Working with Farmers
As a local processor, Ecom’s long-term profitability is closely linked to the profitability of its farmer suppliers. Crucially, the success of Ecom in the long-term depends on whether farmers continue to aspire to be farmers and supply sufficient quantity of quality products to meet the needs of its manufacturing clients.
For this reason, Ecom works closely with farmers to help them to improve yields, quality, and in turn their income. With training, access to better markets, inputs and technology, farmers can produce more and better products. By providing valued services to farmers, Ecom aims to win their loyalty as their preferred buyer and in turn, is able to offer differentiated products and solutions to the most discerning clients.
The strength of the Ecom Group lies in its origin operations. Each local Ecom company is accountable for its profitability and its sustainability programs. This decentralized model has served Ecom well for many years because every local market and commodity supply chain is different. Each local Ecom company develops sourcing and farmer development strategies that reflect the local needs of farmers and their business realities.
Despite different conditions and needs in each country all of Ecom’s operations, farmer development programs share a common structure:
This is a ladder of continuous improvement that farmers can ascend, with each step a precursor to the next. In its maturity, by providing a package of services, training and credit, and improving yields and quality, Ecom establishes year-round, long-term relationships with farmers. This simultaneously serves Ecom’s purchasing ambitions and growers’ ambitions by increasing income opportunity through higher yields and better quality.
From a business perspective, there is synergy in the combination of training, certification, credit and purchasing, each strengthening and supporting the other.
Contact the Sustainability Unit
Ecom Agroindustrial Corporation Ltd.
Av. Etienne Guillemin 16
P.O. Box 64
CH-1009 Pully
Switzerland
Tel. +41 21 721 7210
Sustainability Overview 2011
