Sustainability — Our hearts beat green

At Mählmann Gemüsebau, sustainability is an integral part of our actions and thinking. Through regional production, short transport routes and resource-saving processes, we help protect the environment and preserve nature for future generations. This is how fresh, high-quality vegetables reach your plate — always in harmony with nature.

Live responsibility —
For a healthy future

We see responsibility as a holistic concept that is reflected in all our goals: Mählmann Gemüsebau focuses on sustainable waste reduction, protection of biodiversity, high quality standards and regional education projects in order to take responsibility for the environment and community. With health services and long-term partnerships, we promote the well-being of our employees, while our Code of Conduct ensures fairness and ethical action in everyday working life.

01

Waste

waste

Waste

We set ourselves the goal of establishing cleaner and responsible waste recycling in all areas of the company. In doing so, we would not only like to reduce the internal residual waste rate by around 50% compared to the base year 2022 by the end of 2025, but also make a significant contribution to the 12th goal of the SDGs, to reduce waste generation. This is possible, for example, by continuously raising awareness among our employees and introducing consistent single-type waste disposal.

02

Biodiversity

biodiversity

Biodiversity

We set ourselves the goal of both protecting and strengthening biodiversity on our areas. Because of the great importance of insects in our ecosystem, we want to create a paradise not only for wild and honey bees, but for the entire local biodiversity by adapting the flower mix. With our plan to adapt 100% of the existing flowering areas in 2024 by the end of 2026, we want to make our contribution to the 15th SDG. In this way, we can not only protect biodiversity, but also promote the maintenance of soil fertility.

03

Quality

Quality

Quality

We set ourselves the goal of meeting the 12th SDG and the reduction of food waste enshrined in it by means of optimised and needs-based complaint management. We want to make our contribution along the supply chain of a product and therefore also rely on a functioning forecast to prevent possible loss of food. By using this optimized process, we want to reduce complaints by around 25% by the end of 2025 compared to the base year 2022.

04

Regional commitment

engagement

Regional commitment

We set ourselves the goal of strengthening the education of children and young people, particularly in the area of nutrition. With our plan to support at least four more projects/initiatives by the end of 2026 compared to 2024, we are adding to the fourth SDG. Here, we not only want to promote the health of children and adolescents, but also deepen their knowledge of food and its origin.

05

Health

health

Health

We set ourselves the goal of ensuring the long-term health of our employees. Here, we not only want to create opportunities to work on health on our own initiative through health and sports offerings, but also to ensure a continuous improvement process in this sector through annual employee surveys. Through our measures, we would like to aim to reduce the average duration of illness by around 25% compared to the base year 2022. Through our efforts to improve the health of our employees, we also want to contribute to the third SDG “Health and Well-Being” and ensure a healthy life for every employee, regardless of age.

06

Demography

demography

Demography

We set ourselves the goal of prophylactically counteracting demographic change and the lack of strength in our company. We want to keep our return rate in the area of seasonal workers based on 2023 at over 50% in the next few years. To this end, we would like to continuously analyse the opinions and wishes of employees in order to continue to meet the eighth SDG.

Our certifications

Our vegetables are subject to strict quality control right from the start. The young plants come from a selected nursery right on the doorstep — the excellent quality of all plants is guaranteed. Our own agricultural scientists and engineers constantly check and evaluate the plants. Systematic quality control makes it possible to document the complete journey of a product from the young plant to the exact time of harvest to delivery to retail. Within one hour, the vegetables are cooled down to a core temperature of 2 °C in the vacuum cooling systems. The capacities of the two modern cooling systems range up to 90 pallets per hour. The vegetable is on its way to the consumer no later than six hours after harvesting. That is what we understand by freshly harvested quality.

ZNU standard for sustainable economies

The ZNU standard for sustainable business helps us to act sustainably in an ecologically, socially and economically sustainable way. Through certification, we are aligning our activities over the long term.

