Foreword Stefan Duerr EkoNiva News Edition No. 73

The 21st century is changing social attitude to business. A new generation has come into play. They are well‑informed, self‑assertive and they make conscious choices. When choosing an employer, apart from the salary and career prospects, they assess if the mission of the company matches their internal beliefs. When choosing food, apart from the price and quality, they check if the production is sustainable. Additional values such as corporate responsibility matter as much today as product quality. As society is changing its attitude to business, business is also starting to change its attitude to society. Responsible business focused on sustainability, social commitment and care of employees as much as profit is a global trend today.

From day one, EkoNiva has been following its unique business path giving priority to people and improving their lives.

We have always taken corporate social responsibility seriously. This responsibility implies addressing various needs of the local community and making rural life more comfortable and attractive for young people.

In the mid‑90s, we started off with organic production, which at that time was not trendy at all. It did not exactly work out back then; however, now we have resumed the operation of organic farms to produce milk and cheese in addition to crop growing. Back in 2007, we designed our barns to feature outdoor exercise lots enhancing cow comfort and, consequently, making our milk taste better. In 2013, EkoNiva pioneered a farm tour project in Russia for people to see happy cows and calves and share our pride in the milk we make. This year, we have created the sustainable development concept of the company based on sustainable use of natural resources and responsible farming principles as we want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by our activity and protect the environment.

In general, it makes me happy that the ‘produce‑cheap‑sell‑expensive’ approach is fading into the past and more companies today strive for true values like integrity, transparency, sustainability and social responsibility.

Stefan Duerr, EkoNiva Group President