Annual Report (ESEF) • Apr 26, 2024
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Download Source FileMarch 2024
Telšiai
We, AB “Žemaitijos pienas” general director Robertas Pažemeckas and senior accountant Dalia Gecienė, hereby confirm that, in so far as we are aware, the attached 2023 AB „Žemaitijos pienas“ consolidated audit report and company financial statements prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards adopted in the European Union are true and correctly reflect the assets, liabilities, financial status, income or losses, and cash flows of the company and the group of enterprises while the consolidated annual statement provides proper overview of business development and activities and status of the company and the group of enterprises as well as description of the main encountered risks and uncertainties.
General director
Robertas Pažemeckas
Senior accountant
Dalia Gecienė
Consolidated Annual Report, Financial Statements, and Consolidated Financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2023
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
| PAGE |
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| CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S ANNUAL REPORT----------------------------------------- |
| FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS: |
| STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION ------------------------------------------------- |
| STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME------------------------------------------ |
| STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY-------------------------------------------------- |
| STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOW---------------------------------------------------------------- |
| EXPLANATORY NOTES--------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
AB “ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS”
Company code 180240752, Sedos Str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
Reporting period for which the report is developed
Consolidated semi-annual report are prepared and provided for period of 2023, moreover, the report contains the significant events occurred after the end of the reporting period. This document refers to ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB (hereinafter referred to as the Company or Issuer), Šilutės Rambynas, ABF (hereinafter referred to as the Group Company or Associated Company), and in cases when facts on both Companies are described and/or specified, the Companies shall refer to as the Companies of the Group.
Brief history of the Company
The beginning of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB dates back to 1924, when Telšiai dairy plant of high capacity was incorporated. In the end of 1984 Telšiai dairy plant activity moved to new premises and operated until opening and privatization of Telšiai cheese plant which was one of the largest in the Baltic States. ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB was registered in the Register of Legal Entities on 23 June 1993 in Telšiai District Board and on 16 October 1998 it was re-registered in the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania. Upon the decision of the General Meeting of Shareholders of 1 May 2004, it was reorganized by way of division, separating a part of assets, rights and liabilities, and establishing Žemaitijos pieno investicija, AB. Upon the decision of the General Meeting of Shareholders of 18 December 2019, the Company was reorganized by merging the Public Limited Liability Company Baltijos mineralinių vandenų kompanija, which after the merging on 10 January 2020 was deregistered from the Register of Legal Entities.
Company information and contact details
Data on AB “ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS” are collected and stored in the Register of Legal Entities of the State Enterprise Centre of Registers.
GENERAL INFORMATION
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB branches:
| Name of the branch | Information |
|---|---|
| Vilnius Branch | Id. number 123809154, address: Algirdo Str. 40, Vilnius |
| Kaunas Branch | Id. number 134853981, address: Europos Ave. 36, Kaunas |
| Telšiai Branch | Id. number 110893017, address: Sedos str. 35, Telšiai |
| Panevėžys Branch | Id. number 148133399, address: J. Janonio Str. 9, Panevėžys |
Branches of the Company fulfil the functions related to sale of goods (dairy products) within the set territory of the branch and take other actions or fulfil orders of the Company. The Company has no incorporated representative offices.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Vilniaus branch
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Kauno branch
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Telšių branch
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Panevėžio branch
Šilutės Rambynas, ABF
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
Associated company – Šilutės Rambynas, ABF
The basic activity of Šilutės Rambynas, ABF is the production and sale of fermented cheese and cheese products, as well as the production and sale of pasteurized cream, pasteurized whey and concentrated whey (NACE: C 10.5. Manufacture of dairy products; C 10.51. Operation of dairies and cheese making). Furthermore, the company provides transportation and storage Services, Services related to servicing of milk buying-up points and other Services. Šilutės Rambynas, ABF has no incorporated branches and representative offices.
