Alland & Robert celebrates SDG Flag Day 2024
On September 25, 2024, Alland & Robert is proud and excited to raise the flag of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)! We show our support to the SDGs and we are happy to show that we are part of this global movement for a better world.
SDG Flag Day is an international initiative launched by the Global Compact. Member companies all raise a flag to symbolize their commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) on 25th September, 2024. Alland & Robert is excited to raise awareness about the 2030 agenda and 17 SDGs. Adopted in September 2015 by 193 countries at the United Nations, the SDGs represent an action plan for peace, planet and prosperity.
Today is a good time to shine a light on the concrete initiatives Alland & Robert and our Corporate Foundation have created over the last few years to make our commitments a reality in countries where our natural gums are harvested:
- – Planting over 15,000 trees between 2020 and 2023 and protecting 155 hectares of land in partnership with NGO TreeAid
- – Taking actions to address the biological and social risks associated with the acacia gum supply chain by partnering with NGO Traffic and “We Use Wild” initiative, including signing the We Use Wild pledge
- – Getting our products certified Fair For Life – we’re the first company in the acacia gum supply chain to do this!
- – Focusing on the local communities through the Foundation and our work with our local suppliers
Since 2024, Alland & Robert has reinforced its commitments to sustainability and responsible business practices by becoming part of the Global Compact initiative. We have become part of a community of over 2,500 member organizations in 160 countries that drive positive change.
The Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact address the fundamental responsibilities of business in the areas of human rights, international labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption.
Inspired by landmark UN declarations and conventions, they act as a normative authority for responsible business. By integrating the Ten Principles into strategies, policies and procedures, and establishing a culture of integrity, businesses not only meet their fundamental responsibilities to people and the planet, but also set the stage for long-term success.
At Alland & Robert, we create awareness and act in support of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,that seek to address the world’s biggest challenges, including ending poverty, improving health and education, and tackling climate change. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that each Goal and target are achieved by 2030. In alignment with its operations and stakeholders, Alland & Robert has prioritized seven SDGs where we can make a particular contribution.
All reporting by Alland & Robert on the SDG is available in the Alland & Robert CSR report 2024 that can be downloaded on our website.
This announcement is part of Alland & Robert strategy to lead the gum acacia industry in sustainability and ethics. We are taking responsibillity for crafting and communicating a clear vision for a sustainable future and an ethical industry. This involves setting ambitious, achievable goals and developing comprehensive strategies to reach them.
We work hard to ensure that our organization remains at the forefront of sustainability and durability, which is why ESG agency EcoVadis recently awarded us a Gold medal for our CSR performance.
The United Nations Global Compact, a voluntary initiative based on CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles
The UN Global Compact is the largest corporate sustainability initiative and helps companies to align their strategies and operations with universal principles on human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption.For more information, visit their website.
At Alland & Robert, we are proud to say we have been working towards these goals and taking actions to advance societal goals for years. We will continue our efforts and communicate on our progress. Through this membership, we hope to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability, environmental stewardship, and ethical business practices.
Alland & Robert joins the United Nations Global Compact
Alland & Robert reinforces its commitments to sustainability and responsible business practices by becoming part of the Global Compact initiative. We become part of a community of over 2,500 member organizations in 160 countries that drive positive change.
The Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact address the fundamental responsibilities of business in the areas of human rights, international labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption.
Inspired by landmark UN declarations and conventions, they act as a normative authority for responsible business. By integrating the Ten Principles into strategies, policies and procedures, and establishing a culture of integrity, businesses not only meet their fundamental responsibilities to people and the planet, but also set the stage for long-term success.
At Alland & Robert, we look forward to creating awareness and acting in support of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). These Goals were adopted in 2015 by the United Nations and seek to address the world’s biggest challenges, including ending poverty, improving health and education, and tackling climate change.
The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that each Goal and target are achieved by 2030. In alignment with its operations and stakeholders, Alland & Robert has prioritized seven SDGs where we can make a particular contribution.
