The United Nations (UN) defines sustainability as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the well-being of future generations. Our mission is to think long-term — not only about the company itself, but also about the people who work here now and will work here in the future, about the hens that are our primary producers, about the environment and nature whose resources we use, and about society, which ultimately is not only our support system but also our customer.
The company’s sustainability priorities are hen welfare, the circular economy, and employee well-being. These key focus areas have emerged through both formal and informal discussions with employees, customers, suppliers, financial institutions, government authorities, the local community, and non-governmental organizations.
Non-financial information has been collected since the very beginning of the company’s existence. However, in 2021, we began making this information public. Each year, the volume of published data has grown, while we have also worked to create a system that allows every reader to quickly and easily find the information they are interested in.
We have much to be proud of in the field of sustainability. At the same time, we do not hide the data on goals we have not yet achieved. In our sustainability efforts, we want to be honest with society, our employees, and ourselves, because it is important for us to do things genuinely — not just in a way that “looks good.”
“Circular economy is a business model that aims to use existing resources as efficiently as possible — including waste and products that have reached the end of their service life.” — Balticovo definition.
Managing resources in a circular way is logical. It helps reduce the negative impact of climate change — the fewer new resources are needed, the lower the greenhouse gas emissions. Circularity means constantly moving forward. When we find new uses for unnecessary materials and allow them to continue their journey, less waste ends up in landfills and the environment is less polluted. We are also becoming increasingly successful at finding resource routes and opportunities that make circularity economically beneficial. And that is exactly how it should be.
In 2020, we decided to gradually free hens from cages by replacing them with aviary systems where birds can move freely, as well as free-range conditions where hens can enjoy outdoor access. Demand for cage-free eggs is increasing both in Latvia and in our export markets. Today, consumers care not only about a product’s price and quality, but also about the ethical aspects of its production. By the end of 2025, 48% of Balticovo’s birds were already kept outside cages. A complete transition is planned by 2030 — not a single company hen will remain in cages.
It is important to us that Balticovo employees are motivated, healthy, and safe. Successful companies are built by employees, but satisfied and passionate employees are built by the company.
Today, a good employee is a great value. But a happy and good employee is an even greater one. We work purposefully to ensure that our current employees want to stay with us for a long time and that potential employees learn how good it is to work here — together with more than 4 million hens. We continuously strive to make Balticovo an increasingly attractive workplace. How is it going? In different ways. But at least we know exactly what works and what does not, because every year employees participate in Balticovo Pulse — a large survey about their subjective feelings at work. Since 2021, we have been surveying our team, and this data provides a well-founded understanding of how employees themselves evaluate various initiatives.
The Sustainable Development Goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere. The 17 Goals were adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which set out a 15-year plan to achieve the Goals.
Today, progress is being made in many places, but, overall, action to meet the Goals is not yet advancing at the speed or scale required. 2020 needs to usher in a decade of ambitious action to deliver the Goals by 2030
