The targets set for each theme help HKFoods measure its impact and promote more sustainable food production, a thriving work and producer community, and responsible and ethical operations. Progress is followed annually in the company’s Sustainability Statement.

“Reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our own operations and value chain, as well as occupational safety and wellbeing of our personnel, remain at the core of our responsibility work and will naturally continue as part of our Responsibility Programme. In addition, we have set goals for, e.g. biodiversity, circular economy, healthy food that supports wellbeing, and animal welfare. We have been working on these themes for years, but now we want to promote them even more determinedly.

New themes in the programme include a competitive and socially sustainable producer community, as well as good governance and corporate culture. Our responsibility work is already strongly focused on the entire value chain. We have approximately 1,800 contract farmers that produce our safe and high-quality raw materials, and we are closely involved in supporting the development of producers' operations. Approximately one per cent of our total emissions are generated by our own operations and 99 per cent by other parts of the food chain. HKFoods therefore has an important role to play in helping meat producers reduce their emissions," says Hanna Lehtonen, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility at HKFoods.

Targets of the Responsibility Programme 2026–2028


Environment 

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions

  • Aiming for net zero by 2050
  • By 2030, greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced from 2022 levels in HKFoods’ own operations and value chain in accordance with the short-term targets approved by SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative)

Preventing biodiversity loss

  • A more extensive and systematic survey of the environmental impact of primary production by introducing an environmental impact calculation system on broiler, pig and cattle farms
  • Assessment of the agricultural water pollution load from contract farms and reduction of its impacts in the Archipelago Sea catchment area
  • Operating in accordance with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR): raw materials that have caused deforestation or degraded the condition of forests are not used in production after the regulation enters into force

Reducing waste and increasing the recyclability of packaging 

  • Reducing food waste as well as mixed and energy waste
  • Promoting the recyclability of product packaging in accordance with the Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive and the gradual implementation of the Directive’s requirements.

People

Promoting occupational safety and wellbeing of employees 

  • Reducing the number of occupational accidents and sick leaves
  • Improving work satisfaction and employee experience

Competitive and socially sustainable producer community 

  • Strengthening interaction and cooperation and developing the competence of the producer community by organising meetings, training and other activities in line with the action plan
  • Promoting and measuring producer satisfaction through a feedback system

Safe food that supports wellbeing 

  • Increasing the number of products that meet the Heart Symbol criteria
  • All production units have valid food safety certificates
  • Products launched on the market are of high quality and safety, and there is no need for recalls

Animal welfare

  • Promoting broiler welfare, with a high level of footpad health as an indicator
  • Continuous care for the health of broilers so that they can be raised without the use of antibiotics
  • The welfare of pigs and cattle is promoted in accordance with the national healthcare schemes Sikava and Naseva
  • Animal welfare during transport and at slaughterhouses is ensured in accordance with the development plan

Good governance and corporate culture

  • Promoting a culture that supports sustainable and ethical practices through the Code of Conduct and policies, and related training for employees
  • HKFoods’ suppliers are committed to the Group’s Supplier Code of Conduct

Read more about HKFoods’ responsibility work: https://www.hkfoods.com/en/responsibility/

Additional information:

Hanna Lehtonen, Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, HKFoods Plc, tel. +358 40 757 0248 or by email hanna.lehtonen@hkfoods.com

HKFoods Media Service Desk, tel. +358 10 570 5700 or by email: communications@hkfoods.com

 With 110 years of experience, we at HKFoods make life tastier – today and tomorrow. With nearly 3,000 professionals, we make responsible and locally produced food to meet consumers’ varied food moments. Our well-known brands in Finland are HK®, Kariniemen® and Via®. HKFoods is a publicly listed company, and in 2024, our net sales totalled EUR 1 billion. www.hkfoods.com