Certificate

LEAF brand

LEAF Marque is a global certification system for sustainable agriculture that tests environmental standards, promotes biodiversity and creates market opportunities.

Certificate

GLOBALG.A.P. Nurture module

This module supplements the GLOBALG.A.P. IFA standard with requirements such as quality management and plant protection.

Certificate

GLOBALG.A.P. — GRASP

GRASP is an additional module to promote the health, safety and well-being of employees and assesses social practices such as occupational safety and health protection.

Certificate

GLOBALG.A.P. + ADD-ON

The solution for safe, sustainable agriculture: GLOBALG.A.P. Add-ons extend certification for more comprehensive quality assurance in production and supply chain.

Certificate

Voluntary QA Sustainability Inspection (FIN)

The additional module FIN enables the voluntary audit and certification of sustainability activities, including a sustainability check and the field of biodiversity action.

Certificate

Voluntary QA Inspection for Working and Social Conditions (FIAS)

With this module, further working and social conditions are checked independently.

Certificate

Global CAP

The solution for safe, sustainable agriculture: GLOBALG.A.P. Add-ons extend certification for more comprehensive quality assurance in production and supply chain.

Certificate

QS

The QA system helps companies to establish their own controls and documentation and to meet legal requirements and food safety criteria.

Certificate

QS

The QA system helps companies to establish their own controls and documentation and to meet legal requirements and food safety criteria.

Learn more

Voluntary QA Sustainability Inspection (FIN)

The additional module FIN enables the voluntary audit and certification of sustainability activities, including a sustainability check and the field of biodiversity action.

Learn more

Voluntary QA Inspection for Working and Social Conditions (FIAS)

With this module, further working and social conditions are checked independently.

Learn more

QS

The IFA standard promotes sustainable agriculture, increases efficiency, reduces resource waste and focuses on best practices for future generations.

Learn more

Voluntary QA Sustainability Inspection (FIN)

The solution for safe, sustainable agriculture: GLOBALG.A.P. Add-ons extend certification for more comprehensive quality assurance in production and supply chain.

Learn more

Voluntary QA Inspection for Working and Social Conditions (FIAS)

GRASP is an additional module to promote the health, safety and well-being of employees and assesses social practices such as occupational safety and health protection.

Learn more

QS
‍

This module supplements the GLOBALG.A.P. IFA standard with requirements such as quality management and plant protection.

Learn more

Voluntary QA Sustainability Inspection (FIN)

LEAF Marque is a global certification system for sustainable agriculture that tests environmental standards, promotes biodiversity and creates market opportunities.

Learn more

Voluntary QA Inspection for Working and Social Conditions (FIAS)

The ZNU standard helps us to act in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable manner and to orient our activities over the long term.

Learn more

Photovoltaic system and battery storage

A crisis-proof, cost-effective and sustainable energy strategy is of enormous importance for the cross-generational development of our company. Our own photovoltaic system with an area of 20,000 m² supplies the electricity that we temporarily store so that we can use it ourselves when needed. With our 4 MW photovoltaic system, we can cover around 70% of our electricity requirements. And where is our electricity temporarily stored? In a 12-meter long, air-conditioned container equipped with fire protection technology.

Own water treatment

Our own water treatment system enables us to reuse over 70% of our water requirements multiple times. In doing so, we conserve valuable resources and improve our environmental balance. This approach underlines our commitment to sustainable business.

Natural space with benefits — Our valuable compensation areas

Ecological aspects of sustainability are of central importance to our company. For this purpose, we have launched the Beefriendly® initiative. We actively protect bees in close cooperation with beekeeping associations. Numerous flower areas are planted and equipped with nesting boxes every year. Cultivation with appropriate crop rotation and the careful use of our valuable resources is essential for maintaining our production site across generations. Success only grows on healthy soil. In addition, a crisis-proof, cost-effective and sustainable energy strategy is of enormous importance for the development of our company.