Chapter 2 - Communities

[2-23]

Allies neighboring communities

Alianza Team’s commitment to the well-being and development of the communities surrounding our operations, as well as those that may be in areas of indirect influence, dates back a long time and today endures as the legacy of our shareholders and founding partners. As evidenced in the context of the global Covid-19 pandemic, the well-being of the communities was one of the three priorities declared in our Value Scale for Decision Making Chapter 3 – How we do it – Alianza Team, even prevailing over the continuity of the business and the assurance of the supply chain.

With the evolution of our social investment strategy and the definition of the engagement protocol, we started 2022 with the empowerment of the local teams in each of the facilities as managers of the respective Social Development Programs

As in any other process, knowledge and understanding of the context is essential to be able to work hand in hand with communities and close allies in defining initiatives that make sense and represent a real development opportunity for the local environment. Our commitments stated in our 2030 Vision on this front focus on three major themes:

To provide formal and non-formal education opportunities to our allies.
To accompany our allies in their employability cycle once they have completed their education.
Support ventures close to our areas of influence, aligned with our operation.

We are committed during 2023 to initiate the design and planning of Social Programs in Chile.

→ Top developments:

Impact on more than one million people with our shared value creation activities under the We Are Allies umbrella.
Creation of local relationship capacity with the construction of the Engagement Protocol, work that was carried out with the support of Portafolio Verde.
Hiring of a social worker in each of the areas of our operations in Colombia for greater proximity, knowledge and action on this front.
Three versions of Sabor Bajero, an open-air gastronomic festival in the city of Barranquilla where mothers participating in the Social Development Program have been able to sell their food to more than 15,000 attendees overall with more than 7,400 dishes sold.

We supported more than 5200 shop-owners in Chile with the development of their businesses through the strengthening of their capacities. This was achieved by BredenMaster, collaborating with 1442 additional shop-owners this year.
We avoided the waste of more than 80 tons of food in line with our corporate commitment against food loss and waste, representing savings of COP $90 million for the organization in logistics operations.
We trained more than 240 bakery industry professionals in Colombia and another 300 bakeries through events, training and alliances in three cities in the country.
The rainwater harvesting systems that we donated to Aldeas Infantiles SOS in Mexico allowed them to meet their needs without having to purchase additional water as in previous years, thus reducing costs.

We Are Allies

[T26; T14]

[ODS 2.1; 4.4; 4.7; 8.5; 8.6; 15.2]

We are Allies is the corporate umbrella for the different programs, initiatives and activities we carry out with different stakeholders with the objective of generating a positive social and/or environmental impact. To this end, we work on capacity building on 4 fronts to fulfill our strategy and corporate purpose of nurturing a better tomorrow.

Here we include the investments made in initiatives with different stakeholders -designed and led by the different teams and businesses throughout the organization- to generate environmental and/or social impact, whether through the donation of products or money, or training in business support programs or Social Development Programs. It should be clarified that according to what is stated in our Policy Guidelines, we do not make donations to political parties or participate in politics in the countries where we operate. The total investment in 2022 was COP $1,608,325,141, impacting more than 1,015,802 people in the region.

Alianza Team Volunteering

We reached more than 1,477 people -731 employees, 674 community members and 72 employees’ children- through the Social Development Programs in Colombia. We trained more than 240 bakery business professionals and 300 bakeries through events, partnerships, fairs and 7 Masterbooks produced in Arauca, Bucaramanga and Ibagué in Colombia. In BredenMaster we accompanied more than 5,200 storekeepers with the development of their businesses and in Mexico we continue to support the organizations close to our operation in Morelia with different actions. The testimonies of the people who participate in these initiatives show how we are being allies for our communities, positively transforming their lives in material aspects, which fills us with pride and satisfaction that we are honoring our purpose of nurturing a better tomorrow.

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“This experience has helped me a lot because before I came here, I was very nervous, I didn’t like to meet people or start a conversation, here everyone has helped me to be more confident.”, Felipe

Young participant in the Construyendo Futuro initiative – Buga, Colombia.

