Responsible sourcing

MARR Group's suppliers are selected and qualified according to criteria defined by the ISO 9001 Quality System and participate in quality and sustainability processes. Suppliers who maintain business relationships with the Group are required to comply with the Code of Ethics and the Supplier Code of Conduct, with the aim of encouraging the adoption of ESG principles throughout the value chain.

For supply chains most exposed to specific risks, control systems have been adopted to verify the sustainability of procurement. MARR uses independent third-party bodies to conduct periodic audits on extra-EU seafood suppliers and on suppliers of private label products, selected with the aim of containing the risk level. These checks ensure compliance with the main international guidelines on human and labor rights, as well as the compliance of fishing practices with binding requirements with a view to contrast illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Similar control systems are applied to the tomato supply chain for private label processed products, to verify respect for human rights and working conditions in the supply chain.

MARR's commitment also extends to the procurement of private label products. According to the supply specifications, producers are required to exclusively use secondary paper and cardboard packaging made from 100% recycled material or FSC, PEFC certified or equivalent certifications. The raw materials of tropical origin used as ingredients in MARR private label products come from certified sources; specifically, palm oil is RSPO certified, while cocoa and coffee are Rainforest Alliance or Fairtrade certified. Eggs and egg products used come from cage-free farms. MARR is an associate member of the RSPO supply chain, a Fairtrade licensee for coffee and cocoa, and collaborates with the Rainforest Alliance.

Contrast to deforestation

The safeguard of forests and their associated ecosystem services, combined with the growing demand for food products and the resulting pressure on agricultural and livestock areas, has led to the adoption of Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on deforestation (EUDR). In this context, MARR promotes the dissemination of the principles set out in the Regulation and encourages their application throughout its supply chain. Indeed, the company considers shared knowledge, collaboration, and discussion on issues related to deforestation prevention to be important elements in its relationships with suppliers, with a view to safeguard ecosystems and responsibly manage the supply chains.