A Nestlé spokesperson said dairying had been identified as one of the company’s 12 key input materials. Each one had its own responsible sourcing policy, developed as customers become more interested in where their food came from and how it was produced.
The farms were all Fonterra suppliers and the visits had nothing to do with last year’s botulinum false alarm. Food safety and milk quality were separate issues covered by different policies and certifications.
Nestlé carries out the same sourcing policy checks with other dairy company suppliers in the US and Europe.
The 50 farmers had gone through an assessment process and were then asked to provide feedback on how relevant and effective it was for a NZ context.
The feedback was being used to finalise Nestlé’s protocol which is then used to assess performance against responsible sourcing guidelines. Once finalised, auditing will be ongoing so Fonterra’s farmers in NZ can expect further visits from time to time although it’s unlikely to be on an annual basis.
The company has a supplier code for all of its suppliers and materials but the 12 key inputs have the additional responsible sourcing policy. The code covers aspects such as human rights, animal welfare, labour rights, land use rights and environmental impact with priority areas identified for the 12 key inputs.
For dairying, animal welfare and environmental impact are among the priorities.
