Non-financial declaration according to Section 315c HGB and 315c HGB

The requirements of the German CSR Directive Implementation Act result in the obligation for the Uzin Utz Group to publish a non-financial statement at Group level. In the non-financial Group statement in accordance with Sections 315b, 315c of the German Commercial Code (HGB) in conjunction with Section 289c HGB, we present content on the aspects of “environmental matters, employee matters, social matters, respect for human rights, combating corruption and bribery”. Significant risks from business relationships, products and services as well as from our own business activities within the meaning of Section 315 (2) and Section 289c (3) Nos. 3 and 4 HGB and how these are dealt with are presented in the Group Management Report of the 2024 Annual Report. The business model of the Uzin Utz Group is presented on the “Business model” page of the Group Management Report.

Environmental matters

A responsible approach to people and the environment is firmly anchored in the corporate management of UZIN UTZ. As an intact and clean environment is the basis of life for future generations, we are committed to the conscientious use of resources in our operations and along the value chain. We continuously optimize processes and production methods and make use of market-leading technologies. Our ambitious development goals focus on the best technical performance and continuous improvement of our products' environmental footprint. In-house life cycle analyses form the basis for environmental comparisons, decisions and targets. We use the results as the basis for our climate protection targets in the area of raw materials and packaging. In addition, we develop products throughout the Group that meet the highest standards in terms of low solvent and pollutant content, so that we meet the occupational health and safety requirements of processors and users. We see ourselves as an industry driver for product ideas and innovations and coordinate our product range and expertise across all companies. Further information can be found in the ‘Research and development activities’ section of the management report.

With climate change, mankind is facing an enormous global challenge. Environmental and climate protection therefore also play an important role in our business processes. With the launch of our PASSION 2025 strategy in 2020, we have set ourselves the goal of recording our corporate greenhouse gas footprint and reducing the emissions caused by our business activities by 25% by 2025 compared to 2019 (in relation to our core and growth countries). To ensure Group-wide environmental protection and resource conservation, we record a number of key figures such as energy and water consumption, waste volumes and the fuel consumption of our vehicle fleet. Suitable reduction and efficiency measures are implemented and reviewed on the basis of this data. Currently, 30.9% (25.2) of our vehicle fleet is operated with electric and hybrid vehicles. With regard to operational environmental protection, we continue to focus on energy efficiency and renewable energies. More than half of our company locations worldwide obtain their electricity from renewable sources or have installed their own photovoltaic systems to generate electricity. Photovoltaic systems with a capacity of over 1,829.7 kWp (1,712.0) have been installed at our locations for this purpose. Total electricity consumption in 2024 amounted to 10,248.6 MWh (9,979.8), 79.6% (78.1) of which came from renewable energies.

In addition to our direct and indirect energy-related emissions, we determine the Group-wide emissions of our purchased raw materials, transportation and emissions at the end of the product life cycle as part of targeted Scope 3 projects in order to record our main corporate emissions. Our commitment to environmental and climate protection in the product area is also demonstrated by the use of alternative packaging solutions. As an alternative to plastic canisters, we offer our Cube-It-Simple packaging for liquid products, consisting of a plastic bag with an outer carton made from recycled paper. The increased use of containers made from recycled plastic, so-called PCR material (post-consumer recyclate), continues to be a focus and was driven forward in the reporting year. Despite challenges such as the conversion of some PCR canisters back to virgin material due to leaks, our goal remains to switch completely back to recycled plastic in the medium to long term following intensive quality controls.

Furthermore, we actively promote the use of buckets made from PCR material. We are committed to increasing the proportion of PCR material wherever it is technically feasible and high-quality PCR material is available. We are currently working on the use of PCR alternatives in the area of plastic films and bottles, where the PCR material quota is also to be increased in future. We were also able to reduce the film thickness of paper bags by 40-50% in the reporting year. The use of PCR material instead of virgin material is a key component of our strategy to increase resource efficiency and underlines our commitment to sustainable product solutions.

Employee-related matters

Employees are the most important resource for UZIN UTZ. On average over the year, 1,490 (1,480) employees worked for UZIN UTZ (excluding trainees), of which around 28.0% (28.3) were women. In order to be an attractive employer, we create the best possible working and general conditions for our employees.

A positive working environment with fair remuneration and various training opportunities has an impact on productivity and employee satisfaction. As part of PASSION 2025, we have set ourselves the goal of increasing the willingness to recommend UZIN UTZ as an employer. This value is determined as part of annual employee surveys. We also see the consistently high health rate of 95.6% (95.1) as evidence of our employees' satisfaction. This is determined using the ratio of actual working days to target working days.

We invest in the training of young talent in order to promote the next generation of employees. In-house training is an important pillar of our HR management. This enables us to prevent a shortage of skilled workers and position ourselves securely for the future. In the reporting year, we provided 44 (44) young people with an apprenticeship.

We want to be a reliable partner. We therefore ensure that our employees have long-term social security in the workplace. Only 8.0% (10.8) of all employees are on fixed-term contracts. We also protect our employees with preventive healthcare offers. Flexible working time models and mobile working allow our employees to adapt their working lives to their individual circumstances. We want to be a long-term partner for our employees. That is why a respectful working environment is of the utmost importance to us. This concern and respect for employee rights are the direct responsibility of our company management. Our employees have been with the company for an average of 9.2 (9.5) years and the average age is 43 (44).

As our globally active group of companies continues to grow, strong networking and an intensive exchange of information between employees is becoming increasingly important. Our intranet has therefore been established as a central communication and work platform. This makes it easier to bridge even large geographical distances and to move closer together as a group of companies. To strengthen this even further, we launched the UZIN UTZ Team Podcast in 2024, which is specially designed for our sales representatives. This podcast provides important information from the head office as well as content from all brands in the UZIN UTZ family and from the industry.

A key communication tool for our PASSION 2025 strategy is the annual kick-off event PASSION U-NITED. At this event, the Executive Board provides information on key strategic topics, goals and priorities for the coming year. This prepares all employees worldwide for the new challenges and goals of the next twelve months.

Social matters

We demonstrate our social responsibility by supporting a large number of different social, sporting and cultural projects through donations and sponsorship. We mainly focus on regional projects in which our colleagues get involved on a voluntary basis. We supported donation and sponsorship projects across the Group with a total of around EUR 787.9 thousand (727.6). The projects supported are intended to have a long-term positive impact on society and the environment. For example, Uzin Utz SE has been supporting the “Grünfinder” initiative of the Ulm/Donau-Iller Children's Foundation for eight years.

Respect for human rights

Respect for human rights is an essential part of UZIN UTZ's value system. Mutual respect and tolerance are practiced at all of the company's sites. We only take advantage of business opportunities if human rights violations can be ruled out.

Combating corruption and bribery

In all areas of our activities - along the entire value chain - we require responsible and lawful conduct. For us, compliance with the law and integrity are key prerequisites for lasting business relationships. All forms of corruption such as bribery, corruptibility, granting and accepting advantages are strictly prohibited. Any appearance of a conflict of interest when granting or accepting benefits must be avoided. In order to provide a framework for our employees, we maintain a general compliance guideline that is recognized by all companies.