3. Good health and well-being

•   Consumer health and safety

•   Establishing procedure for instructions for use of new products

In the past year, the Global Products Group has intensified the availability of instructional videos for the filling and application of its ash-containing products. The aim was to achieve this for all product groups (100%) by 2023. Unfortunately, complete implementation was not achieved. The major obstacle was the addition of new products to the collection, for which no direct instructional video was available. A procedure for creating instructional videos for new products was lacking. To prevent this in the coming year, we will develop a procedure to consistently provide new products with a solid instructional video. This is to inform end-users on how to correctly fill a product and understand the possibilities for each specific item. The goal is to have instructional videos for the entire collection by the end of 2024. Products for which this is not feasible will - whether temporarily or not - be provided with a printed instruction manual.

8. Decent work and economic growth

•   Curbing child labour at suppliers

•   Curbing forced labour at suppliers

•   Documentation of statements of intent

•   80% of suppliers are located in Europe

•   No barriers for forming a union

A better world; one of the three core values of the Global Products Group. As a company, we work with various suppliers, ranging from those practically around the corner to those on the other side of the world. Within our collaborations, we see no room for slavery, in any form. This is a mindset we expect our suppliers to share. For clarity, in 2023, we sent our behavioural documents (COC, MSS, SEC) into suppliers with a production location in a so-called high-risk country. These are countries that, according to the CSR Risk Checker tool, have classified the themes ‘Forced Labour & Human Trafficking’ and ‘Child Labour’ as country risks. Additionally, we plan to send the behavioural documents to other suppliers who have not yet been addressed. Although the risk of these themes is much lower with this group, the Global Products Group wants to fully ensure the safeguarding of these societal themes.

The truth reveals itself in the actions we show. Last year, suppliers with production locations in so-called risk countries received, read and signed the Global Products Group behavioural documents for formal agreement. This first step was taken to officially inform and make our suppliers aware of the Global Products Group standards and guidelines. We expect our suppliers not only to follow this code of conduct but also to comply with it. To monitor and ensure this, our supplier network is assessed against the criteria in the behavioural documents through an audit programme according to the SMETA 4-pillar standard. This form of documentation also reinforces the value of the suppliers involved. A positive evaluation and report eliminate any doubts about operational performance, regardless of the potential reputation of the production country in question.

The SMETA 4-pillar audit method is ethical and covers all aspects of responsible business conduct. The programme extensively covers four different audit pillars: Labour Standards, Health & Safety, Environmental Assessment and Business Ethics. It examines whether an organisation meets international standards for ethical and responsible entrepreneurship. As is known, the Global Products Group works with a comprehensive national and international network. This makes it a goal that will take several years to achieve. Therefore, we initially focus on suppliers with production locations in risk countries. These countries have been identified based on the ‘Corruption Perceptions Index’ tool, where countries with a CPI score below 60 are considered high-risk. In 2024, we aim to have two suppliers fully audited according to the SMETA 4-pillar. If there are deviations from the set standards, the supplier is given ample time to take appropriate measures. The extent of this depends on the impact of the identified deviation.

Earlier, the Global Products Group has stated that it attaches great importance to supporting the local economy. Therefore, we always explore the possibility of having new products, whether self-designed or not, produced by suppliers with European production locations. This allows us to reduce transport distances, delivery times and CO₂ emissions. In 2023, our goal was to work with at least 70% of European suppliers. In 2024, we want to take another step further, striving for a supplier network consisting of at least 80% European providers.

The Global Products Group operates as a transparent organisation. The employees in our company are unequivocally the driving force. Here, a safe and fair working environment is a must. As can be read in the results for 2023, these aspects are core points within the Global Products Group’s policy. Several activities and solutions have been realised in previous years to maintain a healthy employment relationship. Additionally, we want to emphasise that our employees, naturally, have full freedom to form a union or enter into a collective labour agreement. We rely on our own strength and openness, where every subject within the organisation can be discussed. It is important that our people know they have this freedom. We will flesh out this aspect in the coming year through a written action plan.