Basic objectives and nature of economic activities
The Companies of the Group pursue economic and commercial activities (production, trade, provision of services, etc.) in order to get benefit for themselves and their shareholders.# ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
The objectives of the activity are the organisation and pursuing of the activities provided for in the Articles of Association to earn income and profit, satisfy the property interests of shareholders and the interests of employees. The main activity of AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS is production of dairy products (fermented cheeses and cheese products, packaged cheeses and cheese products, processed cheeses and cheese products, creams, curd creams, butter milk product spreads, mixed spreads, milk fat, pasteurized cream, buttermilk, whey, dried milk products, fresh milk products (milk, cream, curds, curd products, yoghurts, desserts, cheese curds, glazed cheese curds, fermented milk products) (EVRK, group 10.5 "Manufacture of dairy products", class 10.51 "Operation of dairies and cheese making") and sale of such products in Lithuanian and foreign markets. According to the ICB (Industry Classification Benchmark) widely used global company activity classification standard, ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB refers to the companies - everyday consumer goods - food, beverages and tobacco.
On 16 July 2004 the Company concluded a contract with Šiaulių bankas, AB, under which management of securities accounts of the Company was delegated to Šiaulių bankas, AB competence as of 23 July 2004. The register (accounting) of securities of Šilutės Rambynas is kept by Šiaulių bankas, AB under the contract dated of 16 July 2004.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Only the shares issued by the Company are quoted on the supplementary list of NASDAQ OMX Vilnius (hereinafter referred to as Vilnius Stock Exchange) (Ticker symbol: ZMP1L). Securities of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB were first time listed at Vilnius Stock Exchange on 13 October 1997. ISIN code of the securities: LT0000121865.
Below is the schedule of the Company's securities trading on the public exchange, from which it can be seen that from 2 January 2023 until 29 December 2023 the price of the shares decreased during the year, the change at the end of the reporting period is – EUR 0.11 or - 6.11 %. During reporting period, 234,080 units of shares were transferred in transactions. Capitalization of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB shares on 31 December 2023 was EUR 70.54 million, compared to 2022 the value of the Company's capital decreased by EUR 4,59 million. During the reporting period, the sales volumes of shares and their price dynamics are demonstrated in the diagram (see below). Historical data on shares is presented in the table below (see below):
Securities of the Issuer have not been sold at other stock exchanges and other organized regulated markets.
Šilutės Rambynas, ABF
Securities (shares) of Šilutės Rambynas, ABF Šilutės Rambynas, ABF shares are not traded on the Vilnius Stock Exchange and other organized regulated markets.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB owns 87.82% of Šilutės Rambynas, ABF ordinary registered shares (has both property and non-property rights without any restrictions), Šilutės Rambynas, ABF does not own ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB shares. Both Companies do not hold shares of each other neither based on orders nor on other contractual bases.
The Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB of 21 April 2023 decided to allocate part of the profit to employee bonuses in the amount of EUR 200,000 and did not pay dividends to the shareholders. The shareholders of Šilutės Rambynas, ABF also did not pay dividends.
As of 31 December 2023 the authorised capital of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB consisted of:
All shares of the Company are fully paid up and were not the subject to restrictions on stock reassignment (in so far as the Issuer knows) over the course of the reporting period. The Issuer is unaware of any individual agreements between the shareholders, which may result in restrictions on stock reassignment and (or) voting rights. According to the data available to the Company there are no shareholders who would have special control rights.
As of 31 December 2023, the authorized capital of Šilutės Rambynas, ABF consisted of:
All Šilutės Rambynas, ABF shares are fully paid up and are subject to no restrictions on stock reassignment (in so far as the Issuer knows). The Issuer is also unaware of any individual agreements between the shareholders, which may result in restrictions on stock reassignment and (or) voting rights. According to the Company’s knowledge there are no shareholders who would have special control rights.
On 21 April 2023, the General Meeting of Shareholders decided to allocate a reserve for the purchase of own shares and set the conditions for the buy-back of shares. Purpose of the share acquisition: cancellation of shares in order to increase each investor's ownership interest in the Company's capital. Nevertheless, during the Reporting Period, the Company did not implement this decision by buying its own shares. The Company also did not dispose of any of its own shares or enter into any other transactions during the period under review, e.g. there were no pledges or other encumbrances on, or other restrictions or limitations over, the shares and there are no disputes or claims. At the end of the reporting period, the Company held 222,020 treasury shares acquired in 2022, representing 0.53% of the total number of shares of AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS quoted on the NASDAQ OMX Vilnius Stock Exchange.