All reporting by Alland & Robert on the SDG is available in the Alland & Robert CSR report 2024 that can be downloaded on our website.
This announcement is part of Alland & Robert strategy to lead the gum acacia industry in sustainability and ethics. We are taking responsibillity for crafting and communicating a clear vision for a sustainable future and an ethical industry. This involves setting ambitious, achievable goals and developing comprehensive strategies to reach them.
We work hard to ensure that our organization remains at the forefront of sustainability and durability, which is why ESG agency EcoVadis recently awarded us a Gold medal for our CSR performance.
The United Nations Global Compact, a voluntary initiative based on CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles
The UN Global Compact is the largest corporate sustainability initiative and helps companies to align their strategies and operations with universal principles on human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption.For more information, visit their website.
At Alland & Robert, we are proud to say we have been working towards these goals and taking actions to advance societal goals for years. We will continue our efforts and communicate on our progress. Through this membership, we hope to demonstrate our commitment to sustainability, environmental stewardship, and ethical business practices.
Alland & Robert obtains gold rating from EcoVadis for its CSR performance
Alland & Robert ranks among the top 5% of companies evaluated by EcoVadis, an renowned global ESG-rating agency.
Alland & Robert is extremely proud to report it has been awarded the EcoVadis gold medal for its CSR performance.
Rewarded for its Corporate Social Responsibility management system, Alland & Robert has continuously reinforced its dedication to sustainability since launching its first sustainability report in 2014. The company has since remained committed to reporting on its sustainable practices, with the recent publication of its 2024 report.
Our EcoVadis score places us among the top 5% of companies rated by the platform.
This rating assesses the CSR performance of companies according to four criteria:
- Impact of the company’s activities on the environment
- Labour and human rights
- Business ethics
- Responsible purchasing
Our Sustainable Journey to the Ecovadis Gold Medal
Being highly conscious of the social and environmental challenges humanity currently faces, Alland & Robert is working to establish a sustainable supply chain, and undertaking numerous initiatives in favour of an ethical production model.
The company commitments are aligned with its corporate vision:
To achieve this, the company is committed to preserving traditional expertise and supporting the harvest of natural gums and resilient development for local communities. Alland & Robert has prioritized seven of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) put forward by the United Nations: no poverty, good health and well-being, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, responsible consumption and production, climate action, and life on land.
We also strongly worked on the necessity of getting the entire supply chain involved in order for our strategy to bear fruit: all our partnership protocols with suppliers include social, ethical and environmental criteria, and our Quality department carries out annual audits and delivers training in best practices. In 2023, Alland & Robert obtained the “Fair For Life” fair trade certification, which is a first for the gum acacia sector, as Alland & Robert is currently the only company to have earned this recognition. .
Alland & Robert’s climate strategy is aligned with the 2015 Paris Agreement, and the company stands to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2025. Among the recent advances, Alland & Robert launched the Beyond Acacia® range of gums, whose carbon footprint has been highly reduced compared to a standard gum acacia.
EcoVadis, a plateform to manage ESG risks, ensure compliance with these issues, as well as achieve CSR objectives.
The EcoVadis assessement is one of the most trusted business sustainability rating. It highlights Alland & Robert commitment to put ambitious sustainability policy and objectives first, and our dedication to hard work in order to implement concrete actions and practices in our company and with our stakeholders.
The EcoVadis rating platform was created to assess CSR performance. It is based on 25 criteria and 4 main themes which are: Environment, Social and Human Rights, Ethics and Responsible Purchasing via an examination of the integration of the principles of sustainable development within the activity of each company.
This methodology is based on international sustainable development standards, in particular the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the United Nations Global Compact and the ISO 26000 standard. The objective is to set up an effective CSR management system, consisting of policies, actions and results reporting. In order to fully take into account the real impacts of a company, the assessment framework is adapted to each company according to its sector of activity, its size and its geographical location.
More information is available on the EcoVadis website.
Corporate Social Responsibiliy report 2024
Alland & Robert has released its new 2024 Corporate Responsibility report.