“Alianza Team changed my life, not only with Sabor Bajero, but they helped me to improve my cooking techniques allowing me to sell food in different spaces and generate income for my family.”, Shirly Gutierrez

Participating mother in the Familias Emprendedoras initiative – Barranquilla, Colombia.

In donations, we delivered 20,422 units of product to our allies, contributed to more than 6 entities with money for the promotion of local development and sector competitiveness and reached more than 14 regions in Colombia, Mexico and Chile, contributing to the food security of more than 8,880 children and elderly people in Mexico and more than one million people in vulnerable situations in Colombia according to reports from our ally ABACO (see Annexes for a complete list). Of the total invested, COP $1,222,690,798 corresponds to cash and product donations to our more than 18 partner organizations. With these actions we demonstrate our commitment to be allies not only for our communities, but also for our people, the supply chain and, in general, for our planet.

Committed to zero food loss and waste, we report below the results of the products delivered to ABACO due to short shelf life or low rotation that were in optimal conditions for human consumption but due to market conditions were no longer going to be marketed. We delivered 80 tons of product for a value of COP $729 million, reaching more than one million people in vulnerable situations in 15 cities in the country. This product is equivalent to more than 5,014 million food rations. Additionally, this represented savings of COP $90 million in logistical aspects for the organization.

Business Social Impact Projects

Elite Master

We contribute to the development of skills so that our bakers are in the pastry and bakery trend, participating in training with industry leaders, contributing to the improvement of their business.

10 graduated Elite Masters (Team Employees).
+50 hours of training in pastry and bakery trends 2022.
+300 bakeries impacted by the program, including distributors’ bakeries.
7 Masterbooks made for customers.

Alliances – Chamber of Commerce

We contribute to the development of personal and professional skills of the country’s entrepreneurs.

Social Development Programs

The year 2022 was accompanied by great learning and adjustments in the way we do impact work with our people and communities. Our Social Development Programs are focused on developing skills for employability; strengthening the autonomy, empowerment and leadership of men, women, youth and children.

This has allowed us to generate growth opportunities articulated to our values and principles as an organization, while ensuring economic, environmental and social criteria.

We have decided to work on four fronts and with concrete actions that enable the generation of value and the development of our communities. The leadership in the implementation by each local team ensures that the initiatives of the programs are relevant for each context, making sense for the operation and for the generation of lasting shared value over time with the communities. In total, we have invested COP $212,374,137 in their development, impacting 674 people in the community, 731 employees and 72 of their children.

Below we invite you to learn about the social development programs at our facilities.

Bogotá

1.Mirachuelo Program:

Voluntariado mirachuelo.

We decided to take action against the different problems and needs of the Mochuelo sector located in Ciudad Bolivar, Bogotá D.C. In a socio-environmental approach, this area is located near the Doña Juana Sanitary Landfill (DJSL), which regarding inadequate management of the waste system, has affected the communities in aspects such as bad odors, proliferation of vectors, rodents, landscape alteration and contamination of water bodies such as the Tunjuelo River. According to indicators presented by the Bogotá Environmental Observatory, by 2021, 2,268,789 tons of waste were disposed of in the DJSL.

Ecoparque Mirachuelo started in 2019 and has 17 associated farming families who work every day to raise environmental awareness and maintain the legacy of field work. Their local enterprises offer vegetable products that are planted in a clean orchard. They also carry out milking processes of their cows for the production of different products as a form of sustenance for each one’s home.

We made the first visit with our Leadership School, which was attended by 82 employees and 46 of their family members. There, we conducted an ecological tour with seasonal points of environmental and social educational talks that also involved the reforestation of 110 trees in a lot affected by anthropogenic activities.

During the second visit, we carried out the activity “living like a farmer for a day“, in which 44 employees participated. In addition, we carried out reforestation activities by planting 44 additional trees. 73% of the employees attended the Ecopark, in accordance with the total number of participants projected.

2024 and 2025 Commitments: Increase the participation of employees’ families and link educational institutions such as schools and/or universities.