ABF Šilutės Rambynas has not bought back its own shares and does not hold its own shares on any other basis. Šilutės Rambynas has no subsidiaries. It does not buy its own shares.
| Type of shares | Number of shares (pcs.) | Nomina value (EUR) | Total nominal value (EUR) | Share of the authorized capital (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary registered shares | 41,737,500 | 0.29 | 12,103,875 | 100 |
| Type of shares | Number of shares (pcs.) | Nominal value (EUR) | Total nominal value (EUR) | Share of the authorized capital (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary registered shares | 859,665 | 2.90 | 2,493,028.50 | 100 |
In 2023, ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB invested in the renewal and modernisation of the equipment of individual production units in order to: optimise production processes, ensure the efficiency of the management of food safety risk factors in the production process. The company was assessed in 2023 against the requirements of international standards for food safety and quality management:
Conclusion of the audits: ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB complies with the requirements of the above international food safety standards, which are recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB keeps pace with global trends in sustainability, environmental protection and circular production:
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
11
Following evaluation and logistical considerations for packaging the product, corrugated cardboard boxes made from 100% recycled cardboard are used, or by replacing part of the corrugated cardboard with recycled cardboard;
The change in corrugated cardboard box designs has facilitated the packaging of the products and eliminated the use of adhesive tape. The changes were made in order to reduce the amount of corrugated cardboard, to facilitate the work of the staff, to optimise the packaging materials available and to meet the requirements of the shelves of the supermarkets. Change in the design of the two boxes from mid-2023.
The company continues to focus on meeting consumer expectations by developing products with a focus on functionality. According to research, lactose intolerance is present in 32% of the Lithuanian population. Some consumers are also allergic to casein, a milk protein. With this in mind, we were the first in Lithuania to bring to market a unique product: A2 MILK WITHOUT LACTOSE, which is suitable for consumers who previously wanted to consume it but could not. We carried out genetic studies, selected herds of cows with only a special combination of a2a2 milk protein genes, consulted nutritionists, EU and LT scientists. Furthermore, in an additional manufacturing process, we have broken down lactose, resulting in a product suitable for lactose intolerant and casein allergic consumers.
A wide range of protein-enriched products are becoming part of the food range. According to nutrition experts, the popularity of protein products is due to people’s more responsible approach to nutrition and healthy lifestyle. In response, the Company has launched a new product on the market: three flavours of collagen-coated cottage cheese.
The company’s technologists regularly undertake internships in foreign countries, participate in trade fairs, consult EU consultants on various technological and technical issues, and receive training and seminars. They are constantly looking for sustainable technologies and innovative production methods.
Helped save 33,814 kg of corrugated cardboard;
During 2023, corrugated cardboard containers were phased out for internal production needs (transport between production units) and replaced by recyclable containers. The amount of corrugated cardboard saved was 10,884 kg;
Tests are being carried out with attached caps: At the end of 2023, ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB was the first dairy producer in Lithuania to introduce pure pack fresh dairy products to the market with an attached cap;
Tests are underway with recycled PET packaging (PET bottles and shrink films).
In order to meet the requirements of export markets and their trading networks, the following is foreseen for 2024:
1. Continue certification to the current BRC and IFS food safety standards.
2. Meet the food safety and product quality requirements of individual EU and other export markets (by hiring in-house assessors/auditors).
