Social
Our people, the Numidians, are our most important asset. Therefore, we strive for long-term relationships with our employees. To provide an attractive employee experience, we promote a safe and healthy work environment and provide a broad range of professional and personal development opportunities. We are also a multi-cultural organization with employees who represent many different nationalities and cultural backgrounds. In addition we want to make a meaningful contribution to society. We care about the environment and about providing opportunities for underprivileged children. Through the Numidia Charity Foundation, we fund various educational, cultural and aid-related projects every year.
Ambition
Numidia wants to make a significant contribution to employee well-being. We strive to create a work environment, in the office but also at home, that is not only safe but also fulfilling. Our initiatives focus on promoting both professional growth and personal well-being, recognizing that a healthy work environment is crucial for our success.
Numidia has participated in the in the Great Place to Work (GPTW) survey since 2021. Great Place to Work is a global research and consulting firm that assesses and rates workplace cultures. Great Place to Work operates in many different countries and regions, allowing for a global comparison of workplace cultures. This global perspective enables companies to benchmark themselves against both local and international standards. Numidia is proud to have been certified as a Great Place To Work for the last three years.
Being recognized by Great Place to Work demonstrates that Numidia has been successful in creating a positive workplace culture where employees feel safe, valued, trusted and engaged.
Human rights in the value chain
We are committed to acting in compliance with the International Bill of Human Rights and the International Labor Organization (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. We have aligned our Health & Safety Policy and our Code of Conduct with these international human rights standards. We do not allow any forced or child labor, nor do we accept discrimination, harsh treatment, or inhumane treatment. Our policies support the well-being of our own employees and of people employed by our partners throughout the supply chain.
Healthy and safe work environment
Numidia provides ergonomic equipment for all employees to promote safe working conditions, both in-office and for at-home use. Employees have the flexibility to work from home one or two days a week and to plan their own work-from-home day(s).
To further promote employee health and well-being, Numidia initiated a partnership with ODS in 2023. Through our collaboration with ODS, we are able to offer our employees and their family members access to a broad range of activities and expert advice in the areas of exercise, relaxation, nutrition and mindset, enabling them to live an (even) healthier and more vital life.
In addition to the ODS program, Numidia periodically offers employees appropriate medical examinations aimed at preventing or limiting health risks as much as possible. The most recent preventative medical examination (PMO) took place in 2021 and will be offered again in 2024.
We promote a healthy diet by providing a joint employee lunch consisting of fresh and nutritious ingredients three times a week. In addition, fresh fruit is delivered several times a week and all available sodas are sugar-free.
Product safety and quality
In addition to promoting a healthy lifestyle for our employees, we want to provide access to safe and high-quality dairy products to people everywhere. Numidia is a certified IFS Broker and BRC Agent and Broker for the food market, confirming that the products we offer are of high quality and meet the requirements of our stakeholders. We hold a GMP+ certification for feed safety. We are also Skal certified, which allows us to trade in organic products.
Remuneration
Employee remuneration is based on a salary scale that considers an individual’s position, responsibilities and years of experience. Salaries are paid at least once a month. All employee salaries are well above the minimum wage for each country. We follow the labor laws of the countries in which we have an office.
We offer employees an indefinite employment contract after nineteen months. Employees who are employed at Numidia for five years or longer become a member of "Club Numidia". This membership includes: an additional paid day of leave, invitations to business events, a visit to an office abroad once every five years and other additional benefits.
We take care of our employees now and in the future. That is why Numidia pays into pension plans in accordance with the local customs of its employees around the world. In 2023, all employees participated in the pension plans facilitated by Numidia.
We believe that when Numidia does well, our employees should also benefit. When Numidia is successful, employees are rewarded with an end-of-year bonus. The amount of each individual employee’s bonus is determined by the following:
the overall company result (versus budget)
if applicable, the individual trade results vs. individual trade budget
the employee’s individual performance
Finally, we will add extra paid days off to our employees’ holiday balance. We will add one day per year between 2024 and 2028, so that each employee receives an additional five paid days off compared to the year 2023.
Personal and professional development
We invest in the personal and professional development of all our employees through the Numidia Academy. The Academy starts with an onboarding program so that new employees can get to know Numidia. This consists of classroom introductions, e-learning courses and on-the-job training. In the months thereafter, we continue to develop the skills of new employees based on their individual needs. Employees who have been with Numidia for longer also have access to several trainings and courses.
Some employees may have individual requirements, such as needing to learn a particular language, assertiveness training or internal audit training. As we become aware of these requirements, we look at possible ways of addressing them.
