Food Fortnight, a tasty program

On World Food Day on October 16, Ecocert wanted to show that what we eat shapes the world of tomorrow. During this two-week food event, we were able to explore, discuss, and discover food issues with our teams.

Food, a systemic issue

At Ecocert, food goes hand in hand with sustainability, from the field to the plate.

And because eating is a powerful act, we give our employees the keys to responsible eating. To do this, we take a systemic approach to food issues, from production to distribution to consumption.

During Food Fortnight, we offered a variety of events, both in person and online, accessible in several languages to engage our teams around the world.

• Sustainable production models: the RéGénération Bio research project

Through all of our services, Ecocert has been promoting sustainable production and supply chains for over 30 years. In the field, we have observed agroecological practices that go beyond the requirements of organic farming regulations. It was this observation that led to the creation of the RéGénération Bio exploratory project. The project team presented their objectives and methodology for launching this experiment to our colleagues.

To achieve this, it draws on:

• our extensive network of organic stakeholders (producers, distributors, supply chains, etc.),
• a scientific committee composed of researchers from INRAE, Solagro, and ITAB.

This project, launched in the second half of 2025, highlights the importance of sustainable production models for the climate, health, and living organisms. Stay tuned for results!

• Farmers' health: the actions of the Solidarité Paysans Limousin association

The choice of production model is essential. But whatever the model, behind every production process there are men and women. For several years now, the plight of farmers has been known and recognized by public authorities and society. The social aspect of production is essential for Ecocert and is enshrined in the principles of organic farming, although it is not reflected in the regulations.

Since 2023, following a vote by its employees, Ecocert has been supporting the Solidarité Paysans Limousin (SPL) association, which helps farmers facing social, economic, and legal difficulties. Michel Fourches, volunteer treasurer, and Nicolas Lhéritier, SPL employee, did us the honor of telling us about their daily lives within the association and sharing best practices with our employees who work directly with producers who are sometimes in need.

📌 3 departments covered (Creuse, Corrèze, and Haute-Vienne)

📌 260 farmers supported in 2024

📌 35 volunteers and 5 employees

• Interacting with producers: a farmers' market at Ecocert

Buying organic or buying local: why choose? We invited our employees and the residents of L'Isle-Jourdain (Gers), where our headquarters are located, to meet local producers in person at the first edition of the “Bio marché” (organic market).

On a beautiful autumn evening, we opened the gates of our La Côme park to welcome 13 local organic producers and 2 local associations and build connections in our community! On the agenda: meetings, discussions, sharing, and fun!

📌 13 local producers & 2 associations

📌 +200 visitors for this first edition

• Cooking around the world: recipes from our subsidiaries

At Ecocert, food is a powerful act, but it is also synonymous with sharing!

It's the perfect opportunity to spend time together, exchange ideas, open up to new cultures, and discover new flavors.

All of our subsidiaries' CSR coordinators shared their favorite recipes with our teams. This gave everyone the chance to enjoy grandma's ratatouille, try a typical regional dish, or learn new cooking techniques.

Some subsidiaries even cooked together and tested their recipes as teams, as in Mexico. Others preferred to organize an internal competition to choose the recipe that best represented their subsidiary (USA, Spain, etc.). Sometimes it was just an opportunity to share a good meal, for example in Belgium or Colombia!

📌 +40 Recipes shared

In summary, this Food Fortnight was rich in discoveries, exchanges, and sharing on the vital subject of food.

• Food Fortnight is part of a broader movement

At Ecocert, we want our employees to be ambassadors for a sustainable world. To this end, we are committed to offering them solutions for sustainable food throughout the year.

At the Group's headquarters, teams can have baskets of organic vegetables delivered regularly from local farms committed to social reintegration.

During annual celebrations, we are committed to sharing traditional dishes but also to thinking outside the box. For the 2024 end-of-year party, more than 80 employees at headquarters were able to take cooking classes and baking workshops and prepare the organic and mostly vegetarian buffet for the evening. A great collective success!