Responsibility
RESPONSIBILITY
In the Brunberg family business we try to hold on to traditions and we have succeeded in conquering a place in the hearts of the Finnish people. According to evaluation made by economic and marketing publications 2022, we are number 95 out of the 500 most respected brands. Brunberg is also the fifth biggest sweets brand in Finland.
Our place in these marketing studies proves that we have succeeded in meeting the expectations of our consumers. One of the keys to our success is responsible business activity, which is also a condition of future success.
Responsibility signifies that our company acts as sustainably as possible ecologically, socially and economically. We comply with laws and proven practices.
We supervise our delivery chains, we do our best to increase resource efficiency, minimize any negative impact on the environment and be responsible in relation to interested parties and employees.
Our vision of the future is getting closer, and we are well on our way to a more responsible tomorrow.
Economy
If the economy of the company is in bad shape, it has poor possibilities to be socially responsible and responsible for the environment.
This also works in the opposite way; if we are not ecologically and socially sustainable, then we are not, in the long run, a viable and successful enterprise.
Brunberg is a solid enterprise, managed with responsibility. The owners are 100% Finnish, which means that we pay taxes to Finland and to Porvoo. We work with domestic suppliers, as much as possible, and we support the local community, for example through our foundation.
Our turnover in 2022 was over 10,3 MEUR. The share of exports was around 3 % and the production volume about 1,25 million kg.
Delicious sweets from Porvoo
For us, economic responsibility means that our company stays profitable and that we correctly handle our competitiveness and efficiency. It is also about risk management and requires careful consideration every step of the way.
Economic responsibility means that we constantly have to improve the efficiency of our activity, while we, at the same time, see to our social responsibility and the responsibility for the environment. A well cared for economy creates possibilities to invest in ever more energy saving production techniques and new technology.
The economic responsibility is reflected in all our activities. See links Environment, Products and waste, Work unit and Unit wellbeing for more information!
The Environment
We are aware of our responsibility for the environment. We actively work to minimize the environmental impact in the short and the long term and we take the environment into account whatever we develop, as well as in our use of energy and natural resources.
Responsibility for the environment is not a one-off-event, it is an ongoing process which applies to the whole production chain, and we do our utmost to ensure that every wheel in the distribution chain rotates responsibly and with respect for the environment.
100% renewable energy
We use 100% renewable and carbon neutral electricity in our factory as well as in the office premises.
All the electricity we consume is EKOenergy which is supplied by the local company Porvoon Energia. The EKOenergy label is the only internationally recognized energy mark. The criteria for producing and selling EKOenergy are strict and the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation supervises that the criteria are fulfilled. See more about EKOenergy here.
Geothermal and district heating
The entire factory, as well as the office building are heated with the green district heating supplied by Porvoon Energia, which is 100% renewable. The district heating comes from Porvoo.
In the factory building a heat pump is also used, which in part decreases the use of energy.
For the heating of our new factory shop, which will be ready by spring 2021, energy efficient and ecological geothermal heating will be used.
Follow-up of the consumption of energy and water
We systematically collect information about the consumption of energy and we continuously develop our activity towards more sustainable energy efficiency.
We have acquired energy efficient appliances and converted the illumination of our industrial properties to LED lights, which has considerably decreased the consumption of energy. We have replaced 90% of the illumination, an ongoing project.
We also keep track of the consumption of water and try to reduce any unnecessary use.
Waste reduction
Our aim is to reduce waste in all our activities and to take all waste to recycling. We use raw materials economically and efficiently.
The brown paper bags we use in our shops in Porvoo can be recycled as cardboard waste. These brown bags have been in our use since the 1960s.
With a strict packaging planning we try to reduce the use of aluminum and plastic in our packages.
We know that packages pollute the environment, but their foremost task is to protect the food, and plastic and aluminum are excellent for this purpose. With good packages we also radically reduce food waste.
We work on reducing waste without compromising the safety of food.
