Associated British Foods
OVERALL |
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Owned |
UK |
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Food manufacturer
Diversified international food, ingredients and retail group operating in 47 countries. 54.5% owned by Wittington Investments, a company controlled by the founding Weston family.
Company Ownership
Associated British Foods PLC | UK | website | ||||
Wittington Investments Ltd ![]() owns 55% of Associated British Foods PLC |
UK | website | ||||
Holding company Wittington Investments is controlled by the Weston Family, and is the ultimate holding company of Associated British Foods plc (ABF), one of Europe's largest food companies and owners of George Weston Foods in Australia. | ||||||
Garfield Weston Foundation ![]() owns 79% of Wittington Investments Ltd |
UK | website | ||||
Grant-giving charity Founded 1958. The Weston family controls a string of businesses through this charitable trust, including Associated British Foods, Primark and Fortnum & Mason. Owns nearly 80% of Wittington Investments, its main source of income. |
Company Assessment
PRAISE | CRITICISM | INFORMATION | ||
Associated British Foods PLC | ||||
In 2019, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of B.
Source: CDP (2019) |
A 2015 investigation by the BBC has found workers on Indian tea plantations who pick tea for this company are paid less than £2 per day and live in inhuman conditions. Living and working conditions are so bad, and wages so low, that tea workers and their families are left malnourished and vulnerable to fatal illnesses. There was also a disregard for health and safety, with workers spraying chemicals without protection, and on some estates, child labour being used.
Source: BBC (2015)
This company received a score of 34.2/100 in the Newsweek Green Rankings 2016, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.
Source: Newsweek (2016)
The Forest 500 identifies, ranks, and tracks the governments, companies and financial institutions worldwide that together could virtually eradicate tropical deforestation. Rankings are based on their public policies and commitments and potential impacts on tropical forests in the context of forest risk commodities (palm oil, soy, beef, leather, timber and paper). This company received a score of 29%.
Source: Forest 500 (2019)
In 2019, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests Score of D.
Source: CDP (2019)
This company scores Ethical Consumer's worst rating for their use of palm oil, signifying they are using no or minimal certified palm products, and with no or minimal positive commitments.
Source: Ethical Consumer (2019)
In 2018 KnowTheChain benchmarked 120 large global companies in the ICT, Food & Beverage, and Apparel & Footwear sectors on their efforts to address forced labour and human trafficking in their supply chains. This company received a score of 30/100.
Source: KnowTheChain (2018)
In 2016 Rank a Brand assessed 37 major cotton-using companies on their commitment and performance with regard to sustainable cotton by looking at each company's cotton sourcing policies, use of sustainable cotton, and traceability. This company scored 2/19.5, making it one of the weaker performing companies.
Source: Rank a Brand (2016)
The 2019 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 200 of the largest publicly traded companies in the world from the Agricultural Products, Apparel, Extractives and ICT Manufacturing sectors on 100 human rights indicators. This company's score was in the 20-30 band range. The overall average score was a disappointing 24%.
Source: CHRB (2019)
In Feb 2013 ActionAid (UK) released a report revealing that this company is dodging its tax bill in Zambia, one of the world's poorest countries. ActionAid claims ABF has avoided an estimated US$27 million in taxes in Zambia since 2007, where the company operates a sugar company. ABF denies the allegations (http://bit.ly/1j7m8l6).
Source: ActionAid (2013)
Oxfam's 2016 Behind the Brands Scorecard assesses the agricultural sourcing policies of the world's 10 largest food and beverage companies. It exclusively focuses on publicly available information that relates to the policies of these companies on their sourcing of agricultural commodities from developing countries. This company ranked equal last with a score of 36%.
Source: Oxfam (2016)
This company scores Ethical Consumer's worst rating for the likely use of tax avoidance strategies, and has at least two high risk subsidiaries in tax havens.
Source: Ethical Consumer (2018)
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 27/100 in the Food Products category of the 2019 SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices. The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2019) |
Primark is an Irish clothing retailer operating 271 stores throughout western Europe, and a subsidiary of Associated British Foods. Primark has been criticised for worker exploitation.
Source: Shop Ethical online profile (2014)
This company has a number of sustainability claims on its website in the areas of renewable energy, worker safety, packaging reductions and ethical business practices
Source: company website (2014)
The WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2019 assesses 173 companies on the commitments they have made, and the actions they have taken, to ensure that there is no destruction of nature including no deforestation along their supply chains; and support a responsible and sustainable palm oil industry beyond their own supply chain. This company is rated 'middle of the pack' with a score of 10.8 out of a possible total of 22.
Source: WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2019 (2019)
In 2019, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of C.
Source: CDP (2019)
Friends of the Earth's 2014 report "Tiny Ingredients, Big Risks" names this company as one of over 200 transnational food companies engaged in nanotechnology research and development, and on their way to commercializing products. New studies are adding to a growing body of scientific evidence indicating nanomaterials may be toxic to humans and the environment.
