Blog

23 April 2019

Transparency in sugar – how AB Sugar achieved an industry first with its sugar products sourcing map

A blog by Mats Liljestam, AB Sugar’s Commercial Director

At AB Sugar, we are always looking at ways to offer value and support to our diverse mix of stakeholders across our international operations. With a footprint across three continents through six businesses; our diverse supply chain covers every stage from farm to table.

As part of our efforts we have launched a global sourcing map; thought to be the first of its kind in the sugar industry. The map contains information about where our businesses grow sugar beet and sugar cane, where we source our raw materials from and where we export our sugar products to.

Mapping our vast footprint is an exciting development for us for a number of reasons.

Transparency

Firstly, it is a way for us to be open about where we source our raw materials and export our sugar products to; something which we believe people are interested to know. Supply chain transparency is an increasingly important part of business and it also informs decision making. We work closely with stakeholders across our supply chain to ensure traceability, quality and reliability; ensuring all our partners adhere to strict social, environmental and ethical standards.

An industry-first

Secondly, we chose to lead the way by unlocking transparency within sugar supply chains and be open about where we are and what we do within our operating markets. We believe how we move and sell sugar is just as important as how we ensure sustainable sugar production across all our operations.

We are always looking at ways that we be a world-leader in the industry, through our advanced manufacturing model and approach, to being the first business to create a sugar and health campaign based on the latest scientific research. We were also the first to launch our 2030 commitments and are always looking at future uses for our raw materials.

Being the supplier of choice

Thirdly, in a surplus market with more choice than ever before, it is important to us that we deliver value for our stakeholders and continue to be a stable partner. Publishing our sourcing footprint and connecting it to our ‘Global Mind, Local Champions’ framework as well as the work we are doing to implement a circular economy approach into our operations is a vital part to ensuring we have a sustainable future and can continue to supply quality and safe products to our customers.  Our actions across our supply chains are important to our customers and demonstrates our commitment and openness to working together within our operating markets.

We hope this sourcing map brings to life our international footprint and sets out how we operate within our chosen markets. But we won’t stop there. We plan to continue adding information to the map with a phased approach; adding information on packaging, co-products and profile stories and individuals from within our supply chains who help us do what we do every day. We hope this map will help to bring these kind of stories to the surface and demonstrate how we are acting as a responsible and sustainable business in every local market.