Verbio promotes an inclusive corporate culture that focuses on diversity and equal opportunities. At our company, all employees have equal rights—regardless of their ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual identity, religion, political views, national, or social background. Our aim is to set standards for diversity, equality, and integration both internally and externally. We see the diversity of our employees as the key to the sustainable success of our Group.
We promote equal pay and create a working environment based on mutual respect. With initiatives such as specific quotas for women and language promotion, we show that diversity is not only lived, but also specifically promoted. Verbio’s internationalization strategy increasingly takes into account the different cultural backgrounds of its employees. In the 2023/2024 financial year 22.4 percent of the Group’s employees in Germany originated from other countries.
Verbio offers attractive working conditions, including fair remuneration, health programs, and a flexible hybrid working model. We rely on transparent communication and continuous training to promote the professional and personal development of our employees. We focus on personal responsibility at an early stage, and promote entrepreneurial thinking among our employees.
Protecting the health and safety of our employees is our top priority. We want to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for all employees at our locations and on foreign assignments by means of an effective occupational health and safety organization and preventive health care at all subsidiaries. Verbio pursues a comprehensive occupational health and safety concept with clear responsibilities, regular risk assessments, training and structured audits, and incident analyses. Risks are systematically assessed and minimized through technical, organizational, and personnel measures. The concept is supplemented by regular occupational health checks and open communication, in order to strengthen safety awareness within the Company in the long term.
Fair working conditions and respect for human rights are a prerequisite for responsible cooperation. Our codes of conduct for both employees and suppliers make it clear that child, forced, or compulsory labor and discrimination are not tolerated at Verbio. These principles apply company-wide, and employees can report incidents of discrimination via their line manager, the compliance department, or the whistleblower system.
Verbio stands for sustainable business activities, and actively addresses the direct and indirect effects of its business activities on its stakeholders and the environment. Our investments and research and development efforts are aimed at supporting the transition to a post-fossil society.
Strengthening local communities
In the regions in which we operate, we promote the local economy by creating jobs, addressing regional environmental problems, and thus safeguarding local livelihoods.
Verbio takes care to procure sustainable raw materials from regional sources, and works with certified suppliers to promote the local economy and social cohesion. In Europe, Verbio obtains all chemical raw materials, production aids, and additives from manufacturers or suppliers that are certified in accordance with REACH. Verbio also attaches great importance to minimizing energy consumption and emissions in local production facilities, and takes appropriate protective measures.
In India, for example, our innovative solutions reduce the large-scale burning of straw stubble fields by using the farmers’ rice straw as a raw material for our biorefinery, thereby protecting the health of local residents and the environment.
Commitment along the value chain
Responsibility along the entire value chain is a central component of our corporate activities. Our commitment along the value chain is reflected in our responsibility for sustainable and safe products, the protection of human rights, and the respectful treatment of the environment and data. We strive to continue along this path and to continuously expand our responsibility as a Group.
Since December 2023 we have been implementing a code of conduct for suppliers that clearly defines our expectations with regard to human rights, health and safety, business integrity, and environmental protection. This code is based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and ensures that we work with suppliers who respect these high standards. We regard violations of these principles as a breach of contract, which can be punished with appropriate measures.
Our suppliers are selected on the basis of established quality management processes, which are regularly evaluated and audited. Environmental aspects are also integrated into these audits in order to maintain and continuously improve product quality.
To ensure the quality and safety of our products throughout the entire value chain, all products undergo regular testing and evaluation to ensure that they are safe for humans, animals, and the environment when used properly. For some by-products from biodiesel and bioethanol production that are used as food additives or animal feed, we attach great importance to continuous risk analyses and sampling.
In the area of marketing and labeling, we not only ensure that our products are labeled in accordance with the law, but also offer additional certifications for the food industry such as vegan, GMO-free, kosher, and halal.
The protection of customer data is a top priority for us. Verbio implements modern security standards to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the data entrusted to us.
Our regional and international collaborations with a wide range of organizations, associations, and networks are helping to drive progress towards the post-fossil age.
Find out more about social issues, local communities, and the value chain in our annual report.
