Irwindale, CA – Bonduelle Fresh Americas, the U.S. business unit of Bonduelle Group and home of Ready Pac Bistro®, announced it is now a Certified B Corporation, leading the fresh salad produce industry in the global movement for an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy. Certified B Corporations, or B Corps™, are companies verified by B Lab™ to meet high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. The achievement marks a major milestone in the company’s long-term vision to reshape the world’s food system for the health of the planet and the well-being of people.
“At Bonduelle Fresh Americas, we are committed to making a positive impact on people, food and the planet,” said CEO Andrea G. Montagna. “B Corp certification is an important and exciting step forward, validating the positive impacts we have already made, and ensuring we continue to improve. I’m very proud of our team today, and especially proud to join the B Corp community of values-driven businesses as we all work toward collective action to address society’s most critical challenges.”
B Corps are certified by B Lab, a nonprofit network transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities and the planet. To gain B Corp certification, a company is measured on governance as well as how it impacts the environment, the community, its employees and its partners. Additionally, B Corps are legally committed to bringing benefits not just to shareholders, but to all business stakeholders – workers, customers, communities and the environment – and must demonstrate accountability and transparency.
With an overall B Impact Assessment™ score of 85.4, Bonduelle Fresh Americas met high social and environmental performance requirements by:
- Hiring and training 200 individuals under the Inclusive Hiring program launched at all facilities
- As part of Bonduelle, the business unit’s corporate governance structure was legally changed to be accountable to all stakeholders
- Committing to transparency by allowing information about the company’s performance measured by B Lab’s standards to be publicly available
With certification, Bonduelle Group and Bonduelle Fresh Americas take an important step in a long line of commitments to improving their impact on people and the planet. Underlining its values and commitment to creating a positive impact, Bonduelle Group set a goal in 2018 for all business units to achieve B Corp certification by 2025. In 2019, Bonduelle Fresh Americas launched its corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy, publicly announcing the business unit’s commitments to improving its footprint in the U.S.
Further, in 2020, Bonduelle Group helped establish the B Movement Builders, a collaborative coalition of leading multinational companies to catalyze the global movement of business as a force for good. That same year, Bonduelle Fresh Americas aligned its CSR goals to the B!Pact – a framework defining the company’s firm pledge to Planet, Food and People, which ultimately deepened the company’s commitments and broadened its scope and impact. Notable progress within the business unit’s B!Pact framework have included:
- 75% of packaging is designed to be recycle ready or reusable
- 20% renewable energy powering facilities
- 64% waste diversion at facilities
In 2018, Bonduelle Group chose to join the B Corp movement because it aligns with the company’s mission and because the certification comprehensively and transparently measures a company’s impact on its stakeholders.
“We chose to pursue B Corp certification across Bonduelle because it’s an inspirational approach to using business as a force for good, using our collective efforts to drive lasting change in our economic systems, all for a better life,” said Guillaume Debrosse, CEO of Bonduelle Group. “We are driven by our mission and values to do better for people and the planet. We chose B Corp certification because it demonstrates how we progress in making a positive impact on all of our stakeholders, not just one or two.”
To maintain B Corp certification, Bonduelle Fresh Americas must undertake the assessment and verification process every three years to demonstrate adherence to high standards and continuous improvement.
“We are happy to welcome Bonduelle Fresh Americas into the community of Certified B Corporations committed to rising standards and economic systems change,” said Jodi Beasley, Senior Director of Community, B Lab U.S. and Canada. “We look forward to their partnership in building a more inclusive and sustainable economy globally, and to their ongoing commitment to improving their impacts and practices for years to come.”
To continue to follow Bonduelle Fresh Americas progress and its commitment to the planet, food and people, go to bonduelleamericas.com/b-corp.
To learn more visit https://bonduelleamericas.com/us/
ABOUT BONDUELLE FRESH AMERICAS
Bonduelle Fresh Americas is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bonduelle (BON.PA). With four processing facilities throughout the U.S., we focus on fresh vegetables, salads and fresh meal solutions for the Americas. Acquired by Bonduelle in 2017 as Ready Pac Foods and one of five business units in the Bonduelle Group, our team prepares a complete range of products featuring fresh produce and protein under the company’s Ready Pac Bistro® brand. Our offerings include fresh-cut salads, fresh-cut vegetables, snacking and fresh prepared meals available where consumers buy groceries and in restaurant chains across North America. Visit Bonduelle Fresh Americas or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
ABOUT BONDUELLE GROUP
For Bonduelle Group, inspiring the transition toward a plant-based diet to contribute to people’s well-being and planet health means being an agro-industrial player with a positive impact on its ecosystem. We are a French family-owned company with 12,000 employees and we have been innovating with our farming partners since 1853. Our ready-to-use plant-based food products are grown on 173,000 acres and marketed in nearly 100 countries, with revenues of $2.3 billion. Our four brands are: Bonduelle®, Cassegrain®, Globus® and Ready Pac Bistro®. Visit www.bonduelle.com/en for more.
