La Biscuiterie de l’Abbaye: Winner of SIAL for Change 2024
Biscuiterie de l’Abbaye, a family business based in Normandy, has been awarded the SIAL for Change 2024 prize.
This international distinction highlights the company’s exemplary commitment to sustainable development, illustrated by concrete actions in favour of the environment, solidarity and the well-being of its employees.
A prize that rewards a long-term vision
‘This prize rewards a CSR policy that has been in place for more than 20 years and is based on 4 key principles: innovating by focusing on the quality and proximity of ingredients, respecting professional equality, developing skills and conviviality, respecting the environment by reducing our consumption of water, energy and packaging every year, and showing solidarity with strong, long-term partnerships’, explains Catherine Guillemo, sustainable development director at Biscuiterie de l’Abbaye.
This vision is based in particular on high-quality local sourcing. ‘More than 80% of our ingredients are purchased in the north-west quarter of France’, she explains. On the social front, the company also stands out for its constant efforts to promote professional equality. ‘With an index of 92/100 for professional equality, Charles Lebaudy, Chairman of the biscuit factory, has been appointed ambassador for the Normandy region to spread good practice at national level’, adds Catherine Guillemo.
Concrete initiatives for the environment and employees
The company has a number of concrete initiatives in favour of its employees and the environment. ‘We are partners with two ESATs (Etablissements et Services d’Aide par le Travail). We have a social worker on hand one day a month to help our employees with their personal problems,’ says Catherine Guillemo.
The attention paid to employee well-being is also reflected in significant investment. ‘An annual budget is allocated to ergonomics (€60k) and quality of life at work (€50k). These allow us to adapt workstations and contribute to the well-being of our employees,’ she explains.
On the environmental front, the company’s actions have not gone unnoticed. ‘A 1,300 m² photovoltaic plant supplies a third of the electricity needs of our 2ᵉ Magny-le-Désert site,’ explains Ms Guillemo. What’s more, the Biscuiterie donates part of its profits to ecological projects: ‘We are members of the 1% for the Planet collective: 1% of sales of shortbread branded Biscuiterie de l’Abbaye and Notre Nature is donated to associations carrying out projects to preserve the planet, such as Terre de Liens or the Conservatoire d’Espaces Naturels Normandie,’ she adds.
Taking part in SIAL Paris 2024 was an exceptional opportunity for the company. ‘SIAL Paris is an opportunity for us to meet the vast majority of our customers. We talk about current business, but also about development opportunities,’ says the sustainable development director
This visibility has also enabled the company to expand its network and open up promising discussions. ‘This year, we’ve had a lot of contacts and we’re still in discussions with potential customers, hoping to end up with new partnerships,’ she explains.
Lastly, the event provided an opportunity to pick up on the major trends in the agri-food industry. ‘It’s an opportunity for our teams to see consumer trends in France and abroad, so that we can respond as effectively as possible to consumer expectations,’ she concludes.
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Credit image: La biscuiterie de l’abbaye
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