We adopt rigorous criteria when selecting suppliers with whom we work in Brazil and abroad. Quality, safety, certifications, and the complexity of the service or input we contract are evaluated from the perspective of alignment with our standards of excellence and impact on our business.

Our operations involve commodity suppliers and other inputs used in the industrialization process, packaging, corporate offices, PPE, technical consulting, and general services.

Our analysts operate through an electronic quotation system, which is previously analyzed for demand and available stock and approved by the responsible cost center authority, from Supervisor to Senior Management.

To ensure integrity in our contracting process, we follow our Purchasing Policy – including online contracting on a portal integrated with the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform, which attests to the credibility of the information provided by candidates. This policy provides for the Supplier Evaluation Procedure, with periodic monitoring, through which we can mitigate risks, standardize procedures, verify legal requirements are being met, and identify new business opportunities. If a supplier does not meet 70 points per quarter in this evaluation system, they are directed to adopt solutions to eliminate nonconformities. Recurrence is a disqualification criterion.

We identify suppliers more sensitive to potential negative social, environmental, and regulatory impacts on the supply chain. Attentive to this risk, we seek to take actions with our suppliers and their employees to eliminate risks and develop the partnership.

In the case of purchasing commodities (corn, soybean meal, vitamins, amino acids, eggs, day-old chicks, among others), we follow a specific policy, whose criteria may involve the evaluation of a pilot lot and technical visits to the production unit to verify if biosafety standards, good manufacturing practices, and quality are aligned with ours. For soybean acquisitions, we work with the largest companies in the market due to the adoption of technology and good production practices, as well as the ability to develop logistics suitable for our demand, as they are on average 250 kilometers from our unit. Regarding corn, we prioritize direct purchases from the producer since we can better monitor the producer and their social, environmental, and commercial practices. The broiler chicken chain is highly supported by commodity items, microingredients, premix, amino acids, vitamins, and feed additives.

Our criteria are to always do business with companies that maintain good practices and demonstrate concern for social concerns in terms of the labor rights of our third-party collaborators, who regularly present proof of employee registration, proof of payment of labor and taxes related to the activities negotiated. Another aspect that we always monitor is the financial health of our partners. We always maintain contact and dialogue that allows us to both ensure their good situation and contribute, if necessary, with advances. We have third-party partners who have been offering services for over 20 years. Therefore, we ensure that we provide conditions, monitor and demand what is allowed and guided by internal policy.