3. Comply with packaging and product requirements of individual EU networks.
4. Optimise in-house processes. Aim to reduce manual labour, save energy resources and increase productivity.
Strong focus on the Company’s employees, by improving the qualifications of the Company’s employees, by participating in international exhibitions and conferences presenting equipment innovations and innovative technologies related to environmental protection and sustainability (recycling of waste and circular production trends). Cooperation with academic institutions and research to find added values for products.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
12
During 2023, the Company’s main investment objective, as in previous years, was to increase the Company’s competitiveness and to seek and develop measures to address and improve product quality and the working conditions and safety of employees. A large number of minor operational, repair and programming works were carried out to improve safety, the technical level of the equipment, reduce pollution and energy costs. The main investments were:
1. Replacement of worn-out equipment in the cheese department, for technical condition and quality assurance.
2. Phase I of the wind farms (construction of access roads, sites and foundations).
3. Upgrading of the yoghurt packing line.
4. Acquisition of equipment for the preparation and packaging of grated and dried cheese.
Šilutės Rambynas also pays great attention to the quality and safety of its products, and in 2023 operated under the following integrated food safety and quality management systems:
BRC Global Standard for Food Safety (BRC: British Retail Consortium), since 2010;
Certified to the HALAL standard since 2015;
EkoAgros—for organic products—since 2007;
IFS Food (International Food Standard) since 2018;
FSSC 22000 food safety management system since 2018.
“Šilutės Rambynas” also pays great attention to ensuring the quality and safety of production, so in 2022 it worked according to the following integrated food safety and quality management systems:
BRC Global Standard for Food Safety (BRC – British Retail Consortium), since 2010;
Certified according to the requirements of the HALAL standard since 2015;
EkoAgros – for the production of organic products – since 2007;
IFS Food (International Food Standard) – since 2018;
FSSC 22000 food safety management system – since 2018.
The subsidiary Šilutės Rambynas ABF will acquire and put into operation fixed assets for 108,000 EUR in 2023, with assets of EUR 1,231,000 bought in 2022. The largest purchases were EUR 66 thousand for a cheese slicer, EUR 19 thousand for a second-hand tractor, while the remainder was for the purchase of machinery and equipment used in cheese production, IT equipment and other equipment.
In response to the needs and expectations expressed by consumers, 27 new products were developed in 2023, which have been accepted by consumers and have been successfully “established” on the market:
Q1:
1. Actifeel fibre yoghurt with avocado and apple 3% fat, 300 g.
2. Actifeel fibre yoghurt with carrots and oranges 2.6 % fat, 300 g.
3. Actifeel fibre yoghurt with figs and millet 2.6% fat, 300 g.
4. Magija cottage cheese bar with raisins and apples 7.2 % fat, 100 g.
5. Magija cottage cheese bar with strawberries 7.2 % fat, 100 g.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
13
Q2:
1. Magija glazed cottage cheese bar with salted caramel, coated with milk chocolate 24.3% fat. 40 g.
2. Magija cottage cheese cream-apple cake 8.4% fat. 180 g.
3. Magija cottage cheese cream with pears and salted caramel 8.4% fat, 180 g.
4. Magija cottage cheese cream with strawberries 8.4 % fat, 180 g.
5. Žemaitijos milk A2 lactose-free of at least 3.5% fat. 0.9 l, the first and only milk of this type in the Baltic States, which is suitable for everyone, even those who are allergic to milk protein and/or lactose intolerant.
6. Džiugas hard cheese Delicious 100 g.
7. Jums lactose-free yoghurt 2.9% fat. 125 g.
8. Jums yoghurt with carrots and oranges 2.5% fat 125 g.
9. Jums yoghurt with figs and millet groats 2.5% fat 125 g.
10. Tichė sparkling strawberry flavoured table water 1.5 l.
11. Tichė sparkling raspberry flavoured table water 1.5 l.
Q3:
1. Rambyno smoked processed cheese snack, BBQ flavour with chilli peppers Chipotle 45% fat 75 g.
2. Carbonated table water MONA 1.5 g.
Q4:
1. Magija glazed cottage cheese bar with rum and chocolate coating 19.6% fat. 40 g.
2. Magija glazed cottage cheese bar with creamy liqueur, covered with milk chocolate 20.3% fat. 40 g.
3. Magija glazed cottage cheese bar with balsamic and chocolate coating 19% fat. 40 g.
4. Protein M collagen-coated cottage cheese bar with vanilla flavour 14.2% fat. 40 g.
5. Protein M collagen-coated cottage cheese bar with strawberry flavour 14.2% fat. 40 g.
6. Protein M collagen-coated cottage cheese bar with chocolate flavour 14.4% fat. 40 g.
Every year brings new experiences and challenges for the Company, which encourage us to move forward and spread the message of the unique products of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB to the world. The year 2023 was a year of astonishing results that build consumer confidence in the Company’s products. The products of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB are appreciated and noticed not only in the Lithuanian market, but also worldwide. The pride of 2023—cheese Džiugas—has won 4 international awards, highlighting the
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
14
taste and quality of this cheese. It is gratifying that the number of achievements of Džiugas is fully approaching the 100th number, which is of great value and importance to the Company. In 2023, Džiugas won three awards in the United Kingdom. The Great Taste 2023 award recognises two maturities of Džiugas cheese: 12 months and 36 months in 180 grams.It also won a gold medal at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards 2023 with a 36-month matured Džiugas cheese in a 180 grams pack. Džiugas produced by ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB has also been recognised and appreciated in Poland at the Good Cheese Awards. Džiugas 12-month aged, packaged in cheese cubes, was awarded a silver medal for its genuine taste and quality. The Pik-Nik brand has also been added to the awards shelf this year. The brand was awarded two prize positions in the United Kingdom. Winning silver and bronze medals at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards 2023, specifically for Pik-Nik Original 80 grams cheese sticks. International recognition was also given to the Magija milk chocolate line’s cottage cheese, which was recognised for its quality in Poland. The biscuit-flavoured cottage cheese was awarded a gold medal at the Good Cheese Awards, while the caramel and peanut cottage cheese won two awards. A gold medal was awarded for winning the children’s treat position and securing a win at the Innovative Product 2023 Awards. The importance of cheese and the traditions it creates is also inseparable from the Company’s activities: in 2023, the 21st Džiugiadienis was held in Telšiai, which virtually united Džiugas cheese lovers from Lithuania, Germany, Hungary, the United Kingdom, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Spain and France. The event included judging and tasting of 12-month, 18-month, 24-month and 36-month Džiugas cheeses. One of the traditions favoured by the Pik-Nik brand is the championship of cheese sausage ripping, which has been held in the Baltic States and Spain. This event brought people together and, in the form of a game, made it possible to like and get to know cheese sticks. It is also important to mention the exceptional national campaign for Pik-Nik tattoos, which was organised in the Baltic States, Hungary, Spain and Croatia. The interest in the campaign was very successful. The children’s audience was fully engaged in the game of colourful tattoos, while Pik-Nik attracted new consumers and broadened brand awareness. The Magija brand organised a national campaign in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in 2023. The purchase of 3 Magija cheesecakes was entered into a game where the main prize was a trip to Disneyland. We can be pleased with the excellent results and the high level of consumer engagement.
The Company has selected the key standard financial indicators for its analysis, which many companies use in their practice to analyse their financial data. The main financial performance indicators reflecting the activities of the Group and the Company for the years 2023 and 2022 are as follows:
| The Group | The Company | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | Change, % | 2023 | 2022 | Change, % | |
| Turnover, thousand euros | 278,004 | 263,394 | 5.55 | 277,305 | 262,671 | 5.57 |
| Gross profitability, % | 21.93 | 17.38 | 26.2 | 20.67 | 17.41 | 18.7 |
| Net profitability, % | 7.72 | 1.50 | 414.6 | 7.09 | 2.08 | 241.2 |
| EBITDA, thousand euros | 32,251 | 11,241 | 186.9 | 29,748 | 12,223 | 143.4 |
| EBITDA profitability, % | 11.60 | 4.27 | 171.8 | 10.73 | 4.65 | 130.5 |
| ROE profitability, % | 17.33 | 3.87 | 348.1 | 17.05 | 5.72 | 198.2 |
| ROA profitability, % | 12.88 | 2.40 | 437.9 | 12.51 | 3.48 | 259.3 |
| Current ratio | 3.33 | 2.01 | 65.4 | 3.21 | 1.98 | 62.3 |
| Quick ratio | 1.54 | 0.60 | 157.5 | 1.48 | 0.59 | 150.8 |
| Debt-to-Equity ratio | 0.35 | 0.61 | -42.6 | 0.36 | 0.64 | -43.8 |
| Debt ratio | 0.26 | 0.38 | -31.6 | 0.27 | 0.39 | -30.8 |
| Amount of investments in fixed assets, thousand euros | 13,482 | 6,821 | -97.7 | 12,215 | 5,356 | 128.1 |
The indicators presented above are calculated using the following formula:
Gross profitability = gross profit / sales revenue. Gross profitability (or gross margin) is the ability of a company to earn a profit from its main business, to control the level of sales revenue and cost of sales. The higher the gross margin earned for each euro of sales revenue, the more efficient a company is.