We seek to train and educate Mirachuelo Ecopark associates and community entrepreneurs by providing basic financial education tools, business facilities in administrative management and the integration of technical concepts associated with environmental issues to strengthen the Ecotourism tour. In addition, industrial safety supplies were donated to prevent any emergency, risk or threat in the Ecopark. The OHS area conducted a diagnosis of the safety conditions, carrying out a field inspection to facilitate the improvement procedure, training 14 people from Mirachuelo in the care, inspection and use of resources, and 6 people from the Mirachuelo Ecoambiental Association in Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) by the Quality team.

We want to go beyond industrial activities such as the DJSL or nearby brick kilns due to environmental pollution. We know that this territory also has rates of malnutrition, stunting and overweight, especially in children, either by factors such as food insecurity, malnutrition, lack of healthy habits, among others. Therefore, together with the Rural Institution José Celestino Mutis IED located in Mochuelo Bajo, Ciudad Bolívar, we have promoted and developed cross-cutting activities to contribute to the social and environmental well-being of the community.

“We want everyone to visit us, to become aware of the importance of recycling and the proper disposal of waste and also to support the enterprise with which the families of this village sustain ourselves,” says Samuel Aya, farmer and associate of the Mochuelo village, who together with 17 families have developed an eco-enterprise that seeks not only to raise awareness of the problem with the landfill, but also to find a sustainable way to support themselves.

2. Strengthening of Productive Units:

This great initiative aims to strengthen the quality and safety conditions in Restaurants and Cafeterias, in the Sevillana sector near our facilties in Ciudad Bolivar.

We began by undertaking an educational strategy, reviewing with restaurant managers and personnel, food handling practices and existing conditions to detect possible sources of contamination and hazards. We provided personalized advice that enabled compliance with applicable OHS regulatory requirements, such as updating and handling of fire extinguishers, advice on restaurant signage, updating and revision of first aid kits, among others. The second phase of our program consisted of the delivery of publicity. We started with the identification of the needs of each establishment and then made the advertising proposal, socialization and agreement of the same. We worked with 7 restaurants located within a radius of 2 km from our facilities.

Achievements:

We executed 100% of the training phase. The topics considered were: good manufacturing practices, safety, occupational safety and health applied to the restaurant sector, integrated management systems, among others.
Percentage of efficiency in the execution of programmed training of 87%.
100% satisfaction rate of the participants with the training and delivery of publicity.

3. Infancia Alianza Team:

We work towards comprehensive development and to contribute to the improvement and strengthening of healthy habits and nutrition in our communities.

During 2022 we invested in a population of early childhood in the town of Kennedy, specifically for homes of the Colombian Institute of Family Wellbeing (ICBF) with the objective of carrying out didactic and integrative processes in the strengthening of healthy eating habits. Because all children have the right to their proper development, to know and promote in their families the benefits of healthy nutrition. In addition, we articulate these activities with the interest and importance of caring for and improving the environment, seeking to accompany and strengthen the development of ecological thinking in children and generate solutions that allow a fairer and more equitable society.

We also share different moments to deliver a complete experience to our children, together with their families:

Children’s Festimural.
Artisan Bakery Workshop.
Workshop on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
Nutritional meeting “Fantastic Food”.
Environmental Thinking Workshop (Siembra).
Eco artistic workshop “My planet my home”.
Water care workshop for children.

Achievements:

We impacted 154 children, 11 community mothers, 11 assistants from 9 ICBF homes and 1 group home.
Alliance with 9 ICBF homes in Kennedy.
Strengthening of GMP in ICBF children’s homes, we contribute to food security through the participatory implementation of vertical vegetable gardens, the inclusion of water care practices and guidelines for the protection of the environment, through learning how to manage waste and used oils.
Execution of 8 workshops and meetings with the support of the 11 community mothers and volunteers in the homes.

4. Youth Sowing the Future:

Young people in the Sembrando Futuro program, Bogota.

We began with the identification of specific needs of students in technical and technological training at SENA in conditions of socio-economic risk, specifically with young people of socioeconomic stratum 1 and 2, who are mostly located in the municipality of Soacha and the town of Ciudad Bolivar. This project allows us to accompany and guide young people in their transition process between SENA higher education and the work environment, in order to build a healthy, stable and productive life project.

