17 September 2021

Thank you for your query which we gladly answer on behalf of the ALDI Nord Group and the ALDI SOUTH Group.

ALDI has defined clear requirements on working conditions and social standards along countries producing our goods. Our suppliers - as direct business partners - as well as their producers are strictly required to comply with social standards, prevailing laws and requirements. Those rules do not only apply to our German markets, but also to other countries where ALDI is operating, as well as to all countries of origin. Our Corporate Responsibility Principles, the CR Policy and the Social Standards in Production are binding components of all contracts with our suppliers. In these components we define obligatory criteria for e.g. fair treatment of employees and occupational health and safety measures...

... We are aware of the challenges in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables. We are also aware of the limitations of third-party audits. This is the reason why ALDI developed its own farm level approach to conduct CR assessments in high-risk supply chains together with external service providers. With these assessments we want to ensure the producers ́ as well as suppliers ́ compliance with our requirements. Moreover, our approach is focused on the sustainability progress on farm level. If we identify non-compliances or risks, we immediately work on their remediation via Corrective Action Plans (CAPs). Together with our service provider, we closely monitor the implementation of these plans...

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