Discover Alland & Robert’s sustainability policy in 2024 as well as our actions to support our stakeholders and preserve the environment.
This report also covers our low-carbon commitments, our certifications and Corporate Foundation.
Exciting News!
We are thrilled to announce the release of our comprehensive 2024 CSR Report, a detailed 80-page document that delves deep into our Corporate Social Responsibility strategy.
This report is a culmination of extensive consolidation work and aims to answer many questions from our customers and stakeholders. It showcases our commitment to sustainability, environmental stewardship, and ethical business practices. Comprehensive data and indicators reflect an in-depth work in corporate responsibility.
As the leading company in sustainability and ethics in the gum acacia industry, Alland & Robert is taking responsibillity for crafting and communicating a clear vision for a sustainable future and an ethical industry. This involves setting ambitious, achievable goals and developing comprehensive strategies to reach them. We work hard to ensure that our organization remains at the forefront of sustainability and durability.
We are proud to be able to share the vision the Alland & Robert will be deploying in the future:
A family business specializing in acacia gum, Alland & Robert offers natural, plant-based and low-carbon solutions for healthier and more sustainable diets.
Alland & Robert preserves traditional know-how by supporting the acacia gum harvest and the resilient development of local communities.
Here’s a sneak peek of our 2024 CSR Report
🔹 Introduction: The report begins with a heartfelt introduction by our CEO, Charles Alland, followed by an overview of Alland & Robert business and core values.
🔹 CSR Approach: We provide clear explanations on our sustainability approach and how we prioritized the key CSR issues. We detail the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals we focus on as part of our membership to the United Nations Global Compact.
🔹 4 Main Sections enter in further details:
- > Protect the Planet: Our strategies and policies focused on environmental protection.
- > Have a Positive Impact: Initiatives aimed at creating a positive societal impact.
- > Local Communities: Efforts to support and engage with local communities.
- > Support Each Member of Our Team: Policies and programs dedicated to the well-being and development of our team members.
- Each section includes our company policy, key issues and relevant indicators.
At the end of the report, a comprehensive list of additional documentation is available for clients seeking more detailed information.
We believe this report will provide valuable insights and answer many of our stakeholders questions about our CSR initiatives.
Thank you for reading and for your continued support in making a positive impact!
Would you like to receive our Corporate Social Responsibility report for 2024?
Complete the form. You will receive the Report by email (You may not receive it immediatly, it may take a little while).
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Corporate Foundation Alland: Activity report 2023
Alland & Robert’s Corporate Foundation has released its 2023 activity report.
Alland & Robert created its Corporate Fondation in 2021 to strengthen its commitments in Africa and in countries where natural gums are harvested. The purpose of this foundation is to support and monitor various projects in the countries where Alland & Robert operate, and more generally, on the African continent.
2023 marks the third year of existence of the Foundation.
It is also the beginning of the support to emergency projects in Sudan to respond the acute needs arising from the military conflict that broke out in April 2023.
In 2024, the support projects will be extended to child protection and food security to provide humanitarian aid and relief to Sudanese populations who are in Sudan or who are seeking refuge at the Chad border.
In 2023, the Corporate Foundation supported projects in 8 African countries:
Sudan, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ethiopia, Niger and Central African Republic, with a focus on 2 main areas:
> Supporting local communities : Alland & Robert’s business activity led the company to operate in rural areas of Africa, where trees grow naturally. In gum harvesting areas of the Sahel, the quality of life can be threatened by desertification of land, drought or lack of access to services. The Corporate Foundation Alland concentrates its efforts on supporting the communities living in these harvesting areas, and on helping people lifting themselves out of poverty.
> Preserving the environment and biodiversity: Natural gum harvesting areas border the African Sahel desert. These areas are particularly affected by global warming and are prone to desertification due to the practice of cutting down trees for cooking and firewood. The Corporate Foundation Alland actively fights for the preservation of trees. We lead initiatives to protect local species in their native environment and to fight against desertification and climate change. We also work with the Great Green Wall to help restore degraded lands. These projects are initiated and created thanks to the know-how of Alland & Robert, which has over 138 years of expertise in natural gums and partnerships with African communities.
