Corporate strategy

Clarity in ways and goals

The Uelzena Group is essentially a cooperative, supported by dairy farms as well as milk collection cooperatives and their milk producers. Therefore, the focus is not on maximizing the profit of the cooperative, but on the milk payout required to keep the milk-producing farms viable. By tradition, this has been the focus of our business strategy. 

What may sound a bit unusual or old-fashioned for corporations has been the way of life at Uelzena for decades – with success: The company has been able to grow at a healthy speed, despite sometimes very difficult industry and market challenges. The basis for this has been and still is, the way that we deal with environmental analyses, goals and measures on a regular basis. We are in constant communication with stakeholders and balance the various expectations in our corporate strategy. This is how we establish values for our key stakeholders. The bottom line:

  • Our aim: The Uelzena Group intends to be the best in the industry.
  • What drives us: Our responsibility to our farmers and our passion for producing sustainably good dairy products and foods.

Since 2014, the way that we as a Group consider our responsibility to the various stakeholder groups has been laid down in our five action fields. The most important objectives have been defined and documented for this purpose (see table below). They are regularly adjusted and relate to 2020. The five action fields with associated objectives form a compass to guide the company towards successful, transparent and lasting development.

FIELDS OF ACTION FOR THE UELZENA GROUP

Successful corporate development

In the interests of our stakeholders, the group seeks to develop the company for its long-term success. Striking a balance between the various stakeholder interests and requirements and the principles of sustainability plays a major role here. The Uelzena Group’s economic performance forms the basis of meeting the various requirements and we regard securing and further developing this economic performance as our main priority.

OBJECTIVES

  • A competitive milk price and reliable sales volumes for our members
  • Consistently good company results
  • Long-term independence of the company group

Autonomous employees

The success of the Uelzena Group relies primarily on its employees and good collaboration. Our employees’ expert knowledge, experience and motivation are vital to the company. We therefore aim to find qualified, independent employees and for the company to retain them in the long term. We consider it important to offer qualified vocational training and to develop and advance our employees and management at all stages of their career. And we ensure social and fair working conditions. This is true not only for our own employees, but also for those employed by our sub-contractors. In general, the Uelzena Group wants to continue refining its attractiveness as an employer.

OBJECTIVES

  • Increase attractiveness as an employer
  • Long-term employment of skilled workers
  • Development and advancement of employees and management

Reliable products

Our strength lies in the targeted, safe, and reliable implementation of individual customer requests. Based on high customer satisfaction, we want to further increase the added value of all the product groups we offer. To do this, we continue to offer sustainably sourced raw ingredients and materials. Non-dairy products should enable the company to be less dependent on traditional dairy industry markets. The continuous improvement of our current methods and processes ensures we maintain the high-quality level we have already established and helps the Uelzena Group to continually develop further.

OBJECTIVES

  • Improve the added value of all product groups
  • Ensure the production of safe and high-quality products on a long-term basis
  • Expand the options for sustainably sourced raw ingredients and materials

Efficient production

We want to manufacture safe and reliable quality products in a way that – as far as possible – is cost-effective and conserves resources. Our long-term goal is to decouple production output and environmental impacts. To meet this requirement, the Uelzena Group is constantly modernising its production facilities and processes. This is why we are able to work with demanding multi-national customers whose audit requirements often extend beyond the conventional standards for food production.

OBJECTIVES

  • Reduction in emissions
  • Reduction in resource consumption
  • Improvement in productivity

Social and regional responsibility

As a cooperative dairy with regional roots, the Uelzena Group believes it has a certain responsibility to the milk-producing regions of its members and its site locations. Consequently, we want to work with regional suppliers and service providers, and support young people as well as volunteer workers. This boosts the region and fulfils the statutory purpose of our cooperative. Our compliance with the relevant laws and regulations in addition to our own codes of conduct goes without saying and is something we also expect from all our business partners.

OBJECTIVES

  • Preference for regional suppliers and service providers
  • Support of regional youth and voluntary work
  • Compliance with legislation and our own code of conduct