BRF, the third largest poultry producer in the world, has won the ISO 37.001 anti-bribery management system certification.
With an independent external audit carried out by Lloyd's Register, the recognition proves the Brazil-based company’s continuous learning and efficiency in its action plans to prevent and combat practices related to bribery and corruption.
The certification - based on the standards of the International Standardization Organization (ISO), an independent and non-governmental entity based in Switzerland - is internationally recognized and emphasizes that the company meets technical requirements, has effective policies, procedures and controls to prevent, prevent and combat bribery practices, promoting an ethical and healthy environment, in addition to highlighting BRF's commitment to issues such as integrity and transparency.
“Obtaining this recognition is very important for us, as it proves that we are on the right path and that we have effective mechanisms and procedures to ensure the best practices in corporate governance,” said Reynaldo Goto, BRF's compliance director. “Integrity is part of our essence. We reinforce initiatives that help fight corruption on a daily basis and learning is continuous. We carry out actions that help to prevent acts of corruption and bribery throughout our living, long and complex chain.”
The number of interviews to obtain ISO 37001 increased from 150, following all safety protocols, for 5 months, with more than 500 company executives from different levels, from the field to the factories, to verify the adherence and effectiveness of the policies and company procedures. The result, according to a press release from BRF, was a positive signal regarding the scope of the BRF system, which has over 20 governance policies that permeate the organization as a whole, which makes management throughout the value chain more effective and assertive, bringing greater confidence and competitive advantage to the business and helping to continuously promote the company's culture of ethics and transparency.
Among BRF's compliance initiatives decisive for the recognition are the training of 100% of the employees on the Transparency Manual, online training that exceeds 16,000 hours, more than 4,000 reputational analyses carried out in 2020 alone, and the consolidation of the Integrity Ambassadors program, which has more than 200 multipliers in all BRF units. The certification is valid for one year in the national territory.
BRF in 2017 was accused of bribing Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Farming inspectors to allow spoiled or adulterated meat to be sold and exported in the scandal known as Operation Weak Flesh. The company said in 2019 that the people targeted in the Operation Weak Flesh investigation were no longer employed by BRF.
BRF is a Brazilian integrator and one of the largest compound feed manufacturers in the world. While most of the company's feed is used for its own broiler and hog production, it does sell a small amount to other companies. BRF was created from the merger of Sadia and Perdigao. The company’s exports now reach more than 150 countries worldwide. Brands include Sadia, Perdigão, Qualy, Perdix and Paty.
The company slaughters about 2.19 billion broilers and produces about 10.5 million metric tons of feed on an annual basis.
