Given its activity, which has direct links with the world of agriculture, given its products, the natural basis of nutrition, and in light of its ethics which have been developed over several generations based on vital values, the Bonduelle group has, throughout its history, attached a vital importance to what is now termed 'sustainable development' and which we at Bonduelle simply call 'continuity'.

The Realisation of the need to preserve the environment and the will to place human values at the core of our economic endeavours have been the drivers of the group's expansion and have ensured its continuity. Because sustainable development and the objectives laid down by group shareholders (continuity, independence, staff fulfilment) all converge and because the company must increasingly deal with growing expectations in society and must account for its behaviour, we have strengthened our approach this year.

Thus, a steering committee representing agri-food, human resources, research and development and external communication divisions was instituted in October 2002. Its purpose, over and above implementing a company HR and environmental reporting system throughout the entire group, is to lay down the axes for progress, set objectives and facilitate through transversal methods the application and distribution of best practice s . A further aim is to explain and provide information about our approach. This preliminary specific document addressing the group's social and environmental responsibility is thus the concrete result of this objective and more than a reaction to the latest laws. After this year's work, the group defined four priority axes with related objectives:

- agricultural output
- people
- nutrition/quality
- natural resources.

This approach is intended to be stringent. It must contribute to the group's efficiency and medium-term growth. These are two factions without which there cannot be any development that benefits all parties.

Christophe Bonduelle
Manager