Achievements: Throughout the work and activities carried out, impacts on the quality of life of 10 young people in training stage through:

Sponsorship of teaching stage.
Linkage to internships commensurate with performance.
Payment of 100% of the current legal monthly minimum wage in apprenticeship contracts.
We offered personalized job search counseling.
We implemented 10 home visits and 7 training sessions on topics related to the socio-occupational environment and psychosocial support, strengthening the protective factors of young people through education in social and occupational skills and support in the academic and family situation of young people.

5. Social Housing Project

We seek to impact and improve the quality of life of our employees through access to decent housing. Achievements: We conducted 177 socio-economic surveys and trained employees in financial education and social housing projects in coordination with social work with a leading entity in the Colombian financial system.

Buga

1.Building the Future.

Buga Social Development Program.

We promote the professional development of our employees, third parties and the community, through continuous training plans and generating opportunities for incorporation into the labor market.

This is the story of Felipe, a young man from the community of Buga who transformed his life thanks to Alianza Team’s support. With our accompaniment, he has not only improved his economic conditions, but has also transformed his life in different dimensions.

Like Felipe, 9 other young people today tell a different story, a story of hope, opportunities and reconciliation, where Alianza Team has been instrumental in building a better future for them.

Achievements:

We improved the living conditions of ten young people and their families from the most vulnerable neighborhoods of Buga.
100% of the young people from the community in Buga who took part in our training program now have formal employment thanks to Alianza Team.

2.Community Mothers

Mothers participating in the Buga social development program.

We trained more than 40 mothers who are heads of family to carry out activities that generate additional income to support their households, taking into account their condition of vulnerability and that in turn, reside in the most vulnerable neighborhoods of the municipality of Buga.

Achievements:

Training in GMP, sales and innovation strategies.
We conducted a 4-session baking course with SENA and our Dagusto brand.
Consolidation and follow up of ventures.

3.Securing a Better Tomorrow for Children, Adolescents, Elderly, and Street People

We contribute to the proper nutrition of the beneficiary population of the Fundación Madres Vicentinas, Centro Bienestar del Anciano, Comedor de Balboa and Hogar del Mendigo in Buga. Through this program we strengthen food security and the welfare of our community.

Achievements:

Hogar del anciano: 77 senior citizens.
Balboa Dining Room: 70 children and adolescents.
Hogar del Mendigo (Beggar’s Home): 250 senior citizens and 10 street dwellers.
Consolidation of Family School for Comedor de Balboa.

4.Comprehensive Employee Development

We support and promote training in technical careers for employees, contractors and young people in the community to contribute to the advancement of their “career plan”.

Achievements:

We trained 7 employees as Industrial Maintenance Technicians.
We certified 132 employees based on competencies.
We supported 11 employees to complete their university studies.
We support 45 employees for their children’s education.

Initiatives generated:

ReciKlados Project

We designed a strategy to promote the efficient recycling process through pedagogical processes aimed at recyclers who carry out their routes in the neighborhoods belonging to the area of influence of the Buga facilities.

Barranquilla

1.Entrepreneurial Families

Women being trained in the Entrepreneurial Families Program

We continued to strengthen and develop gastronomic skills for women heads of household in Barrio Abajo in collaboration with SENA and through internal technical advisors for the creation of their own businesses.

Together with the Zeta brand, the Mayor’s Office of Barranquilla and the Community Action Board of Barrio Abajo, we saw the opportunity to promote the entrepreneurial families program of Alianza Team with the Sabor Bajero program. An initiative that becomes a meeting point where different cultural, gastronomic, social, musical and recreational activities converge. In this way, with our Zeta brand we have given visibility to the women in the entrepreneurial families program with the objective that, in the medium term, their enterprises will be sustainable and generate an important income for their families. Zeta has become the backbone of these enterprises, being the flagship brand in their preparations and in each of the events and initiatives in which they participate.

Gastronomic Festival Sabor Bajero, Barranquilla.

With Sabor Bajero we have managed to impact more than 25 women heads of household who during the 4 editions of the festival have managed to sell approximately COP $50,000,000 and more than 7,400 plates of food, which has become an important source of income for the maintenance of their families and the development of their businesses. Likewise, for the Zeta brand it has been an important showcase for its development and sustainability as the oil brand of the people of Barranquilla.

