Social Responsibility
The Concepción Group is committed to the well-being and integrity of its direct and indirect employees. Each day, 7,500 employees contribute to our operations, working in an environment that values health, safety, and well-being for all.
We have been able to create a distinctive work environment that offers quality of life and the perspective of a better future for all of us, with career plans, technical performance assessments, and respect for company policies and rules of conduct, recognizing the merit and productivity of its employees and teams.
The Company understands that it is necessary to act in a preventive and corrective manner in order to eliminate accidents and provide safe working conditions, including individual and collective protection equipment, improving conditions for the performance of tasks, ergonomics, and safety programs. Health and Safety Management follows global principles in addition to regional programs and local action plans.
The basis for the dissemination of the Health and Safety Policies is training and education. Actions in this regard include mentoring new employees, task-specific training, industrial safety meetings, and monthly updates.
Our culture of prevention is key for our employees, and by 2024 we expect to have all employees trained in the Corporate Health and Safety Policy, and also have recognized CIPAs (internal accident prevention committees) in all our facilities.
One of the measures of care and incentive for our employees is the annual medical checkup to measure their health status and thus improve the well-being of our community.
Incident investigation procedures, emergency measures and escape routes are also in place to help prevent, reduce, mitigate, or eliminate injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. This practice ensures more effective corrective action plans.
The Group’s main operation, Frigorífico Concepción, has a risk assessment practice and systems to identify hazardous situations. All jobs are evaluated as one step in the Risk Management Program. Each position has uniforms suitable for the needs of the employees and the nature of the work such as temperature, instrument or equipment operation, etc. Our HACCP and BRC certifications also help keep suitable and safe working conditions for our employees. This operation is attempting to become ISO 45001 certified, a standard that applies to occupational health and safety management.
Human Rights and Diversity
At the Concepcion Group we are committed to operating with respect for human rights across our entire value chain – in our own operations, across our supply chains, and in the communities where we operate, both in Paraguay and abroad\.
We determine policies and have an ethics committee to ensure that the work of all genders is equally valued. Eliminating salary discrimination is an essential step to achieve gender equality, and decent compensation and work conditions. Our position and commitment to human rights are reflected in other company documents and policies, such as the Code of Ethics and Conduct, Statement on Labor Equality and Non-Discrimination, Freedom of Association Policy Gender Salary Disclosures, Collective Labor Agreements, and the Whistle-Blower Protection Program.
The Code of Ethics was reviewed in 2021 and is a reference for managers and other company professionals on how to identify ethically sensitive situations and make suitable decisions.
Our Human Rights Policy is based on, among other international references, the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, conventions on the rights of children and indigenous people, and the International Labor Organization (ILO).
In addition to implementing comprehensive management policies, we apply the 5S program to all areas to reduce the time it takes to execute jobs, reduce waste and accidents, and increase productivity and safety.
Commitment to the community
The Concepción Group started in Paraguay in 1997, and today is one of the country’s leading meat exporters, and a top-of-mind brand among local consumers. Located in Concepción, along the Paraguay River, our headquarters and largest group facility is also the main employer in the region. The group has meat packers and rural properties in other locations in Paraguay, as well as in Brazil and Bolivia.
Most of our facilities are located in rural areas or small towns with their own local economies, reinforcing our importance in fostering regional development. Bearing in mind our social responsibility, we invest in actions that contribute to the well-being of the community and help improve access to essential services. These initiatives involve, among others, social actions in local schools, food donations, and financial donations to social organizations.
One of these initiatives is taking place in Bolivia, where we have a project to support production and income creating activities among women. This initiative involves mothers who take their children for rehabilitation at FASSIV, an organization that helps people with disabilities in San Ignacio de Velazco, where one of our facilities is located. As these women must care for their disabled children, they are forced to leave their jobs, increasing the vulnerability of their families.
This activity trained 115 women and mothers in bread-baking, and a commercial kitchen was installed where they can make breads and snacks to sell. The Concepción group funded the training and equipment for the project, and purchases all of its output, over 1,800 breads a day that supply the cafeteria of our facility in that location.
*Source: Top of Mind 2022. Diario 5 Días/Revista Plus (Paraguay).