More information of our Corporate Foundation activities?
Complete the form. You will receive the Activity Report by email.
(You may not receive it immediatly, it may take a little while)
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Alland & Robert may use your contact data to keep you informed of its products and services by email or by phone. You can withdraw your marketing consent at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in such email or by sending an email to info@allandetrobert.fr.
More information on our processing can be found in our Privacy Notice. By submitting this form, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Privacy Notice.
Alland & Robert obtains first ever fair trade certification for acacia gum
The Fair For Life certification reflects the long standing commitment of Alland & Robert towards its industry and local communities.
FairFor Life-certified acacia gum is now available through Alland & Robert, for both seyal and senegal qualities. This is the first time that such a certification is obtained in the gum acacia industry, reflecting our unique commitment towards our supply chain and the local communities we work with. Alland & Robert advocates for ethical supply chains and leads by exemplarity. We constantly seek to surpass ourselves and go beyond regulatory requirements and customers’expectations, in order to be the leader of a fair industry that respects human rights and the environment. Products displaying the FFL label are guaranteed to come from environmentally friendly processes practiced by fairly paid farmers, from a transparent and traceable supply chain.
Violaine Fauvarque, sustainability manager at Alland & Robert, declared: « This certification is the result of our ambitious corporate and social responsibility policy. To us, this is the recognition of our long-term efforts towards a gum acacia supply chain that is beneficial to all parties involved. Fair trade promotes healthy and beneficial trade for people and the Earth. Participating in this collective effort makes us particularly proud”.
Charles Alland, CEO of Alland & Robert, said: “As the leading expert of acacia gum worldwide, we have a responsibility to our stakeholders. Our commitment to fair relations and sustainable products has been part of this company and its values since our beginnings . This certification embodies our unique work towards the local communities, and it strengthens our lasting relationships with our suppliers in the Sahel. We are extremely proud to be the first to achieve this certification, as we know it will meet the consumers’ demand for ethics, traceability, and transparency “.
The Fair For Life certification is an international standard for Fair Trade and responsible supply-chains.
Fair for Life promotes an approach of Fair Trade that allows producers and harvesters to take charge of their destinies through the recognition of their work. It is a collective and meaningful construction of life and society. The Fair For Life certification is also a guarantee of strict economic, social and environmental standards, set by the Ecocert group.
Fair Trade is part of a broader context of sustainable development within a region that safeguards and supports the local social fabric, particularly in rural settings.
Particularly demanding, the FAIR FOR LIFE label guarantees:
💰 a fair purchase price higher than market prices,
🤝 purchase commitments over 3 years minimum,
📉 a protection mechanism for producers in the event of a crisis,
🙏 decent and safe working conditions throughout the sector,
💪 strengthening the autonomy of producers,
🌍 environmentally friendly agricultural practices.
These principles apply throughout the whole supply chain covering producers, traders, manufacturers and brand holders.
This certification comes in addition to several other initiatives of Alland & Robert for an ethical and sustainable supply-chain, such as being a member of the SEDEX (Supplier Ethical Data Exchange) since 2006, committing to the WE-USE-WILD pledge from NGO TRAFFIC and launching a reforestation initiative in partnership with NGO TREE AID.
Charles Alland appointed as chairman and CEO of Alland & Robert
On 31 March 2023, Charles Alland was appointed CEO of Alland & Robert, taking over the reins from his father Frédéric Alland. Charles will continue to develop the company internationally and diversify into new markets.
Charles Alland had held the position of deputy general manager within the family business since the end of 2017. He started his career in consulting, after studying international business. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics with Politics from the University of Buckingham and graduated with a Master of Science in Management from the University College London in 2015.
“We will continue to grow and diversify our business, while at the same time investing to meet our carbon reduction goals. Acacia gum offers significant development potential in many industries where natural and plantbased product choices are a key consumer trend.”
Charles Alland, CEO Alland & Robert
Frédéric and his son Charles Alland (right) in Senegal in 2019.