Net profitability = net profit / sales revenue. Net profitability ratio is the financial result of a business, one of the most important (if not the most important one) ratios for a business owner. Net profitability, as a ratio of sales revenue and net profit, properly describes ultimate profitability of a company. The monetary value demonstrates the net profit for one euro of sales. A higher value indicates higher profitability of a company.
EBITDA = Net profit + income tax + interest expense + depreciation and amortization expenses. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) are easily calculated by adding income tax and interest expense to net profit, and the amount of depreciation and amortization. This amount is important to separate the cost of financing an entity’s operations and the impact of amortization and depreciation. EBITDA profit is often used together or even in place of the value of cash flows.
EBITDA profitability = EBITDA / sales revenue
ROE profitability = net profit / equity. The Return on Equity (ROE), also known as Return on Net Worth, is a measure of the efficiency of use of the funds invested by owners. It helps to see how effective is the use of owners’ funds. It mainly depends on a company’s capital structure. ROE shows how much the management of a company has earned through the use of the company’s capital owned by the shareholders.
ROA profitability = net profit / assets. Return on Assets (ROA) is a measure of how well the assets are used. Return on assets describes the ability to use all assets in a more profitable manner. It shows the share of total assets recovered in the form of profit. ROA shows how much the management of a company has been able to earn from the total assets used.
Current ratio = current assets / short-term liabilities. Current ratio, also known as Current Liquidity ratio, shows the ability of a company to meet short-term liabilities with its current assets. It determines how much current assets exceed short-term liabilities. It defines the ability of a company to cover its short-term liabilities with its current assets. The value shows how much current assets cover a single euro of short-term liabilities.
Quick ratio = (current assets - inventories) / short-term liabilities. Critical Liquidity ratio, also known as Quick ratio, shows the ability of company to use promptly (quickly) sold current assets to meet short-term liabilities, which is why the inventories are subtracted from the current assets as low-liquidity assets. It determines how much the most liquid assets exceed short-term liabilities. Critical liquidity determines the ability of a company to meet short-term liabilities using its most mobile (quickly monetizable) assets.
Debt-to-Equity ratio = amounts payable and liabilities / equity. Debt-to-Equity ratio, also known as Leverage ratio, shows how much debt there is for each euro of equity. This indicator is also used as an indicator of the capital structure and financial leverage group. In this case, in contrast to the gross solvency ratio, the higher the value of the ratio, the worse a company`s solvency position.
Debt (Indebtedness) ratio = amounts payable and liabilities / assets. Indebtedness ratio, also known as Debt ratio, shows how much debt there is for each euro of assets. The lower the value of this indicator, the more the assets cover the debts, which is why banks and other creditors value low debt ratio. This indicator is also used as an indicator of the capital structure and financial leverage group.
When calculating the financial indicators for the years 2023 and 2022, all changes in the statement of financial position were assessed in accordance with the requirements of IFRS 16. What is more, the amortization of the received support and the depreciation of the assets owned by the right of use were also assessed.