These mothers have been part of our social development programs in Barranquilla, to diversify their family economy, generate more income and gain knowledge in food and entrepreneurship in order to fulfill their dreams and those of their families.

These women delighted us with their frying and kneading techniques learned in our facilities in Barranquilla, and with the unmistakable flavor of the Colombian Caribbean, they filled the colorful streets of our beautiful Barrio Abajo with joy, offering an incredible time, full of happiness, flavor and laughter.

Sabor Bajero is an example of our commitment to the social and economic development of our communities. The event was attended by more than 15,000 people and was recognized by authorities, media and public opinion as a success story in the city to support the local economy and entrepreneurship. Major media outlets in the region such as El Heraldo (Matronas once again delight with their seasoning in Sabor Bajero, registered the space as a great project between the public and private sector to improve the quality of life of families settled in the area of influence of the facilities. Likewise, figures such as Mayor Jaime Pumarejo Barranquilla, Liberal Party Senator Mauricio Gomez Amin, and the Barranquilla Carnival Organization have highlighted on social networks the contribution of the event for the economic development of the community, the recovery of public space and the promotion of culture and tradition in the area. Learn more here Instagram and Facebook.

2.Build Your Future

We generate employment opportunities through the sponsorship of SENA apprentices in the technical career “Industrial Machinery Mechanic Technician”, from the academic and productive stage and leading to the labor insertion, having our contractors as allies.

Achievements: Two members of the community were provided with study and job placement opportunities.

Mexico

1.Leadership School

One of our purposes is to support community leaders to continue developing their leadership skills from an adaptive approach through the participation in workshops of our Leadership School virtually and in person with international leadership experts, among others, with our partner Origen Red de Liderazgo. During 2022 we had the participation of 6 community leaders.

2.Talent Seedbed

Through this program we seek local university talent to participate in initiatives, internships and professional residencies that serve as an approach and immersion to the working world; this is done jointly with our ally AIEMAC.

Achievements: In 2022, 36 university students participated; at Alianza Team we hired 13 of them, representing 36% of the group in Mexico.

3.Aldeas Infantiles SOS (Children’s Villages)

During 2021 we made a joint donation with Eastman of 3 rainwater harvesting systems (RHS), which were manufactured and installed by Xocalli in 3 houses in Aldeas Infantiles SOS. After their installation, some flaws were observed in the design of the RHS, so money was raised through the Alianza Team Leadership School in which employees, with personal donations, together with the company covered the cost of the repairs.

Achievements:

During 2022, these RHS have decreased water costs for Aldeas Infantiles. The greatest impact of the RHS in Aldeas Infantiles is to provide the opportunity for the community to have water available at all times, because in Morelia there is a water shortage and the community often could not access this resource. In 2022, approximately 6,750 liters of water were captured thanks to the RHS.

“The rainwater collector is very useful because thanks to it we can supply water in times of shortage. In the past, when the water ran out, we had to go to a cistern with buckets to fetch the precious liquid or sometimes we had to buy water tanks, which implied a very high price. Thanks to the people who donated the collectors, not only did we have a secure water supply, but we also saved money.”

– Angélica Martínez Rivera, Social Caregiver for Aldeas Infantiles SOS.

4.Dual Program

This great project is carried out in alliance with the Instituto Tecnológico del Valle de Morelia; we promote and carry out activities that allow us to achieve maximum development in the academic training of students. We open the opportunity for students to participate in environmental, social and economic impact projects within Team Foods Mexico, with which they can accredit subjects in their professional curriculum and also have the opportunity to put into practice the theoretical knowledge of their career. Finally, we encourage their professional development by giving them their first work experience, promoting their profile within the company or the industry. In the year 2022, we have the participation of 2 students in the production area focused on continuous improvement, of which one of them is already part of the company and the other is part of our talent map.

5.Children’s Home Morelia

Alianza Team Mexico employees in Children’s Home.

Our employees identify with our higher purpose of Nurturing a Better Tomorrow; the best example of this is the 43 employees who sponsored 43 children from the Casa Hogar Niños Morelia. Thanks to this impressive experience, we are able to accompany the children on their special days. There we laugh, play and teach, but we also constantly monitor the evolution of each of the sponsored children.