SUPPORTING THE GLOBAL
DEVELOPMENT GOALS

How we work with the SDGs

In the Orana Group, we have been actively working with SDGs since 2016, and in 2018 we participated in the
project “From Global Goals to Local Business”. The programme ran for two years and was facilitated by the Confederation of Danish Industries.
Our takeaway was a structured strategy for how to focus and implement our work with the SDGs
into our business strategy, and to thereby ensure sustainable development moving forward.

The Orana Group is committed to being front-runners, and has the vision to be the most sustainable
fruit based raw material producing company by 2030.

In order for us to achieve our ambitious 2030 plans, we have structured our work with the SDGs into two specific projects: Project 8-5-12 concerning our existing factories and Project 1-2-17, which constitutes a framework for our new ventures of fresh fruit processing and thereby also new factories.

In this way we have been able to successfully integrate specific SDG initiatives and actions directly into our business strategy, ensuring sustainability as a cornerstone of our company.

We see the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals as a business driver to support our vision to be a sustainable value-based company

Project 8-5-12 concerns all existing Orana Group sites and focuses on goals 5, 8 and 12. The incorporation of the sustainable development goals has provided a specific framework for working with our already existing sustainable activities, as well as developed and formed new initiatives for us to take even further action.

By respecting international human rights, and by having implemented specific labour policies, we provide employment and decent work for all Orana staff globally, irrespectively of nationality, gender and religion.

The Orana Group has policies implemented regarding forced labor, child labor, wages, benefits, working hours, freedom of association and non-discrimination. We also encourage our staff to participate in or form a labor union in order for all staff to be able to communicate openly and negotiate collectively. Further, by implementing policies regarding Workplace Health and Safety, The Orana Group ensures that all staff is provided safe, suitable and sanitary work facilities as per International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention Article 120.

In the Orana Group we desire to promote both gender equality and female empowerment, and therefore we follow the Danish Business Authority’s recommendation regarding the gender composition of management. Currently, the general Orana Group Management is constituted by 60% women. This said, the Orana Group in general hires the most qualified candidates to vacant positions without considerations of the gender of the given applicant.

Additionally, we have implemented measures such as Danish working style hours, allowing staff to achieve a good work/life balance, hereby ensuring that it is both desirable and possible for employees to stay with us even if they choose to get married and/or have children.

The Orana Group promotes better food quality and food safety, and has a strong focus on resource and energy efficiency. We are currently working with a target of reducing both our non-renewable energy consumption and our CO2 emissions by 50% per produced ton by 2030, compared to what was consumed and emitted in the financial year of 2016/17.

All sites comply with local environmental regulations, all relevant licenses are obtained and the specific reporting requirements are followed. All sites have systems in place to ensure the safe handling of waste and waste water discharges. We plan to re-use waste water back into our production system by using a low temperature evaporator. In this way the remaining sludge will be rich in organic material, which can then be obtained and utilized as high quality manure.

The Orana Group strategy is to have decentralized production sites close to the fruit and the customers, and in this way be able to minimize transportation of raw materials and finished products, thereby lowering our carbon emissions.

All 3 SDGs are in line with the historical values ​​and beliefs of the Orana Group. We believe that by offering decent working conditions, securing equality, and by promoting responsible consumption and production, we will have happy, loyal and well trained staff, which, in addition to a continuous focus on resource and energy efficiency, will result in higher productivity and thereby ultimately a higher profit while ensuring sustainability as a cornerstone of our company.
We are working on new production facilities abroad, where we besides implementing goals 5, 8 and 12 also focus on goals 1, 2 and 17.

SPURRING JOB CREATION AND
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN KENYA

On a strong foundation of our work with goals 5, 8 and 12, Project 1-2-17 constitutes a framework for our new venture of fresh fruit processing. In the Orana Group we want to explore backwards integration into our supply chain, and thereby explore how we can begin to sustainably produce our own fruit supply. In this way we will not only be able to expand our business, but it will also allow us to spread some of the elements of risk regarding our supply, while at the same time contributing to the work with Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2 and 17.

In 2020 the Orana Group engaged in the project Spurring Job Creation in Kenya by Enhancing the Competitiveness of the Banana Sub Sector.

The project is supported by the Danida Market Development Fund, and besides from The Orana Group, the partner consortia consists of two Kenyan partners; Micro Enterprises Support Programme Trust and Wanda Agriculture Group.

The objective of the project is to contribute to increased and sustainable incomes and decent jobs within the banana subsector in the Taita Taveta County – one of the poorest counties in Kenya with a poverty index of 57%.

The project will roll out interventions geared to enhance the competitiveness of the banana value chain and hence improve market access for the targeted farmers. Production capacities of smallholder farmers and specific service providers will be developed, and both vertical and horizontal linkages will be facilitated, thereby sustainably creating value and business efficiencies through a private sector led model.

Emphasis is placed on especially engaging women and youth, and the aim is that this project by extension will contribute to poverty alleviation

The Orana Group has entered two separate joint ventures; The Moonberg Organic Farm and the Orana Fresh Fruit Processing Company.

Besides from the export of fresh organic bananas, the objective is to deliver a socially and environmentally responsible fruit pulp processing factory under the Orana Fresh Fruit Processing Company. By producing fruit pulp, we will also be able to utilise excess or discarded fruit, which thereby reduces food waste.

By entering these ventures in Kenya as part of our Project 1-2-17, the Orana Group is working to contribute to the development of economic growth in Africa. We are working to create jobs in poor rural areas particularly for women, and thereby to consequently reduce hunger and poverty. In this way, we are able to interlink our business strategy with our work with SDGs 1, 2, 5, 8 and 12 through the creation of strong and sustainable partnerships (SDG 17).