In anticipation of the new European sustainability directives, we continue to raise our ambition levels and work even harder to become a top sustainable company. Throughout the process, we never walk alone: our associates are our best and most treasured sustainability ambassadors.
Vandemoortele employs about 4,000 people from different backgrounds, in addition to hundreds of temporary workers. We hire people regardless of age, gender, disability, marriage or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion, political opinion or beliefs. We aim to maintain this standard by increasing the awareness of biases among associates involved in the recruitment process and by measuring applicant demographics throughout the recruitment procedure.
However, our commitment does not stop after the recruitment process has been completed. We are committed to embedding diversity and inclusion policies, practices and processes within every step of our associates’ professional journeys. From their hiring experience and onboarding process, through how we support them in their personal and professional development, how their performance is managed, evaluated and rewarded, to retention efforts and movement towards a new role.
Team leaders have an important responsibility in recognising talent and potential in possible successors, making sure that a diversity of talents can be nominated.
We teach our associates how to speak up or how to indicate inappropriate behaviour.