Team Up for Sustaining Tomorrow: Südzucker and Stock Spirits Group – Looking into the Heart of Sustainable Supply Chains

Every year, the Südzucker Sugar Division, in collaboration with the Agriculture Division and Soil Health Service, host the Sustainable Farming Days in Germany, but also across France, Poland and Belgium. The events offer customers a unique opportunity to learn how our sugar beets are grown, what factors we must consider during cultivation, and the daily challenges our farmers face in the field.

One of our customers, Anna Fidos, Group Sustainability Expert at Stock Spirits Group, kindly agreed to share her perspective. The interview was conducted by Kevin Schopp, Head of B2B Marketing for Südzucker’s Sugar Division.

Südzucker: First of all, we would like to get to know you. Could you tell us your name and your role at your company please?

Anna Fidos: My name is Anna Fidos – I’m Group Sustainability Expert at Stock Spirits Group where I’m responsible for all topics of sustainability procurement. Stock is one of the leading spirits producers in Europe, offering a portfolio of high quality products rooted in local and regional heritage like Stock Prestige, Lubelska or Żołądkowa Gorzka. We’re active in nine countries, with factories in five of them – in Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and France.

Südzucker: How do you see the importance of sustainable farming, or regenerative agriculture for the future for your company?

Anna Fidos: Sustainability is crucial, especially viewed from the perspective of climate change, the food and beverage industry plays a significant role. Let’s take the example of suppliers that are not locally based. Sourcing from distant suppliers results in considerable CO₂ emissions due to long distances. By focusing on local sourcing, we not only strengthen the domestic economy and support our local partners, but we also reduce our carbon footprint.

That’s why, responsible farming & sourcing of raw materials is one of the key pillars of SSG Sustainability Strategy, which we officially adopted in August 2024. For us, this especially means focus on sourcing grains for our distillery in Poland grown by local farmers — grain is one of our most important raw materials for alcohol production.

Südzucker: How do you personally view the importance of sustainable agriculture for the future?

Anna Fidos: Personally, I believe that supporting local farmers is essential. For many of them, especially for the smallest ones sustainability is often a new and unfamiliar concept. That’s why in my role, education plays a key part.

For Stock, adopting sustainable manners is a key value. We want to get to know our suppliers and work together to achieve our common goal of sustainability. Furthermore, as a large company, we conduct ESG (environment, society and corporate governance) activities in accordance with European law (in particular the CSRD directive) and best practices and report on these activities, including sustainability issues in the supply chain. Therefore, we are required to collect data from our business partners regarding their activities in this area and, if necessary, support them in this process. Although our suppliers are not yet required to submit reports, we must prepare them for what lies ahead.

Many of our suppliers are not directly required to report on ESG, but as part of our assessment process, we have to ask each of them to complete a special survey to gain insight into their sustainability efforts and plans. I have experienced, when I send them an ESG questionnaire covering topics like human rights policies or environmental practices, some of them feel overwhelmed at first. They worry that if they don’t meet certain standards, it might jeopardize our partnership. It’s a natural reaction. We’re a large company, and they’re often unsure of what’s expected. That’s why I focus on building trust and helping them understand that this is a journey we’re on together. My goal is to make our suppliers feel supported and open to learning. Especially in agriculture, it’s crucial that local suppliers understand what sustainability really means and how they can contribute.

Anna Fidos
Group Sustainability Expert
Stock Spirits Group

“In Stock we actively look for responsible suppliers who are committed to sustainability issues.
I always recommend companies that demonstrate genuine awareness and action—not just those doing it for PR purposes, but those who are truly committed and want to educate their clients.”

Südzucker: In your opinion, how valuable is an event like Südzucker’s Sustainable Farming Day for you as a customer?

Anna Fidos: I believe events like Südzucker’s Sustainable Farming Day are incredibly valuable. First and foremost, they help educate clients. While we already have some understanding of sustainability from our own industry, there’s still so much to learn—especially across different sectors. Personally, I’m really looking forward to this event because I’ve never visited a sugar beet farm before, and I’m curious to see what it’s all about.

I’m genuinely passionate about sustainability. While the fundamentals—like legislation and challenges—are often similar across industries, the context and implementation can vary greatly. That’s why it’s so important to educate clients: it helps us make more informed decisions. For example, I work in procurement, and my situation is quite unique because I don’t apporach business purely from a commercial perspective. Instead, I look for opportunities to collaborate with suppliers on solutions—whether it’s reducing emissions or conducting human rights due diligence. These kinds of events foster mutual learning. They help us understand each other’s realities and challenges more deeply.

Often, we ask questions like, “Where in your product’s lifecycle can emissions be reduced?” “What are your activities in the area of human rights?” “Do you have a health and safety policy?” —but we don’t always grasp how complex those changes can be. When we have the chance to talk openly and learn more about each other’s industries, it strengthens our partnerships and leads to better collaboration.

Importantly, each of our suppliers is required to familiarise themselves with our Code of Conduct and Ethics for Business Partners, which sets out the values and principles of cooperation in accordance with ESG activities.

In short, I think events like this are essential. It’s easy to judge when you don’t know the full picture—but once you do, your perspective changes. You ask better questions, and you become more aware. That’s why I’m a big fan of initiatives like this.

Südzucker: How do you see Südzucker as a sustainable partner for future collaboration? Would you also be willing to do a project with us to, let’s say, improve sustainability?

Anna Fidos: Yes, I would recommend Südzucker as a sustainable partner. Events like this clearly show that you’re aware of the importance of sustainability and that you’re actively engaging with the topic. For example, I’ve already received responses from you to our ESG questionnaire, and I can see that your risk level is very low—which is a strong point from a business perspective.

In Stock, we actively look for responsible suppliers who are committed to these issues. I always recommend companies that demonstrate genuine awareness and action—not just those doing it for PR purposes, but those who are truly committed and want to educate their clients.

When it comes to smaller suppliers, the situation is a bit different—we want to support them in their sustainability development. But for our key suppliers, like those providing sugar, glass, or cartons, we expect a higher level of maturity. That’s why I highly appreciatie inititiatives like this by the Südzucker Sugar Division. I would definitely support collaborating on a project to improve common knowledge about sustainability. It’s hard work—fundamental work—but it’s essential. It’s like being in school: when we don’t have all the knowledge ourselves, we turn to those who do. And that’s why I think this kind of collaboration is not just a good idea—it’s a perfect one.

Südzucker: Thank you very much! And of course, thank you for your time. We wish you many valuable insights at our Sustainable Farming Days!