Twice a year, we conduct performance and career development reviews known as the mid-year review and the end-of-year review. After some time, an employee will naturally be ready for a new challenge. We encourage employees to express their personal ambitions, and we try to facilitate them by providing extra tasks, projects or training. If an employee is not sure where their ambitions are, we offer career advice through an external party, even if this might lead to the Numidian leaving us. In 2023, four employees made a change within the company: some changed departments and others changed locations.
Diversity, equity and inclusion
Stephen R. Covey once said, “Strength lies in differences, not in similarities.” Our employees reflect that. You will see this in the variety of backgrounds, levels of experience, nationalities, and the many languages spoken within our company.
As of 31 December 2023, we had 30 different nationalities in total. That is something we are proud of. We celebrate our diversity on our Cultural Day. Four times a year, we come together to highlight the home country of one of our employees by enjoying traditional food, music and learning interesting things about that country.
To improve the cultural awareness within our organization, we offer cross-cultural awareness and communication training to all our employees. During this training, our employees gain invaluable insights into their own preconceptions, values and beliefs, how they differ from others, and how to navigate these differences and improve internal collaboration.
To underline the transparency of our open and direct culture, we have one work floor (per office) where we all work as a team. All directors, managers, staff, interns and seasonal workers are on the same floor; there are no separate offices. Employees are encouraged to approach each other with questions and ideas, or if they need help. In person if possible, or via phone, email or Teams message if someone is not at their desk.
undesirable behavior
We do not tolerate discrimination or any other undesirable behavior. That is why we have a policy in place to prevent and combat undesirable behavior both at the office and outside of the office. If, despite this policy, an employee experiences undesirable conduct, he or she can contact internal and/or external confidants. Confidants are trained to assist an employee by explaining their options and discussing possible solutions.
An employee (or anyone else connected to the company) who suspects illegal activity or misconduct can follow the whistleblower procedure, which is available online 24/7. The employee can choose to share their concerns with both internal confidants as well as external parties. The confidants report on the numbers and types of reports to the Management Team and the Board of Directors annually, whereby privacy and anonymity are guaranteed.
Community stewardship
Numidia cares about more than its own employees. We also care about our environment and underprivileged children. That is why we initiated the Numidia Charity Foundation. Numidia is the source of funding for this foundation. The Numidia Charity Foundation helps children in need all over the world with education, nutrition and financial aid. These projects are proposed by Numidians themselves and they also play an active role in the projects they propose.
Our contributions are limited to foundations and associations, and the budget for any project is agreed upon in advance. All contributions require official confirmation to show that the budget has been used for its intended purpose.
charity projects in 2023
Numidia has funded 9 different charity projects in 2023. Two of these projects are highlighted below.
The Kayenje Primary School
The Kayenje Primary School in Uganda, located 76 km from Kampala city, offers free universal primary education. Empowered by the strength, wisdom and compassion of 17 teachers, the school educates 759 children aged between 4-14 years. The classrooms needed a serious upgrade: they were dilapidated, partially collapsing and not usable during the rainy season. With the help of the Numidia Charity Foundation, the school rebuilt five classrooms and is providing support to improve education quality. The Numidia Charity Foundation believes that children are our future, that education is the key to independence and that everyone should have access to education.
Mundo de Talentos
The Numidia Charity Foundation extended the collaboration with Mundo de Talentos, a non-profit organization that inspires children aged between 10-13 of public schools in the South of Mexico to explore various options for their future. The two-year Saturday program consists of excursions and visits from passionate professionals (volunteers) of various disciplines. Children meet architects, journalists, doctors, artists, technicians, biologists, scientists and craftsmen. Through these encounters, the children broaden their perspectives, discover their talents, increase their self-esteem and strengthen their connection with society. In a playful and tangible way, the students are being prepared for the most important step after their school career: confidently and independently making choices for their future. The project has been a huge success. They are currently serving more than 300 students and they are expanding to other locations in Mexico and potentially other countries in Central and South America. We are impressed with the work that Mundo de Talentos does and happy to play a part in the future of these students.
Economic inclusion of workers in the value chain
Through the Numidia Charity Foundation, we also contributing to economic and social development by providing opportunities for workers. In 2022 for example, we supported Fundación Florecer in Trinidad, Uruguay with virtual classroom equipment to facilitate virtual classes when there is no assigned teacher. Another example is our support of Care2Communities, an organization in Haiti, with an ultrasound machine, supplies and funding for healthcare personnel.