We use solar panels to generate as much of our own energy as possible. Frequency-driven compressed air installations help us reduce costs. Our chocolate pipelines have additional insulation to ensure no heat is lost. The heat generated during production is used to heat our premises. Our refrigeration installations are equipped with free-cooling to make optimal use of the available energy. Closed refrigeration circuits prevent unnecessary waste. All our lighting outside the production plants is equipped with motion sensors to avoid unnecessary energy consumption. Rainwater is recovered for sanitation. Our trucks meet the Euro 5 standard to minimise their environmental impact. The various waste flows are separated to allow maximum recycling. New investments are discussed in advance with an environmental coordinator to ensure that sustainability is a priority from the conceptual phase onwards. Furthermore, Hamlet offers a selection of Rainforest Alliance, Fairtrade and RSPO certified products.

Rainforest Alliance Certified

Rainforest Alliance Certified stands for more sustainable farming practices and better opportunities for farmers, their families and our planet. The Rainforest Alliance program helps to enable farmers to learn better farming methods, improve working conditions and take care of the environment. The Rainforest Alliance program also helps farmers grow their crops more sustainably, generate more income and create better opportunities while also helping to protect the environment. And that tastes a lot better.

RSPO certified

Thanks to our RSPO certification (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, Hamlet license number RSPO-1106209) we are able to offer you products made with sustainable palm (kernel) oil at Hamlet. With this, we contribute to minimising the negative impact of palm (kernel) oil on the environment and living conditions, so that future generations can continue to enjoy our delicious products. Follow our progress at www.rspo.org.

FSC certified

Our packaging choices are also influenced by our efforts regarding a sustainable final product. When plastic is used, Hamlet is mindful of the material’s recyclability and strives to use recycled plastic. Without, of course, compromising food safety. For paper and cardboard, FSC labelled products are preferred over non-certified materials, provided of course that the same food safety and recyclability criteria are observed as for plastic materials. The FSC or Forest Stewardship council promotes an environmentally responsible and socio-economic management of forests and woods all over the world

IFS – IFS Logistics

IFS (International Food Standard) norms were developed for and by all of the parties in the supply chain which would like to use uniform standards to ensure the safety and quality of food and non-food products and related services. IFS Standards help organisations to comply with all legal food and non-food safety and quality requirements and offer common and transparent standards to all suppliers and service providers, as well as fulfilling the high safety and quality expectations of customers.

BRCGS

In 1998, the Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards (BRCGS) developed a food safety standard, called the BRC Standard. The BRC standard is based on an effective HACCP programme but includes a number of additional requirements for certain aspects including:

• Senior management commitment.
• The food safety plan.
• The production facilities.
• Product control.
• Process control.
• Staff.

HACCP
HACCP, the acronym for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, is a risk assessment programme for food products.

Companies that prepare, process, treat, package, transport and distribute foodstuffs must identify all the aspects of the production process and analyse the risks and hazards. This control process, which was developed by the European Union, aims to ensure that the contamination risk to foodstuffs is reduced as much as possible during the production process.

The 7 key features of an HACCP system

1. Conduct a hazard analysis.
2. Identify the critical control points (CCP’s), i.e. the points in the process where hazards can be prevented or eliminated.
3. Establish critical limits for every CCP.
4. Set criteria for how the CCP's are controlled or monitored.
5. Define the corrective action for every CCP to guarantee safety is maintained or restored.
6. Use verification, i.e. periodical checks, to ensure whether the HACCP approach is working as it should.
7. Keep documents and measurements. Record what you have changed and how.

TRACEABILITY

The traceability of all our products is guaranteed. Our products undergo a range of checks on issues such as recipe, finish, packaging, and temperature, from the receipt of the ingredients to delivery to your doorstep. Lab analyses are performed on a regular basis.

Besides this, Hamlet also regularly organises safety, quality and ethical audits.