Recycling
We recycle everything that is possible to recycle. In 2018 we renewed the waste management station of the factory. In the renewed station we recycle cardboard, mixed waste, clear plastic and bio-waste.
Only the raw materials that we cannot reuse are taken to the bio-waste. The amount of bio-waste is very small, thanks to efficient planning and decades of experience. See more about spill here.
Our aim is to increase the share of recycled material from the amount of waste.
We do hope that the covers and bags of our sweets do not end up in the nature, but that they are recycled instead. All our products and our web pages have recycling instructions for covers and packages.
Logistics
Logistics causes an important share of the industrial pollution. We use domestic suppliers whenever possible, which decreases pollution. We continuously make our logistics more efficient, for economic as well as environmental reasons.
Products and waste
At Brunberg we respect our sweets and the raw materials we use.
Basically our company is the same as the sweets producer who 150 years ago manufactured sweets, when raw materials were used carefully and with respect for nature.
Our products have few ingredients and we know where our raw materials come from. We produce high quality, safe, tested and responsibly manufactured sweets. We supervise and develop the delivery chain and the production process so that we in future can offer even more responsible products.
Waste products
A controlled use of raw materials is wise. A big part of waste products can be reused by melting down or selling on as an industrial product to, for instance, ice cream manufacturers, without reducing quality or taste. New machines and more efficient processes have decreased the amount of waste.
Products with the wrong shape or size are sold in our shops at lower prices or offered as samples for tasting. Long before becoming a trend, we sold second-hand candy paper bags. Already in the 1950’s, in the factory by the Town Park, we were asked for second-hand sweets. Thus, in the 1960’s we opened our first factory shop. Since then, the popular bags with second-hand candies are sold on a daily basis.
Only the waste products that cannot be reused are taken to the bio waste central and we are proud to say that this amount is very small.
New products naturally reach the shelves of shopping centers, but many of our classic products have been in the market for more than 100 years. We offer products that our customers love, and that is why we have no seasonal or test products, which have to be thrown away, in our stocks.
We want our sweets to give pleasure to our consumers.
Responsible purchasing
Responsibility means, for us, that each link in the production chain takes into consideration the effects on people, animals, household and environment. We want to continue to cooperate with our long-standing suppliers and partners, because together we have built the Brunberg factory of today.
When possible, we buy from domestic suppliers and we always favor those that are certified and responsible.
Responsible raw materials
Responsibility and traceability of chocolate are important. Therefore we only buy from carefully selected, reliable cocoa suppliers that observe corporate responsibility programs. These programs are more comprehensive than product certification. We prefer big suppliers, as the possibilities of a minor agent to influence the responsibility of the cocoa production are small, whereas we can influence through big responsible suppliers.
Our chocolate comes from Western Africa, the area which produces over 70% of the whole world’s production.
Our cocoa and chocolate suppliers are Olam Cocoa och Cargillill.
Our high-quality and safe liquorice comes from Mafco.
Work environment
The company is built by people.
Motivated and professional employees are the most valuable asset in our company and we cherish them in many different ways.
We apply collective wage agreements and we take care of the well-being of our personnel, for instance by offering comprehensive health services, education possibilities and training and culture tickets.
We ensure a safe and ergonomic working environment.
It is important, for us, that each and every one of our employees is treated equally, regardless of age, gender or ethnic background. We follow the UN basic principles regarding the corporate world and human rights.
Long-time employees
In year 2022 Brunberg had 67 employees.
In our work unit a culture of mutual respect prevails.
We pay attention to each other and, as a company with traditions, we try to maintain the respectful and stress free way of conducting business of the “good old times”.
Our employees are content and we have built long-term work relationships with many. We have young employees and employees who have worked in the company for more than 40 years. Several generations work under the same roof.
As a company, Brunberg enjoys a good image in Porvoo. We know that a good image is hard to achieve, but easy to lose.