Although sales under customer contracts in 2023 compared to 2022 grew at a moderate pace, the Company's gross margin in 2023 compared to 2022 increased from 17.41% to 20.67%. The Group's gross profitability in 2023 increased by 26.2%. The increase in gross profit for both the Company and the Group in 2023 is due to the decrease in raw material purchase prices. The war between Russia and Ukraine, which broke out on 24 February 2022, led to faster-than-ever increases in the prices of electricity and other energy sources, gas, fuel, packaging and nutrients, as well as in the price of raw milk in 2022, with the price of raw milk in 2023 recovering to the level it was at in 2021; electricity and other prices have also fallen, with a significant impact on gross margins. The shortage of skilled labour and the demand for higher wages by existing workers has not diminished in 2023.
The calculation of net profit includes all expenses of the Company and the Group, even those that may not be related to direct activities or may be one-off, as well as estimated expenses such as accruals, depreciation, etc. The net profitability of the Company and the Group in 2023 compared to 2022 has significantly increased due to successful / profitable sales in export markets. The net sales profitability indicator reflects the actual profitability of the sales, taking into account all revenue and expenses.
In 2023, the Company’s EBITDA increased by 143.4 %, if compared to the year 2022, and this was the effect of an increase of net profit. ABF "Šilutės Rambynas" ended 2023 with a profit, resulting the Group's 2023 Compared to 2022, EBITDA increased by 186.9%.
In 2023, the current ratio of the Company was 3.21, compared to 1.98 in 2022. In 2023, the current ratio of the Group was 3.33, compared to 2.01 in 2022.The current ratio shows how many times current assets of a company exceed its short-term liabilities, i. e. the value of the indicator shows how much one euro of short- term liabilities is covered by short-term assets. The most acceptable variation of the indicator is in the range of 1.2-2.0. The range limits vary in different industry sectors. The quick (solvency) ratio of the Company in 2023 was 1.48, compared to 0.59 in 2022. The quick (solvency) ratio of the Group in 2023 was 1.54, compared to 0.60 in 2022. The quick (solvency) ratio of the Company and the Group in 2023 compared to 2022 increased more than twice. The increase was caused by the repayment of a working capital loan to SEB Bank. The quick (solvency) ratio shows whether a company could quickly pay off its short-term liabilities from its most mobile (potentially quick to cash) assets. A normal value reads from 0.5 to 1.5, a value lower than 0.5 is considered unsatisfactory. The debt-to-equity ratio (indicator) of the Company and Group increased in 2023, if compared to 2022, decreased by more than 1.5 times. The debt-to-equity ratio, which can be referred to elsewhere as the financial dependency ratio, reveals the capital structure of a company. This is done by comparing the debts of a company with the equity of a company. This solvency ratio is close to the equity-to-debt ratio (constant solvency ratio), the only difference being that it is the opposite, i.e., the numerator and denominator change their places with each other. As a rule, if the value of the indicator does not differ much from the number 1, then a company’s condition in terms of solvency is considered normal, the value close to 0.5 is considered as good. It should be noted that the interpretation of the meaning of this indicator is highly dependent on the industry in which the company operates. Let’s say that in industries that require large capital investments, even a value of 2 can be considered as good. In 2023, the debt ratio / coefficient of the Company was 0.27, compared to 0.39 in 2022. The debt ratio / coefficient of the Group was 0.26 in 2023, compared to 0.38 in 2022. This indicator shows what proportion of borrowed funds is used to form the assets of a company. A lower value of this indicator is considered to be better because then a company is considered to be less risky. As the Company had financial liabilities in 2023, the Company calculated the interest coverage ratio. Interest service ratio is a financial indicator that compares a company’s EBIT profit with its interest expenses. This coefficient indicates the ability of a company to redeem its debts. The lower this indicator is, the worse is the situation of a company. The higher this ratio is, the easier it is for a company to cope with its financial leverage. If the interest coverage ratio was close to or below 1, it would signal a critical situation for a company. The interest ratio is calculated as follows: Interest ratio = EBIT / Interest expense. The interest (coverage) ratios of the Company and the Group for the year 2023 are higher than 30. The Company’s operating expenses in 2023 accounted for (EUR 34.120 million) 12.23% from its turnover, whereas in 2022 it accounted for (EUR 39.895 million) 15.2 % from its turnover. In 2023, the turnover of the Company increased by 5.57 % and operating expenses grew by 14.5 %. Operating expenses mainly consisted of remuneration expenses and marketing expenses. The Group’s operating expenses in 2023 (EUR 35.757 million) accounted for 12.86 % from its turnover, whereas in 2022 (EUR 41.422 million) it accounted for 15.73 % from its turnover. In 2023, the sales of the Group increased by 5.55 %, whereas operating expenses decreased by 13.68 % due to not fully used marketing tools.
