Vilmorin & Cie - Annual report 2017-2018

ANNUAL REPORT Vilmorin & Cie 104 2017-2018 Social, environmental and societal INFORMATION 4 4.1.3. The three CSR priorities Formalized at Group level from 2012 onwards, Vilmorin & Cie’s CSR strategy was revised in 2016-2017 to incorporate the results of several materiality analyses established at Group and Business Unit level. Today, it focuses on three priorities. (1) The Gaïa Index is a subsidiary of EthiFinance, specialized in the CSR analysis and rating of European small and mid-tier firms. The Gaïa index panel comprises 230 Small and Midcaps listed on the Paris stock market, that respect two of the three following criteria, sales < 5 billion euros, capitalization < 5 billion euros, headcount < 5 000, and whose securities are sufficiently liquid. 1. Proposing innovative and responsible agri-food solutions This priority focuses on accounting for the impacts of products and services from the innovation process onwards. It should make it possible to identify the needs of the different links in the plant sectors addressed by Vilmorin & Cie in terms of sustainability, to insure the safety, quality and adaptation of the group’s products, while limiting their negative effects, in line with the requirements of economic, social, societal and environmental performance. 2. Conducting activities in an ethical, sustainable and effective manner This concerns the corporate posture. The objective is to make the group more agile, ethical and responsible in order to position itself more effectively in new markets in a sustainable manner. This line of progress should also make it possible to limit the use of resources, and to contribute to the creation and preservation of value in the short, medium and long term. Finally, this corporate posture should encourage the development of the group’s activities, while optimizing the management of environmental, social and societal risks in a variety of changing business contexts. 3. Building new patterns of relationship and creating value The third priority concerns the sharing of Vilmorin & Cie’s CSR principles with its stakeholders in the broadest sense, i.e. building new partnerships, new ways of relating and creating shared value through the establishment of permanent dialogue, active listening and responsible relationships. It also includes participating in the development of the regions where Vilmorin & Cie is established, ensuring the positive impact of its activities and its contribution to making sure that everyone has access to quality, healthy and balanced food. Proposing innovative and responsible agri-food solutions 1 Developing high-added value plant and crop solutions, Ensuring that customers and consumers have accessible, safe and high-quality products, Accompanying the evolution of different agricultural models for a more sustainable world Building new patterns of relationship and creating value 3 Uniting employees around a common project and a shared culture Making stakeholder dialogue a source of wealth Getting involved in society and taking action for the development of local communities Conducting activities in an ethical, sustainable and effective manner 2 Fostering the long-term development of employees and the transmission of their knowledge Expressing and disseminating business ethics Optimizing the sustainable use of natural resources and controlling its impact on climate change Vilmorin & Cie has integrated the Gaïa panel (1) since 2014. In the fall of 2016, the group joined the Gaïa Index, which brings together each year, the 70 best players in the Gaïa-Index panel and informs investors about the transparency and CSR performance of Small and Mid Caps (SMID) listed on Euronext Paris. In 2018, the group obtained the following rating: equal 36th/230 overall and 27th/85 in the ranking for the category “Sales > 500 million euros” with a global rating of 79/100. This is a strong signal demonstrating Vilmorin & Cie’s progress in terms of non-financial performance. 4.1. The approach