Our sustainable strategy is indicative of our high level of ambition and the direction we want to go to contribute to a sustainable society. The strategy is based on our mission to help people live a healthy life. In order to get there, Midsona must work with what we are best at, namely:
Midsona has identified six focus areas by conducting a materiality analysis, i.e. by asking our stakeholders which aspects matter the most to them. The six focus areas help clarifying the activities Midsona is conducting and the goals set in our sustainability work, and also mean that we can measure our results over time. The focus areas are:
Midsona is conducting its operations long term so our six focus areas have been chosen based on what is most relevant to us as a company in our industry and were we see that we can influence it in the most effective way. The areas are regularly reviewed to ensure that we work with issues that are relevant to the Group and our stakeholders.
Midsona shall be a company that is permeated by health and that, based on the employees’ own responsibility and possibility, can stimulate and give the employees a chance to have a good health.
Midsona shall have an inspiring corporate culture, health promoting measures, collective agreements and a good leadership.
Link to summary of Midsona's sustainability policy
According to the UN and the latest climate summit, COP26, the latest science shows that more needs to be done to avoid the worst effects of climate change while ensuring a thriving, sustainable economy. According to the UN, climate change is the greatest challenge we face in modern times and extensive global cooperation from all sides is needed to address this.
Midsona has adopted a Climate Change Strategy, which has been anchored with both the Board and Group Management, with the purpose of taking the necessary steps against climate change. In line with ours commitment to the international co-operative body, SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative), we have set ambitious and scientifically based emission targets that have also been approved by SBTi. SBTi’s approval thereby confirms that Midsona’s targets agree with the levels required to achieve the targets in the Paris agreement.
Our objective
Midsona strives both to increase its sales of plant-based foods and to have a wide range of products contributing to biodiversity in various ways. The UN’s sustainability goals 14 and 15 address the conservation of biodiversity and it has never been so important to work to preserve the richness of species that is a condition for our existence. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity calls for broad collaborations to ensure biodiversity.
Through our products and supply chain, we are expected to have control and sufficient transparency to be able to promote a sustainable supply chain and raw materials that nurture our biodiversity. Midsona strives to produce or purchase quantities as large as possible from EU-certified suppliers with regard to organic farming, production and marketing of organic products (EU) 2018/848, as well as other product certifications with a positive environmental or social impact such as KRAV, Vegan, Fairtrade and Demeter. In recent years, Midsona has focused on organically certified and plant-based products and we are today the Nordic region’s largest supplier of organic food, also with potential in the rest of Europe. Our organic brands help people live healthier lives with an environmental benefit by offering high-quality organic plant-based products to consumers.
Our objective
Sustainable raw materials are crucial in offering sustainable products, while the supply of raw materials always poses a risk from several perspectives. Never in human history has biodiversity been as threatened as it is today. Prudent agriculture, forestry and fishing have significant potential to mitigate the effects. By concentrating on plant-based, sustainable raw materials and products, Midsona wants to contribute to sustainable agriculture, forestry and fishing. The Group is also working to increase its third-party certified products. Choosing certified raw materials fosters sustainable management of forests, land and marine resources. This is further secured for Midsona’s high-risk raw materials in terms of climate and biodiversity, such as palm oil, fish oil, rice, maize, soy, packaging materials and paper. For this reason, the Group has adopted a position on the following issues:
ORGANIC. Midsona strives for production with the least possible environmental impact. The basis for this approach is a set of strict guidelines and developed principles, compiled and certified in accordance with the EU regulations for organic farming, production and marketing of organic products (EU) 2018/848. Organic farming comprises agricultural methods for producing food using natural substances and processes. It often has a limited environmental impact thanks to the responsible use of energy and natural resources, the conservation of biodiversity, more fertile soils and better water quality. In addition, the rules for organic farming encourage better animal welfare because farmers must, among other things, meet the behavioural needs of their livestock. The EU regulations on organic farming set a clear framework for organic production throughout the EU.
GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS (GMO'S). Midsona’s products may not contain raw materials from genetically modified crops. We do not accept products listed in the European Commission’s register of genetically modified organisms or products that are marked with the text “This product contains genetically modified organisms”, 1829/2003 and 1830/2003. The raw materials we use for which there is a high risk of genetically modified (GM) material being mixed in are soy, maize, rapeseed and rice.
ROUNDTABLE ON SUSTAINABLE PALM OIL (RSPO). The protection of the rainforest and the indigenous people is essential and measures must be taken against deforestation and the extinction of habitats. Midsona should avoid palm oil or, where that is not possible due to product needs in terms of quality and safety, only RSPO-certified palm oil promoting responsible production may be used. By 2025, all of Midsona’s own brand products are to be 100-percent free of palm oil
FRIENDS OF THE SEA (FOS) FOR FISH OIL. Sustainable fishing methods and sustainability certifications are necessary and urgent in ensuring the sustainable use of the oceans and marine resources. Midsona shall ensure that the fish oil in its products derives solely from sustainable fishing.
FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCIL (FSC) FOR SUSTAINABLE PAPER USE. Midsona shall contribute to the environmentally friendly and socially responsible use of forests. The Group may only buy FSC-certified paper products, alternatively PEFC-labelled.
PLANT-BASED RAW MATERIALS AND ANIMAL WELFARE. Animals are to be treated well and protected from unnecessary suffering and disease. Midsona shall market and supply plant-based products as a responsible alternative to animal products and shall never market products that have been tested on animals. Plant-based products an important step for a low-carbon society.