We wish to offer sweets that make you feel good and to achieve this we need employees who feel good.
Safety
Safety is vital. Each employee has the right to work in a safe and secure environment.
We comply with work environment laws, regulations and terms. We also regularly inform our employees of our objectives concerning industrial safety.
Our activities in terms of safety are continually revised and developed further with the help of professionals.
Communal wellbeing
In many different ways we focus on the wellbeing of the neighbourhood.
Brunberg is a Finnish company and therefore we pay taxes, withholding taxes, social security fees and personal insurance in Finland
We follow the principles of a responsible enterprise: openness, honest and respectful companionship, responsibility, sustainable development and high quality. In all our activities we respect human rights.
As a Porvoo-based company we wish to promote the quality of life of the residents and give pleasure to as many as possible. Through the Brunberg foundation we support the cultural life of the city.
Resonsible marketing
The marketing of our company is responsible.
Clear and reliable information of our products is available, we do not market specifically for children and we manufacture our products responsibly. We are as open and transparent as possible in all our activities and we respect people regardless of age, gender and ethnic background.
Products of high quality have always been the central part of our marketing. We wish to keep the flexibility of the small company, the spontaneity in our relations to others and the possibility to grow under controlled conditions.
As we see it, responsible activities benefit us in many ways: customer loyalty, employees’ fidelity and profitability. Responsibility has been – and will be – a condition for our many years in the business.
The Brunberg foundation
The Brunberg foundation is a private trust with the aim to promote the cultural life, in particular the music life, in the Porvoo area. The foundation grants scholarships to talented young music students.
The scholarships have enabled the students to continue their studies to graduate as musicians. Many of them work today as musicians and music teachers.
The scholarships are awarded on the basis of proposals from the board and listening to experts.
The trust was founded in 1988 when the present factory was inaugurated. The purpose was to honor the memory and life’s work of the long-time owner and managing director, Lennart Brunberg (1891-1945). Besides being the managing director and developer of the sweets factory, Lennart Brunberg was also a prominent cultural personality.
Lennart Brunberg was deeply involved in music, his favorite hobby. He played the violin and the cello and worked hard to stimulate music life in Porvoo. He was one of the founders of the string orchestra Mimer and its conductor and, above all, driving force. He was also active in Porvoo Orchestra Association and in an association supporting concerts, which invited well-known artist to perform in Porvoo.
Read more about the history of Brunberg.
Scholarships granted by the Brunberg foundation 1989-2019 (Finnish marks and euro)
1989 Satu Pulkkinen (now Savioja) violin 25.000 mk
1990 Patrik Stenström clarinet 20.000 mk
1991 Liisa Heininen (nu Malmivaara) piano 20.000 mk
1992 Annika Nummelin (nu Lindroos) violin 20.000 mk
1993 Elevers terminavgifter i Borgånejdens musikinstitut 25.000 mk
1994 Tommi Viertonen French horn 20.000 mk
1996 Mika Ylärakkola bassoon 20.000 mk
1998 Jaakko Nordman violin 25.000 mk
1999 In aid of the construction of the ship Alexsandra 10.000 mk
2001 Linda Bärlund violin 20.000 mk
2003 Linda Bärlund violin 3.400 €
2006 Ludvig Bärlund cello 3.400 €
2008 The string quartet Pippurit (Rasmus Bärlund, 4.000 €
Amanda Pursio, Emma Lagerstedt and Oskari Holopainen)
2011 Max Silfverberg trombone 4.000 €
2015 Maija Wesslund violin 4.000 €
2019 Ocarina choirs 5.000 €
Chairman of the board of the Brunberg foundation is Magnus Björklund. Members of the board are Tom Brunberg, Stefan Granberg, Kati Karlsson, Helena Somervalli and Martina Somervalli.
Lennart Brunberg’s daughter, Ulla Somervalli, was chairman of the board 1988-2002 and vice chairman until 2016.
