Communication on Progress

Communication on Progress

Participant
Published
  • 06-Aug-2019
Time period
  • August 2018  –  August 2019
Format
  • Stand alone document – Basic COP Template
Differentiation Level
  • This COP qualifies for the Global Compact Active level
Self-assessment
  • Includes a CEO statement of continued support for the UN Global Compact and its ten principles
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Human Rights
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Labour
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Environment
  • Description of actions or relevant policies related to Anti-Corruption
  • Includes a measurement of outcomes
 
  • Statement of continued support by the Chief Executive Officer

  • Statement of the company's chief executive (CEO or equivalent) expressing continued support for the Global Compact and renewing the company's ongoing commitment to the initiative and its principles.

  • Statement of continued support

    Santa Bárbara D'Oeste, 06th August, 2019

    To our stakeholders:

    I am pleased to confirm that MicroBio reaffirms its support of the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact in the areas of Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption.

    In this annual Communication on Progress, we describe our actions to continually improve the integration of the Global Compact and its principles into our business strategy, culture and daily operations. We also commit to share this information with our stakeholders using our primary channels of communication.

    We are also committed by 2020 to have better sustainability indicators, by managing risk and opportunities, enhancing performance and transparency, leveraging technology and collaborating with others, we will deliver productivity, long-term business resilience and enduring social and environmental outcomes.

    Sincerely yours,

    Carine Carla de Lima
    President

Human Rights
  • Assessment, policy and goals

  • Description of the relevance of human rights for the company (i.e. human rights risk-assessment). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on Human Rights.

  • We aim to identify and manage human rights-related risks in all our activities.
    The most relevant human rights issues for our industry include occupational health and safety, labour conditions and activities of security forces.
    We are organic fertilizers producers, bringing healthy food to the table of Brazilians, we are committed to run a questionnaire with our main stakeholders in order to understand how does our products/services impact in their lifestyle and how we are contributing to the human well-being. Furthermore we also want to quantify if is there any externality that we are missing to take into account as well as understand our stakeholders to improve our commitment with them in line with our Code of Conduct.

  • Implementation

  • Description of concrete actions to implement Human Rights policies, address Human Rights risks and respond to Human Rights violations.

  • Our Code of Conduct outlines the human rights commitments applicable to our people, as well to our suppliers.
    We set mandatory requirements for all our suppliers, including zero tolerance in relation to child labour, forced or compulsory labour, freedom of association, living wage, non-discrimination and diversity, workplace health and safety, community interaction and treatment of employees.
    The Code of Conduct is available on our blackboard at the firm to everyone who visit us. We are currently working on improving our Code of Conduct and make it available online for all our stakeholders.

  • Measurement of outcomes

  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates performance.

  • Our sales performance is evaluated based on our benchmark. We identify different aspects of our competitors in order to increase our efficiency and maintain advantage in the market. Besides, we research the best practices and innovative solutions in the agriculture sector to learn and satisfy the current and future needs of our customers. For a human rights perspective, we aim to run a questionnaire to better understand our stakeholders, their values, gender and the environment where they are located. This will help us to have a better view how our organisation impacts the society.

Labour
  • Assessment, policy and goals

  • Description of the relevance of labour rights for the company (i.e. labour rights-related risks and opportunities). Description of written policies, public commitments and company goals on labour rights.

  • We are a small team of 7 employees in total, which 4 of them are women and 3 men.
    The average age of our employees is 30 years old.
    In 2018, we had 1 employee turnover.

  • Implementation

  • Description of concrete actions taken by the company to implement labour policies, address labour risks and respond to labour violations.

  • We are committed to give a competitive wage and comply all labour laws of Brazil.
    We have a flat organization structure where our workers have an active voice in our daily decision makings which lead us to a greater
    level of communication and innovation.
    In 2018 our employees had 4 technical trainings to improve their analytical capabilities.
    Additionally, our team visited 2 national conferences.
    We believe that our employees are the key of our business. We celebrate each achievement
    together, as well as their birthdays.

  • Measurement of outcomes

  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates performance.

  • Our environment is familiar and professional. We monitor and evaluate each employee individually.
    Employees performance are evaluated annually as well as their wage are reviewed.
    Furthermore, we hired a Human Resource third party company that helps us weekly in accordance with the Brazilian work labour laws.

Environment
  • Assessment, policy and goals

  • Description of the relevance of environmental protection for the company (i.e. environmental risks and opportunities). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on environmental protection.

  • Environmental Stewardship is in our core business. We develop solutions 100% natural to contribute to a sustainable environment.
    UN SDGs 13, 14 and 15 are part of our mission. Our products act mitigating the negative environmental impacts and promoting a safety
    and healthy environment.
    MicroBio is in the stage of development. Our goal is to grow to meet the demand of farmers, which will lead us to a better comprehensiveness in the
    field, benefiting our stakeholders, such as our employees: improving their benefits and gender equality; farmers: best quality and practices in
    agriculture; society: healthy and safety food and our environment: maintaining the balance and mitigating the negative impacts.

  • Implementation

  • Description of concrete actions to implement environmental policies, address environmental risks and respond to environmental incidents.

  • Since our operations relies on 100% raw material and enzymes we do not generate hazardous waste. We follow all production protocols of production according to the
    Ministry of Agriculture in Brazil and IBD (Certification of Organic Fertilizers in Brazil).
    By 2020 we want to have clear performance indicators of sustainability in our entire operation.
    In 2016 we have implemented 3 indicators to manage our environment impact.
    Our energy consumption has been increased due our expansion. However, we have repaired and bought new air conditioning to
    use efficiently the energy in our capacity.
    Our water consumption has been decreased due our new way process to re-filter the water.
    Currently, 70% of our packing is recyclable plastic. However, we are committed to design to be reusable, recyclable or compostable by
    2025.

  • Measurement of outcomes

  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates environmental performance.

  • We have internal audits and external parties to monitor our environmental performance annually.
    Besides we aim to start our GHG emissions disclosure based on the GHG Initiative Protocol by 2020.

Anti-Corruption
  • Assessment, policy and goals

  • Description of the relevance of anti-corruption for the company (i.e. anti-corruption risk-assessment). Description of policies, public commitments and company goals on anti-corruption.

  • MicroBio has a zero-tolerance approach to bribery in any form. We are committed to being
    a no-bribe business and eradicating any practices or behaviors in this regard. Our policy
    extends to through all our stakeholders or with whom we do business.

  • Implementation

  • Description of concrete actions to implement anti-corruption policies, address anti-corruption risks and respond to incidents.

  • Our commitment to anti-corruption compliance is reflected in our Code of Conduct and
    operating with our core value Ethics and Responsibility.

  • Measurement of outcomes

  • Description of how the company monitors and evaluates anti-corruption performance.

  • We do not tolerate any bribery approach. We actively participate in conferences to share, learn and adopt best practices.
    We have actively a third party lawyer, which supports us at any incidents. Fortunately, we haven't suffered any incident by 2018.