Within the Emmi Group, all employees (including those of third-party companies) should be able to perform their duties without any health risks, accidents or injuries. Health protection includes a good work-life balance and support for mental health.
Relevant risk factors for the physical health of employees include the risk of injury; for example, when operating machinery, exposure to noise or working in different temperature ranges. The work can also lead to psychological stress; for example, due to the human environment, the existing framework conditions or the work to be performed. Absences or workplace restrictions due to accident or illness may impair the functioning of the company and/or result in significant costs. Serious incidents or demonstrable misconduct on the part of the Emmi Group also can entail litigation and risks to reputation. Such incidents not only have an impact on the company but can also have social consequences; for example, by reducing the quality of life of those affected or putting pressure on the healthcare system.
The Emmi Group can improve occupational health and safety and reduce occupational accidents and illnesses through occupational health and safety measures and more environmentally friendly practices such as the reduction of pollutants and waste. It can also have a positive impact on employee satisfaction and motivation and increase productivity.
The safety philosophy of the Emmi Group is designed to ensure all employees return home safely and healthy after work. The overarching objectives are to not record any occupational accidents and to reduce the number of incidents in the long term. To this end, the Emmi Group focusses on prevention, in particular through guidelines and information for conscious and correct behaviour in accordance with the safety slogan “Stay-Think-Act”.
Responsibility for health and safety management lies with the country organisations. Measures and programmes are developed and implemented in the local occupational safety organisations. Occupational health is supervised by the local HR departments and measures are planned and implemented in coordination with the occupational safety organisations.
As part of health and safety management, comprehensive key figures are collected to identify potential for improvement and check the effectiveness of the measures taken. Incidents and near misses are analysed. Based on these findings, the management approach and the measures taken are adjusted as required. Group-wide knowledge transfer is ensured on an ongoing basis via SharePoint and monthly face-to-face and virtual exchange meetings with the safety managers at the sites.
The Emmi Group’s health and safety management is based on laws, ordinances and agreements under private law. The following principles apply to all locations and subsidiaries of the Emmi Group:
When selecting the certification standards for its management systems, the Emmi Group bases its decision on the needs of the market, the added value achieved for the various stakeholders and the resources available. In division Switzerland, the ISO standards will therefore be continued as a best practice in future and will no longer be (re)certified. This also applies to the occupational safety management system (ISO 45001). On an international level, the occupational safety management systems at the sites in Gattico, Lasnigo and Pero (Italy) and Mahdia (Tunisia) will continue to be certified in accordance with ISO 45001.
Employees’ health data is processed in accordance with the applicable country-specific data protection regulations, such as the Swiss Data Protection Act (DPA) or the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This is subject to binding regulations by country in internal data protection declarations.
The Emmi Group evaluates its safety management on a risk basis through internal and external audits and, where necessary, takes measures as part of the continuous improvement process.
Introduction programmes and legally required training courses are carried out with the aim of promoting employee health. For particularly high-risk activities, such as working at heights, specific training and skills are provided annually. Other courses and training sessions focus on company paramedics, first aid, evacuation training, the correct use of climbing aids and conduct in traffic.
As part of the strategic, Group-wide Excellent Leadership initiative, managers of the Emmi Group are trained in health-oriented management and receive further training annually. At the local level, employees and managers are offered various learning modules to strengthen resilience or deal with stress. In addition, parts of the Emmi Group offer regular medical examinations and support for participation in sports activities and targeted measures to optimise ergonomics in the workplace. Communication campaigns and workshops on themes such as “healthy working” and “nutrition, exercise, rest” are also carried out.
As part of the initial supplier evaluation, suppliers are asked whether they maintain an occupational health and safety management system certified in accordance with OHSAS 18001 or ISO 45000. If this is not the case, eight specific questions will be asked. These include determining whether internal and external audits are carried out and whether there are guidelines for identifying security risks and formulated objectives. The aim is to reduce the risk of working conditions that violate occupational health and safety in the supply chain. In addition, suppliers of the Emmi Group are required to sign the Supplier Code of Conduct (see section 3.9 Responsible sourcing).
The Emmi Group uses the total incident frequency rate (TIFR) as its main key figure. To calculate the TIFR, the number of occupational accidents with downtime and without downtime is added to the number of occupational accidents with restricted activity and occupational accidents resulting in fatalities in relation to one million hours worked. The Emmi Group aims to reduce the TIFR to fewer than ten events per million hours worked by 2027.
The operational goals are defined annually for each site based on its local situation (process risks, plant technical safety, safety culture and legal requirements).
The “Use a handrail” campaign was launched in Kirchberg to prevent falls through the consistent use of handrails. The internal BeSafe principles for managers (focus on responsibility, critical questioning of the existing situation and safety communication) were actively introduced to shop floor meetings, which led to a noticeable increase in safety-conscious behaviour. In addition, hazard analyses are systematically carried out for new plants in order to identify and minimise risks at an early stage.
In Dagmersellen, team leaders are responsible for registering new employees for personal protective equipment (PPE). They ensure that hearing protection and safety goggles are individually adapted. This has significantly increased the acceptance and consistent use of PPE.
