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Corporate Governance

A.J. And R.G. Barber Limited

Section 172(1) Statement

Corporate Governance

The success of our business depends on the trust and confidence of our stakeholders in the ability of the business to operate sustainably both now and in the longer term. As a family owned business the Group seeks to generate sustainable profits for shareholders and to do so the business fairly prioritises, at the forefront of our operations, the interests of our customers, employees, key suppliers and other identified stakeholders. The directors have acted in accordance with their legal duties, which include a duty to act in the way in which they consider, in good faith, would be most likely to promote the success of the business for the benefit of its shareholders, whilst having regard to all of our stakeholders and the matters set out in section 172(1) of the Companies Act 2006. The following provides details of how the Directors have engaged with, and how the business fully considers the interests of our stakeholders and the effect of doing so on the principal decisions taken by the business, during the financial year:

Customers: 

How do we engage?

  • Personal account management and senior team/CEO in regular contact with high-level customers

  •  Key customer reporting in monthly Management Reporting packs and insight reporting at monthly board meetings

  • Sales Team detailed sales reporting.  

Why do we need to engage?

  • Our objective is to provide products and accompanying service that delivers the experience that their customers expect and/or to provide the products functional requirement for inclusion in their manufactured products

What matters to our Stakeholders?

  • Product quality and price competitiveness

  • Product innovation

  • Provenance and traceability of the entire food chain

  •  Ethics and sustainability

  • Compassionate farming

  • Environment                                            

 

Colleagues:

How do we engage?

  • Regular employee consultation via democratically elected employee representatives

  • Designated Board member with responsibility for human resources

  • KPI reporting, including at Board meetings

  • ‘Open door’ policy for all staff to enable level engagement at all levels of the business.

Why do we need to engage?

  • We recognise recognise that to be a great business we have to have great colleagues and that the business’ success is built upon the skills, hard work and continued loyalty of our staff.

  • Open, honest and clear engagement with our colleagues is paramount in creating and maintaining an environment where our colleagues feel happy, secure and motivated

What matters to our Stakeholders?

  • Fair pay and benefits

  • Safe working environment

  • Fair and ethical application of policies and procedures

  • Diversity and inclusion 

  • Protecting the environment

 

Suppliers:

How do we engage?

  • Designated Senior Management Team member with responsibility for group milk procurement and managing policy and relationships with all milk suppliers to the Group.

  • Elected Milk Producer committee, representing all milk suppliers and attended by senior management team member

  • Dedicated online Milk Supplier Portal

  • Barbers Assured Milk Agreement programme

  • Annual milk supplier conference

  • Regular review meetings with key suppliers

  • Reporting/review of average supplier payment terms

Why do we need to engage?

  • Milk and other key suppliers are fundamental to the success of our business.

  • Milk, ingredients, packaging, maintenance and other critical suppliers must be able to demonstrate that they operate in accordance with both the group’s and recognised standards, including quality, human rights, anti-bribery, safety and protecting the environment

What matters to our Stakeholders?

  • Fair/market pricing

  • Fair trading terms, including adherence to agreed payment terms

  • Anti-bribery policy

  • Environmental protection

  • Sustainability

 

Environment:

How do we engage?

  • Monthly reporting and review at the Board meetings

Why do we need to engage?

  • The directors recognise the importance of protecting the environment and the responsibility of ensuring that our operations do not adversely impact the local and wider environment.

What matters to our Stakeholders?

  • Minimising energy use

  • Using renewable energy, where possible

  • Minimising emissions

  • Sourcing sustainably

  • Utilising recyclable packaging where possible

  • Minimising packaging

  • Waste management

  • Recycling

Shareholders:

How do we engage?

  • Annual Report & Accounts

  • Annual General Meeting

  • Regular contact by CEO and other Family board members and non-Family board members

Why do we need to engage?

  • We fully appreciate the need to maintain shareholder confidence in the sustainability and stewardship of the business, to achieve this the board need to provide robust and regular communication of the business performance, strategy and the opportunities and risk that the business faces.

Why do we need to engage?

  • Dividend income

  • Longer term value and growth creation

  • Financial stability

  • Clarity 

  • Understanding of key risks and opportunities


A.J. And R.G. Barber Limited

Section 172(1) Statement:

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