VMI’s mission and commitments
QSE policy
VMI’s mission is to provide its clients in the Food and Health sectors with mixing solutions and services that enable them to grow their business and improve their performance. As a Hillenbrand Operating Company, VMI adheres to its values and supports its sustainability policy.
Client satisfaction is at the heart of our organization.
We guarantee all our clients that we will execute their projects with excellence and provide dedicated support to help them achieve their goals. Our partner suppliers work closely with us to ensure the highest standards of quality and reliability.
Being awarded the EcoVadis Silver label for the third consecutive year in 2024, with significant progress placing us among the top 94% of evaluated companies across all sectors, encourages us to continue our efforts and further enhance our impact as a sustainable company—bringing us closer to achieving EcoVadis Gold (+95%).
This CSR commitment is focused on 4 main areas:
- A Governance and Ethics commitment
- A Societal commitment
- A Social commitment
- An Environmental commitment
As a member of the Group, VMI is fully committed to Hillenbrand’s sustainable development policy and values.
Governance and Ethics
VMI is committed to conducting its activities with integrity, professionalism, and respect for its clients and partners.
In 2021, VMI implemented a Responsible Supplier Charter, to step up requirements and develop a strong joint commitment with its partners towards ethics, compliance with the law and the fight against corruption.
Our Partnership initiatives
VMI has set up a collaboration with local companies, contributes towards innovation and encourages professional integration.
Through its local and national partnerships, VMI aims to create employment in the industrial sector.
This policy demonstrates the company’s desire to develop French know-how as well as that of the territory in which it operates: the Pays de la Loire region.
VMI is a member of the French Fab, a label that focuses on promoting the French industry
VMI has received Origine France Garantie certification (AFNOR Cert. 79866) for its range of machines for artisanal baking (spiral kneaders, 10/80l beaters, fermenters) and healthcare & speciality chemicals (Bench-Top Mixer Turbotest®).
VMI serves manufacturers in the baking and agri-food industries, as well as the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and specialty chemical industries. For this reason, the company is actively involved in associations and unions that represent these sectors:
• EKIP : A Professional Union for French baking & pastry equipment suppliers.
• COSMETIC VALLEY : Association uniting key players from the French cosmetic sector. VMI is a member of its Board of Directors.
The VMI corporate commitments pave the way to support and promote the know-how and excellence of the baking, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.
Our human capital
Our priority is to prevent risks and protect our employees’ health.
The company actively works to improve the safety of its staff based in Montaigu-Vendée, as well as of its visitors.
Through various agreements, VMI has committed to providing necessary conditions to ensure its staff’s well-being at work.
Our support to staff members is materialized, in particular, by our implementation of Employment and Skill Management since 2008. Each employee benefits from the monitoring of their skills and a personalized training plan.
VMI undertakes to promote gender diversity and equal opportunity for every individual. VMI has begun implementing measures towards ensuring equal pay between two people with the same responsibilities, regardless of gender.
VMI offers all employees a safe work environment, based on open and constructive social dialogue.
In order to ensure better working conditions to its staff, VMI moved its premises to another sIn 2017 VMI moved into new, modern premises adapted to different working situations, thus improving the quality of life at work for its employees.
To reinforce its safety initiatives, VMI has created the position of QSE coordinator. This role centralizes the implementation of a digital system for reporting dangerous situations and the coordination of action plans. Every month, VMI communicates its safety results and broadcasts safety flashes to share best practices resulting from accident and near-accident analyses.
Managing our impact
In 2015, VMI obtained ISO 14001 certification which, along with the ISO 9001 certification that it received in 1998, demonstrates its desire to reduce its environmental footprint and commit to sustainable development.
We carry out an annual carbon assessment of our activities, currently limited to emissions up to the point of leaving the factory. Our aim is to refine this calculation by taking into account the environmental impact of the use of our machines and their end-of-life, in order to have a more complete view of our carbon footprint.
VMI implements several actions to develop environmental awareness among each of its staff members. One of them is ensuring proper waste management.
The company works towards reducing harmful emissions by implementing internal processes and new ways of using its equipment that have a smaller impact on the environment.
VMI has three specific goals when developing equipment. Finding ways to:
- Optimize energy consumption
- Improve cleanability of machines
- Enable precise monitoring of equipments’ water and electricity consumption
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