10. Reduced inequalities

•   Establish a procedure for the possibility of anonymous job applications

The companies of the Global Products Group operate transparently at every level of the organisation. With openness, honesty and trust as motives, we see no room for discrimination in any form. Logically, this also applies to the recruitment process for new staff. To guarantee this, we will write a procedure in 2024 to enable anonymous applications within the recruitment process. This way, we can focus on a person’s qualifications and skills. Through this anonymous procedure, we can eliminate the appearance of unconscious biases related to age, gender, sexual orientation or ethnicity, thus promoting equal opportunities for everyone.

12. Responsible consumption and production

•   75% of the organic collection is GreenLeave-certified

•   Ensuring compliance with the Advertising Code in promotional activities

•   Alternative packaging for outbound deliveries

•   Applying Life Cycle Analysis to eight product groups

•   Waste reduction

•   Reduction of remnants of memorial products

Throughout their lives, people increasingly make conscious choices. Although traditional funerals are often quite burdensome for the environment, sustainable options usually remain overlooked. This is unfortunate, especially given the growing demand for responsible products and solutions within the funeral industry. Several sustainable possibilities exist, of which people are simply unaware. The Dutch foundation GreenLeave responds to this development by exploring all sustainable funeral options. Funeral-related products are evaluated by the foundation, focusing on six different sustainability aspects. Products that have successfully gone through the certification process are awarded the GreenLeave label. Additionally, they are included in the sustainable choice offerings of the funeral directors affiliated with the foundation. This way, bereaved families have a complete overview of responsible options. The Global Products Group supports this vision and has successfully certified various items in previous years. To further embrace this mindset, we want to intensify our efforts by aiming to have 75% of the organic collection certified according to the GreenLeave standard in the coming year.

Just like last year, the Global Products Group will adhere to the regulations of the Stichting Reclame Code (the Dutch Advertising Code Foundation) in the design, realisation, and distribution of promotional activities. This way, we can prevent our companies’ promotional expressions from being misleading, offensive or contrary to the truth.

In the 2023 results, it was mentioned that we did not complete the ongoing research into sustainable alternatives for plastic filling materials as planned that year. Reliable packaging material is essential when shipping emotionally valuable items. Due to the extensive and versatile collection of the Global Products Group, it is crucial that a substitute is suitable for all shapes, sizes and materials of our product groups. We aim to complete this research in 2024 and replace 50% of the plastic filling material with a more sustainable solution.

How environmentally friendly are our products? A question that the Global Products Group asked itself last year. A topic that also attracted a lot of interest from various parties in the GPG network. In 2023, we developed an action plan to measure the environmental impact of our products. This ultimately resulted in a Life Cycle Analysis model (LCA), in which five phases are analysed: raw material extraction, production, transport, use and maintenance and waste processing. With this information, we can calculate the environmental effects of an average memorial product within each product group. It turned out to be a complex process that had to be constantly adjusted to arrive at a complete and universal measurement model. In addition, the LCA model was implemented at a number of suppliers last year, but not completely completed at that time. For 2024, we remain ambitious and aim to have a complete analysis of at least eight product groups.

In 2023, Global Products Group has implemented a recycling centre, enabling us to actively separate waste such as paper, cardboard, plastic packaging and coffee cups. Within the ‘plastic’ category in particular, the waste separation process will be intensified, with separate collection of materials such as polystyrene foam, plastic strapping and packaging plastic. As a result, we generated significantly less residual waste last year. For 2024, we aim for a further reduction of at least 10% in residual waste. This is in part achieved by raising awareness among staff and further optimising our waste separation process.

The products of the Global Products Group carry great emotional value, both for the craftsmen who make them and for the families and bereaved who receive them. To guide them as best as possible, we strive for the highest possible quality, both at the product and service levels. Despite our efforts, it may occur that memorial products are not suitable for delivery due to defects, transport damage or deviations from the base model. Such products are not automatically considered waste. In fact, some items can be recycled based on their raw materials or restored by our suppliers into fully-fledged memorial products. In 2023, Global Products Group mapped out in detail the various destinations of rejected items throughout the year, as well as the quantities. Based on this, we aim to achieve a proportional reduction of 15% in the amount of destroyed remnants this year. We want to achieve this by expanding our recycling options and communicating more quickly to resolve product issues with our suppliers, thus minimising errors in subsequent deliveries.

