Environmental Criteria

Actions for the climate¹³, with all of the EPIRUS S.A.’s factories certified with the international Environmental Management Standard ISO 14001. We aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit our energy footprint through certification with the international Energy Management Standard ISO 50001, prioritizing investments and initiatives for affordable and clean energy⁷.

We protect life below water¹⁴ by using water resources responsibly and, through modern biological treatment methods, we return clean water⁶ back to the aquifer.

We support, both internationally and nationally, the goal of life on land¹⁵, as well as responsible consumption and production¹², through extensive tree planting around our factory areas, recycling of all recyclable packaging materials, and reducing plastic use in our fast-moving consumer goods packaging.

At the same time, as part of our commitment to recycling and the circular economy, we achieve zero landfill waste from our factories at a rate of 99.3% (zero waste to landfill).

Corporate Governance Criteria

Transparency in the Group’s operations, as well as in its relationships with suppliers, customers, and partners, is explicitly defined through the Policies we have developed, as strong institutions promote justice for all and build effective mechanisms at all levels. We set indicators for combating bribery and corruption, as well as for executive compensation practices, among others. ¹⁶

We are committed to integrating all the above actions into a unified framework. For this reason, both OPTIMA and EPIRUS were certified in 2024 by the leading international sustainability assessment organization for companies, EcoVadis.

Using 21 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) criteria based on international standards, the organization evaluated the Group’s companies’ policies, practices, and performance across four key areas:

• Environment
• Labor practices and human rights
• Ethics
• Sustainable procurement, resulting in the awarding of the Sustainability Badge and the Bronze Sustainability Medal (EcoVadis) respectively.

Social Criteria

We place emphasis on the well-being of our employees by developing our Code of Ethics and ensuring decent work and fair wages ⁸. We are committed through our Policy and have integrated procedures into our daily operations that ensure Health and Safety in the workplace ³, while food safety and the provision of high-quality, tasty, and healthy options for our consumers are a given.

We support lifelong learning through dozens of internal and external seminars that respond to current technological developments and labor market needs, with a focus on the continuous growth of Greek entrepreneurship and our personnel — consistently exceeding annual targets ⁴. We also provide support to milk producers through free training at the Epiros Farm on best practices in housing, nutrition, and milking, helping them improve their techniques and operational processes.

We accelerate gender equality ⁵, by setting indicators for the percentage of female employees, the gender pay gap, and the representation of women in managerial positions. We aim to reduce inequalities ¹⁰, prioritizing the hiring of staff from the local communities surrounding our production units. At the same time, we build long-term cooperative relationships with milk producers and partners, supporting the primary production sector ¹.

We stand by our fellow human beings ², donating our products annually to vulnerable population groups free of charge.

We encourage innovation in our products and promote sustainable industrialization in the regions through investment programs worth tens of millions ⁹. At the same time, we improve the lives of workers in urban centers through remote work programs, aiming for sustainable cities and communities ¹¹.