A safety day was held in Emmen as part of the “2025+” safety campaign to make the topic of safety tangible and personal. Key messages such as “Think safe, work safe, go home safe” and “Say stop” were conveyed through video messages from Group Executive Management and contributions from the division heads. Employees shared their personal reasons for working safely in the form of team collages to foster a culture where “say stop” becomes a matter of course.
In Bischofszell, the distinctive “STOP culture” was further promoted through open communication.
In the logistics department at Emmi Schweiz AG, training involving the first occupational safety coordinators (KOPAS) has begun. They carry out short safety training sessions directly on site, are available as points of contact for safety-related questions and significantly relieve the workload of those responsible for safety (STAO-SIBE) through their preventive approach to work.
Kaiku, Spain, focussed on targeted ergonomic improvements as part of the FeelSafe project in 2025. Several coil handlers were installed in the filling area and a bag lifter was integrated into the fruit preparation area.
At Cypress Grove Chevre, USA, the safety team, together with a specialist in muscle activation, has modernised its daily stretching program, which has been in place for more than ten years. The new warm-up concept is supported by a video shown in the workplace. A security programme has been introduced for external service providers: all service partners watch a training video on the requirements at Cypress Grove, with participation documented and renewed annually. Process reliability has also been improved: following several near-accidents involving corrosive chemicals during the CIP process of pasteurisation, the manual decanting of large quantities has been replaced by a new metering system.
Occupational safety at Quillayes Surlat, Chile, was strengthened in the reporting year through a cultural programme in collaboration with the non-profit organisation Mutual de Seguridad. A three-stage diagnostic process with a survey (33% participation), 19 focus groups and an analysis of existing management systems and prevention instruments identified six fields of action: compliance with regulations, feedback, information and knowledge, joint control, recognition and sanctions. This was followed by leadership initiatives, workshops and awareness campaigns. At the same time, the “Safety is my priority” programme was expanded: with over 1,000 safety contacts, 511 meetings and 415 inspections, prevention has been firmly anchored in day-to-day life, with active participation across all management levels.
Emmi Dessert Italia received ISO 45001 certification for all sites in 2025 with the integration of Lasnigo. SMETA certification has also been obtained. At the same time, the “Safety Management of Change” process was introduced to identify and manage risks associated with new machinery or building expansions at an early stage. In interdisciplinary meetings, potential hazards are analysed as early as the planning phase. Launched in 2024, the “Walk – Observe – Communicate” (WOC) project continued in the reporting year in the form of campaigns, visual communication, new rules and targeted training.
Based on the location-specific risk analysis, Emmi France has implemented targeted measures in the storage areas. Three experienced employees were trained by an external specialist in the safe handling of forklift trucks. They now act as internal reference trainers and can train additional employees and temporary workers as required. To increase emergency preparedness, employees were trained in how to use defibrillators, while two additional devices were placed in strategic locations. In addition, ten employees were trained to become first responders for fire-based emergencies. In the event of an emergency, they oversee evacuation and ensure a safe response.
The Mademoiselle Desserts Group organised practical safety days at the Renaison and Thenon sites. In Renaison, the programme included fire drills, simulations for safety and evacuation practices, an awareness campaign involving go-karts about driving under the influence, and workshops on the prevention of musculoskeletal diseases. In Thenon, training was provided on personal protective equipment (PPE), firefighting, fall prevention and hearing protection.
Emmi Dessert USA introduced a new initiative for the safe use of parking spaces in the reporting year: reverse parking as a standard practice. This measure is based on findings that around 20% of all vehicle accidents occur in parking areas.
In 2025, 100% of employees were covered by an occupational health and safety management system (2024: 100%).
The most common work-related injuries affect the outer extremities, such as fingers, ankles or the head. In 2025, the TIFR was 24.7 (previous year: 21.0) and there were no fatalities (previous year: 0). However, the Emmi Group is still a long way from achieving its target (below ten by 2027).
|
Work-related injuries |
2025 a) 1) |
2024 b) |
2023 b) |
|
All employees |
|
|
|
|
Number of fatalities as a result of work-related injury |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Rate of fatalities as a result of work-related injury |
0.00 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
|
Number of high-consequence work-related injuries (excluding fatalities) |
2 |
35 |
24 |
|
Rate of high-consequence work-related injuries (excluding fatalities) |
0.10 |
1.99 2) |
1.29 2) |
|
Number of recordable work-related injuries |
462 |
388 |
388 |
|
Rate of recordable work-related injuries |
21.96 |
22.09 2) |
20.82 2) |
|
Number of hours worked |
21,031,886 |
17,562,439 |
18,633,436 c) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Work-related ill health |
2025 a) 1) |
2024 b) |
2023 b) |
|
All employees |
|
|
|
|
Number of fatalities as a result of work-related ill health |
0 |
0 |
0 |
a) Excluding Mademoiselle Desserts Group.
b) Excluding Laticínios Porto Alegre Industria e Comercio SA.
c) Excluding Emmi UK Limited.
1) Including apprentices, interns and trainees.
2) Restatement due to adjusted calculation method.
In order to reduce the TIFR, the Emmi Group will continue to focus on specific measures in the areas of training and awareness, risk assessment, ergonomic workplace design, incident analysis and employee involvement, not least with the joint development of a safety culture through safety-oriented behaviour. The exemplary function and support of managers continue to play a key role.