13. Climate action

•   CO₂ reduction in inbound deliveries

•   CO₂ compensation for inbound deliveries

•   CO₂ reduction in outbound deliveries

•   CO₂ compensation for outbound deliveries

As a key player in the business chain, the Global Products Group recognises the impact of its activities on the climate. In previous years, we have already implemented several conscious measures and strategies, but we strive for continuous improvement. Last year, we developed a detailed CO₂ dashboard to gain insight into the CO₂ emissions of inbound deliveries. After all, measuring is knowing, and this dashboard serves as the starting point for a thorough situational analysis and an action plan to implement concrete CO₂-reducing measures. Our goal is to proportionally reduce CO₂ emissions from inbound deliveries by at least 25% in 2024 compared to 2023.

In addition to a reduction, we aim to offset our remaining CO₂ emissions for 2024. In this way, Global Products Group takes full responsibility in the fight against climate change. With CO₂ compensation for our inbound deliveries, we reduce our ecological footprint and contribute to limiting global warming. We will draw up a detailed action plan to clearly and efficiently achieve this ambition.

In addition to inbound parcels, the Global Products Group naturally also sends shipments. Similar to the 2023 target of reducing CO₂ emissions from inbound shipments, we will develop a CO₂ dashboard for all our outbound deliveries in 2024. This project is more complex due to the various location possibilities of our shipped packages. However, it is essential to make our total CO₂ emissions fully visible and measurable, both upstream (inbound deliveries) and downstream (outbound deliveries).

As with CO₂ compensation for inbound deliveries, we strive to offset CO₂ emissions for our outbound deliveries. This aspect will be integrated into the action plan for CO₂ compensation of inbound deliveries in 2024, allowing us to involve both sides of our business process in our objectives and decision-making in the future.

16. Peace, justice and strong institutions

•   Respecting the rights of the local population

•   Countering corruption

•   Communication of CSR policy

Working in a fair and safe work environment is crucial at Global Products Group. We expect not only our own organisations but also our suppliers to provide reliable working conditions. These guidelines are established in the Global Products Group’s Supplier Environmental Code of Conduct document. Earlier, we sent this Code of Conduct to our suppliers in high-risk countries so that they could read, understand and sign it for agreement. In addition, in 2024, we will send the remaining suppliers the SEC Code of Conduct. In this way, every member of our supplier network is aware of our vision and rules and can respond appropriately where necessary. Additionally, the criteria in the Code of Conduct will be verified through a SMETA 4-pillar audit, as described in the “Documentation of statements of intent” objective.

The Global Products Group considers it its responsibility to eliminate corruption throughout the business chain. To spread this idea within our network, we shared the Code of Conduct with suppliers operating from high-risk countries in 2023. In 2024, we will further expand this approach by sending this Code of Conduct to all remaining suppliers. In this way, we aim to jointly eliminate corruption within the chain. As with the previous objective, the aspect of corruption will be evaluated using the SMETA 4-pillar audit programme, as described in the “Documentation of statements of intent” objective.

Time flies, a saying that certainly proves true. Last year, we began developing a clear and concrete CSR policy in line with the CSR Performance Ladder standards. And although time races by, at Global Products Group, we certainly do not stand still. We aim to be a leading player in the funeral industry. The reactions to our 2023 CSR Annual Report were extremely positive, both from key stakeholders and parties with less involvement. From both existing and new customers, nationally and internationally. One of the highlights was achieving the Platinum Award, the highest possible distinction within the sustainability audit system of the Greener Globe Funeral Standard.

This positive reception confirms our belief that we made the right choice in both our products and services and in the field of corporate social responsibility. As with last year, the achieved results and new objectives will be added to our website. In this way, they are accessible to everyone, and anyone can make a desired comparison with the previous annual report.