ACCELERATING AND EXPANDING ALLAND & ROBERT’S DEVELOPMENT
In taking over from his father, Charles intends to continue weaving family history that began in 1884. He will continue to internationalize the company and support ongoing projects, including the construction of a fourth production workshop at the Normandy site of Saint Aubin sur Gaillon. Set for completion in 2023, this expansion will increase the company’s production capacity by 50% to meet strong global demand for acacia gum – and create around 30 new jobs.
Charles will keep exploring the multitude of opportunities offered by the cosmetics market, following the launch of Alland & Robert’s DemeCare® range in 2022.
He is also set on perpetuating the company’s scientific and technical expertise by continuing the application research conducted in Alland & Robert’s R&D laboratory. He will develop fundamental research through an exclusive partnership with the Agropolymer Engineering & Emerging Technologies (Supagro IATE) department at the University of Montpellier (Agropolymer Engineering and Emerging Technologies).
Charles Alland is – and will continue to be – very involved in Alland & Robert’s social, ethical and environmental commitments, including the projects run by the Alland Corporate Foundation, which supports local communities that harvest natural gums in Africa.
FRÉDÉRIC ALLAND SETS AN INTERNATIONAL PATH
As President and CEO of Alland & Robert from 1988 to 31 March 2023, Frédéric Alland strongly accelerated the company’s international development. This success is reflected by the fact that 95% of the company’s turnover came exports at the end of 2022.
Frédéric will remain involved in the Alland Foundation. Created in 2021, the Alland Foundation acts in partnership with Tree Aid, a British NGO specialized in reforesting African drylands and a key player in the Great Green Wall project.
Founded in 1884, Alland & Robert is a French family business and pioneer in natural tree exudates. Drawing on deep expertise in gum acacia, an all-natural additive and ingredient, Alland & Robert exports to over 70 countries. To ensure the highest product quality and sustainable practices, Alland & Robert is fully committed to an ambitious corporate social responsibility strategy. This approach is based on a large network of raw material suppliers in Africa, international certifications, a dedicated R&D team and research partnership with internationally renowned universities.
Alland & Robert is taking the "We Use Wild" pledge, a commitment to good sourcing practices in the gum acacia supply chain
Alland & Robert becomes the first actor in the gum acacia industry to take this pledge, proudly declaring our use of wild acacia gum and placing a spotlight on our work to create and maintain ethical & sustainable practices.
Alland & Robert proudly declares our use of wild gum acacia (or gum arabic). We constantly seek to surpass ourselves and go beyond regulatory requirements and customers’expectations, in order to be the leader of a an industry that respects human rights and the environment. This is why Alland & Robert signed the We Use Wild Pledge, created by global NGO TRAFFIC.
It is the first time that such a commitment is made in the gum acacia industry, reflecting the unique and tireless work of Alland & Robert towards sustainability and ethics, as well as the result of an ambitious corporate and social responsibility policy.
Alland & Robert is taking the Pledge on a voluntary basis, as a self-led initiative to increase awareness and responsible sourcing of wild-harvested gum acacia. The Pledge provides an action framework to take measurable action to address the biological and social risks related to the gum acacia supply chain.
More generally, wild plant ingredients are key across a range of industries. When ethical and sustainable practices are organized throughout the supply chain, wild ingredients can support rural livelihoods that can be at risk of disappearing. Wild ingredients can alos offer the opportunity to engage in conservation projects, such as the Great Green Wall initiative in Africa.
#WeUseWild
“The We Use Wild pledge means that Alland & Robert, as an organisation, supports conservation and rural livelihoods in the African Sahel, where wild gum acacia is harvested.”
Did you know?
Wild harvest accounts for some or all of the harvest of the majority of plant species in trade (between 60-90 percent)*.
TRAFFIC is a leading non-governmental organisation working to ensure that wildlife trade is not a threat to the conservation of nature. Their team works in and connects across some of the world’s most critical wildlife trade hotspots to identify and help address both biodiversity conservation and sustainable development challenges and opportunities linked to trade in wild species.