Andrésy: artisan jams and environmental responsibility

Andrésy is a corporate citizen, firmly rooted in its local region. The environmental values that it has been defending for over 60 years guide and shape its business as a manufacturer of artisan jams. After incorporating a voluntary SER approach into its strategy, today it is going a step further by aiming for ISO 14001 certification.

Consumers are increasingly demanding about the quality, origin and traceability of what they buy, especially where food is concerned.

Josiane Brauchli, head of Quality Systems at Andrésy and in charge of coordinating the ISO 14001 project, explains: “The prestigious hotels and the distributors that do business with us want to be able to reassure their customers about our products. They have accordingly asked us to do a Social and Environmental Responsibility (SER) self-assessment test on a specialised platform.”

Andrésy Confitures is only too happy to do so, given that it already respects the principles of the ISO 26000 standard by taking into account sustainable development and the community’s health and well-being. Since November 2016, it has also been certified to the Individual Food Standard (IFS).

A common commitment and a project that is guided and supported

In 2014 and 2015, Andrésy made SER a key priority of its strategy and operations. By joining the “Responsible Companies in Île-de-France” initiative, it was able to receive guidance and support from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) to put its project into operation. It was keen to develop win-win partnerships with its stakeholders (customers, consumers, suppliers, neighbours and the local council) through a common vision and commitment.

It consulted its stakeholders and set up working groups with its employees. Through these meetings, it was able to draw up a responsible purchasing charter and find ways to make certain workstations more comfortable.

Since then, the SER initiative has been written into Management’s commitments every year and presented to employees, auditors and customers.
In 2018, the company is going a step further and aiming for ISO 14001 certification.

This has entailed carrying out an environmental audit to measure the current level of regulatory compliance and establish the areas for improvement, the priorities and the additional actions to be taken.

Creating and making artisan jams in a way that respects society and the environment

ISO 14001 certification requires the company to set up a system of environmental management. Andrésy will entrust this task to its Quality team, led by Bruno Cassan, the company’s managing director and financial director. He will be assisted by Julia Cassan, in charge of Product Quality, and Josiane Brauchli, for System Quality. 

As a result, many of the company’s decisions will be put into action this year: it will be drawing up an environmental policy, running a communication plan and training courses to raise staff awareness and involve them in the initiative, drawing up action plans and setting objectives, which will be checked by certified organisations, and introducing processes and indicators.

ISO 14001 certification will bring the artisan jam maker recognition, both within the company and in the broader community, of its long-standing action to protect the environment and benefit society. Most importantly, though, it gives the company’s partners a guarantee of reliability and transparency.

“A recognition of the family values, solidarity and environmental stewardship demonstrated by Andrésy”