Source: FOE (2014)
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: Modern Slavery Registry (2018)
The 2019 Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) report ranks global food companies on how they are managing and reporting their farm animal welfare policies and practices. This company appeared in tier 4, "Making progress on implementation", with tier 1 being the best, and tier 6 the worst.
Source: BBFAW (2019) |
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Wittington Investments Ltd | ||||
Wittington Investments subsidiary Fortnum & Mason has been targeted by PETA for continuing to sell foie gras. Foie gras is made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been force fed grain through a tube for the last 12-18 days of its life under factory farm conditions. More than a dozen countries have prohibited foie gras production due to animal welfare concerns.
Source: PETA (2020) |
UK-based protest group, UK Uncut, targeted Wittington Investments during protests in March 2011 for their tax avoidance policies.
Source: UK Uncut (2011)
Brands in 'bread' category received BOTTOM Rating; with a score of 54 out of a possible score of 100 in the Ethical Company Organisation's 'Good Shopping Guide' (UK), which evaluates brands with regard to their environmental, animal welfare and human rights records.
Source: Ethical Company Organisation (UK) (2020) |
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Garfield Weston Foundation | ||||
In 2010, the UK Charity Commission found that some of the family members who run the Garfield Weston Foundation allowed an investment company it controlled (Wittington Investments) to make illegal political donations between 1993 and 2007. The Charity Commission also found that the charity's nine trustees breached their duties in January 2006 by voting for a resolution allowing Wittington to make donations without giving proper consideration.
Source: news article (2010)
The Garfield Weston Foundation gives grants to UK registered charities, with the exception of animal welfare charities. Organisations with an 'exempt' or 'excepted' status such as churches, hospitals, educational establishments and housing corporations may also apply for grants.
Source: company website (2012) |
Company Details
Type | Public company |
Revenue | 15.6 billion GBP in 2018 |
Employees | 137,000 in 2019 |
Subsidiaries | AB Food & Beverages Australia Pty Ltd ![]() Powdered food products manufacturing Australia's #2 hot beverages company. Like George Weston Foods, this company is owned by European food and beverages giant, AB Foods. George Weston Foods Ltd ![]() Food manufacturing One of Australia and New Zealand's largest food manufacturers, employing over 6,000 employees across 40 sites. George Weston Foods bought Tip Top Bakeries (1949), George Chapmans (1987), Don Smallgoods (1999), Melosi (1995), Jasol (1986), AGB (2007) KR Castlemaine (2008) and Yumi's (2018). - Yumi's Quality Foods Pty Ltd ![]() Dip manufacturer Founded in Melbourne in 1990. Australian private equity firm Anacacia Capital bought an undisclosed stake in Jan 2014. George Weston Foods became full owners in 2018. R. Twining & Co Ltd ![]() Tea company Established in 1706. Twinings is a founder member of the Ethical Tea Partnership formed in 1997. See www.ethicalteapartnership.org Acetum SpA ![]() Vinegar producer Italian balsamic vinegar producer acquired by Associated British Foods in 2017. Primark Stores Ltd ![]() Clothing retailer Silver Spoon Company ![]() Retail sugar Established in 1972 as the retail brand of ABF owned British Sugar. Jordans & Ryvita Company (62% owned) ![]() Grain-based foods ABF merged its Ryvita subsidiary with Jordans cereal business in 2008, and in 2014 they acquired Dorset cereals. - The Jordans and Ryvita Company Australia Pty Ltd ![]() Breakfast cereals Commenced in Australia in 2014 stocking at Coles and Woolworths supermarkets. |
Contact Details
Address | Weston Centre, 10 Grosvenor St, London, United Kingdom |
ABFinfo@abfoods.com | |
Website | www.abf.co.uk |
Products / Brands
Twinings & Co
Jarrah Coffee Jarrah Milk Flavouring Ovaltine Milk Flavouring Ovaltines Chocolate Twinings Tea |
George Weston Foods
9 Grain Bread Abbott's Village Bakery Bread Bagle House Bread Bazaar Flat Bread Burgen Bread Don Smallgoods/Pork English Muffins Bread Golden Bread Huttons Smallgoods/Pork Jasol Multi-Purpose Cleaners Kitchen Collection Flour & Bread Mix |
KR Castlemaine Smallgoods/Pork Pataks Indian Pataks Cooking Sauce Sunblest Bread The One Bread Tip Top Bread Tip Top Flour & Bread Mix Tip Top Flat Bread Titan Multi-Purpose Cleaners |
Yumi's Quality Foods
Yumi's Frozen Fish
Yumi's Dips Yumi's Vegetarian & Vegan |
Acetum
Mazzetti Vinegar |
Silver Spoon
Billington's (sucrose) Sugar & Sweeteners |
Jordans and Ryvita Company Australia
Dorset Cereals Muesli & Oats
Jordans Muesli & Oats Ryvita Biscuits/Crackers |