Sustainable Supply Chain Management
A supply chain based on quality and safety
SDGs We Contribute to
We implement effective supply chain management in accordance with international standards to ensure high product quality and business continuity.
As per Aromsa Procurement Policy, we select and work with suppliers who care for customer satisfaction and are reliable and have a high level of awareness about OHS, environment, quality, food safety and social responsibility in our purchasing processes.
By making long-term purchasing decisions for sustainable raw material supply, we strive to develop long-term relationships based on mutual trust, effective communication and cooperation with the companies in our supply network.
Supplier Selection and Evaluation Process
Within the scope of the Aromsa Supplier Selection and Evaluation Procedure, we take into consideration potential suppliers’ production processes, critical control points, certifications, product quality continuity, environmental and social responsibility approaches and only add those companies that meet the specified criteria in our approved supplier lists. We closely monitor the supply management process against key performance indicators, identify areas for improvement through regular audits, and take action as necessary.
At Aromsa, we give priority to domestic sources to ensure supply continuity. When developing our list of approved suppliers, we also identify alternative suppliers to ensure we are able to purchase from multiple sources when necessary. We also develop safety stock policies and promote business partnerships based on mutual trust through long-term contracts.
Local sourcing accounts for 84% of our total purchasing in terms of quantity and 50% in terms of expenditure.
We have made concrete progress towards our goal of supporting the local economy, which is one of the key priorities of our supply chain management policy. Our domestic supplier ratio, which was 78% in 2021, reached 81% as a result of the successful work carried out in 2024.
We procure both directly from manufacturers and through traders to supply raw materials such as flavouring chemicals, sugar, glucose, fruit and derivatives, orange oils, vanillin, maltodextrin, milk, yeast and starch from Türkiye as well as Europe, China, India and the USA.
Aromsa, which imports approximately 16% of its raw materials, has been successfully and safely carrying out its import operations on the Blue Line for years, and crowned this success with the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) certificate issued by the Ministry of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye in 2017. Due to the status we have gained with this certificate, we are considered a ‘Safe and Reliable Company’ in our purchases of foreign goods.
We pay the utmost attention to supply chain security and include clauses in our contracts that protect our current status. As per AEO requirements, we receive training and undergo inspections every year on Customs and Foreign Trade Legislation and Safety and Security Measures in International Trade.
Long-term cooperation and sustainable supply chain
We analyse the risks associated with the supply chain and develop strategies to prevent our customers from being affected by potential adverse situations. Between 2021 and 2024, including the Covid period when the significant disruptions occurred in the supply chain, we managed to meet the increasing demand without compromising our high quality standards by increasing our safety stocks and performing in-house production of substitute raw materials.
Responsible Sourcing
We are committed to carrying out activities that are environmentally friendly, preserve the ecosystem and reinforce the trust of our stakeholders with our sustainability-focused approach in the food industry. We also ask our business partners and suppliers to demonstrate the same level of care and commitment to responsible and sustainable operations.
As Aromsa, we are among the signatories of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code, which draws upon the conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO) and includes internationally accepted labour rules.
In this regard, we require all our suppliers to sign the ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative) Base Code, which we are a party to.
During the supplier evaluation process, we collect information from candidate companies through the ‘OHS, Environmental and Social Compliance Supplier Information Form’ and do not work with companies that do not meet our criteria. As Aromsa, we sign a ‘Supplier Health, Safety and Environment Agreement’ with all companies in our supply chain.
Within the scope of Environmental and OHS Management Systems, we share the ‘Supplier OHS and Environmental Expectations Text’ with our suppliers and take into account the feedback received through the ‘Supplier Satisfaction and Expectations Survey’, which conducted on a regular basis. We expect our subcontractors and service suppliers to meet the requirements of the Environmental and Occupational Safety Agreement.
We carry out audits within the framework of the annual supplier audit plan in cooperation with the Quality Assurance, Quality Control and Purchasing Departments. We include social and environmental compliance topics in the Supplier Company Audit Form which is used for audits of suppliers.
As part of the audits conducted during the reporting period, no supplier was found to have any negative social and environmental issues.
During the reporting period, we continued our efforts to procure certified raw materials from suppliers who adopt environmentally friendly production processes within the framework of our sustainable and responsible procurement approach.
In this regard, we have created sustainable alternatives by procuring RSPO (Roundtable On Sustainable Palm Oil) certified palm oil and UTZ (Sustainable Farming) certified cocoa varieties. We renewed our Responsible Supply Chain and RA (Rainforest Alliance) certificate in 2023.
Sustainable supplier network supported by training
Supplier Day Event
We organized a ‘Supplier Day’ event to improve collaborations with our suppliers by taking action in line with Goal 17 ‘Partnerships for the Goals’ of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We exchanged views on sustainable raw material supply and business ethics within the scope of ‘Supplier Day’, which was held in June 2023 with the participation of our suppliers from all over the world, from England to India, from France to Switzerland, from Germany to Spain.
Supply Chain Empowerment Program
A strong and responsible supply chain that is managed end-to-end is the key driver of our sustainable growth strategy. We have been carrying out the ‘Supply Chain Empowerment Program’ since 2021 in order to develop local resources by increasing production technology knowledge in our country, reduce foreign dependency in purchasing and mitigate supply risks.
We identify the needs of our suppliers in collaboration with them and ensure that they have access to resources that can support their development. 9 Supplier Empowerment Programs and 445 hours of supplier training were carried out in 2022, while 7 programs and 607 hours of training were carried out in 2023 and 8 programs and 1,191 hours of training were carried out in 2024.
During the reporting period, we organized a total of 24 programs covering sustainability, food safety, quality management, allergen regulations, flavour and food legislation, product analyses, microbiology, and production modelling, reaching over 500 people with nearly 100 hours of training.
We Hosted the IFEAT Delegation: Meeting with Global Industry Leaders
On June 3, 2024, IFEAT (International Federation of Essential Oils and Aroma Trades), the most prestigious organization in the international flavour and essential oil industry, paid a special visit to Aromsa as part of its ‘2024 Türkiye Study Tour’. We were honoured to host a high-level delegation of 40 people from various countries.
This important event not only showcased our operations and innovative solutions, but also offered the opportunity to introduce Türkiye’s leading position in the flavour sector and its rich cultural heritage to the world. This meaningful event has once again proven our strength in the international arena and our contributions to our industry.
