non-financial information

What’s Cooking? Annual report 2022

See page 4 and following. for a description of the group’s activities and its segments as well as an overview of the group’s various production sites and their activities. In line with its strategic ambitions, the group will continue to focus on R&D and New Product Development in both its savoury and ready meals segments in the coming years, further supporting the group’s brands, new snacking products. The further development of the commercialization of plant-based and vegetarian products will also receive the necessary attention. More information can be found in the activity report. Commitment to and excellence in food safety, a safe working environment and sustainability are central to the group’s policies.

Social & personnel matters

Strong people and the diversity of teams make us stronger. Engaged people make the difference. What’s Cooking complies with legislation on diversity and ensures that the principle of diversity is consistently applied across all sites and to all teams and employees at all levels.

(See also the “Board of Directors” section on page 76 and following.) Our plants employ people from diverse origins & backgrounds and it is this that makes us strong as a group. Small initiatives such as language and other training courses, sessions on mental and physical well-being at work and team activities should make everyone feel ‘at home’ at What’s Cooking. The group also established a ‘whistle blowing’ procedure to ensure that employees can not only go to their manager or local/group HR department but also speak to an independent party if they have concerns around social & personnel matters. For further information: see also the Activity Report and the description under ‘Key features of internal control and risk management systems’ on page 87 and following.

In total, the Group employs about 3,000 people in its various locations: some 50 in the Group team & about 1,475 in each segment (in each case including the average number of people employed via temp agencies). The table below summarizes staff numbers and full-time equivalents (excluding temps) by country and plant:

Respect for human rights

Respect for human rights - including among our partners & suppliers - is a must. This is part of our core values. Every employee receives a briefing at the start of employment that includes a description of how we expect them to treat others and what they can expect from us. We also ask suppliers to endorse our policy on this.

Fight against corruption

More explanation can be found under “Main features of internal control and risk management systems” on page 87 and following. As a food company, the integrity of our products is also extremely important. To ensure this, we have the necessary internal procedures as well as a product integrity officer to whom employees and third parties can turn for comments regarding the integrity of our ingredients and products.