| Purchase of raw milk (converted to basic content*) | 2023 | 2022 | Change when comparing 2023 to 2022, % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amount of purchased milk, thousand tons | 426 | 437 | -2.52 % |
| Milk purchase price, EUR/t | 310.6 | 416 | -25.34 % |
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
18
Dairy farming in Lithuania is one of the most important and priority branches of the country's agriculture, which has not only economic, but also social significance, because the money received for milk constitutes a significant part of the income received in agriculture, therefore ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB has been paying a competitive price to milk producers for the production of higher quality milk than that determined by the EU standard for many years. The average amount of purchased raw milk converted to basic indicators in 2023 amounted to 426 thousand tons, which is -2.5% less than in 2022 (437 thousand tons in 2022). The year 2023 in the Lithuanian raw milk market was complicated and full of challenges: increased prices of fertilizers and diesel fuel, reduced harvest and more expensive fodder due to drought and prolonged winter, lack of fodder, increasing environmental protection requirements for dairy farms, increased cost of milk and other factors reduced the number of dairy farms and the number of cows kept in them. Also, the decrease in the purchase of raw milk was promoted by the liquidation of dairy farms. The largest decrease in sales came from farms keeping 1-5 cows and farms keeping 6-14 cows. Although the level of farm entrepreneurship remains low, the number of dairy farms that sell milk is decreasing, but dairy farms are gradually getting larger, the amount of milk produced from a cow is increasing, as well as the number of large dairy farms and the share of milk sold by them is also increasing. The average price of recalculated milk purchased in 2023 is 310.5 EUR/t, which is -25.34% lower than in 2022 (in 2022, the average price of recalculated milk purchased is 415.9 EUR/t). The market for dairy products is characterized by large price fluctuations. Such large changes in the prices of dairy products were caused by fluctuations in the demand and supply of dairy products. ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB operates on the open market. Since it is export-oriented (more than half of all processed milk in the form of products is exported), all market changes also affect the selling prices of Lithuanian dairy products, as well as the level of milk purchase prices in Lithuania. Due to seasonality, in the fourth quarter of 2023, the average price of raw natural milk (424.0 EUR/t) was 3.89% higher compared to the first quarter of 2023 (408.1 EUR/t), this was influenced by the increase in protein and fat content indicators, the export markets also sent signs of recovery. For many years, ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB has based its activities with milk producers on honest and fair partnership and promoted dairy farm owners who achieve the best milk quality indicators. In order to promote the production of milk of the highest possible quality, in December of 2023, ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB paid farmers an annual partnership bonus in the amount of EUR 879,382.42 for the natural milk sold in 2023. The subsidiary company Šilutės Rambynas, ABF does not buy raw milk directly from dairy farms as it buys raw milk for the production of its products from ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB.
In 2023, the sales of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Group amounted to EUR 279 million (EUR 278,004 thousand). This is an increase of 5,55% compared to the year 2022 (in 2022, the sales amounted to EUR 263,394 thousand). In 2023, the sales of the Company amounted to EUR 277 million (EUR 277,305 thousand), which is an increase of 5.57 % compared to the year 2022 (in 2022, the sales amounted to EUR 262,671 thousand). ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB receives the largest share of income from Lithuania, which amounts to more than half of all income (50.5% in 2023). The export countries with the highest turnover in 2023 included Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Germany, Holland, Italy, Kazakhstan, USA.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
19
| Row No. | Geographic breakdown of sales, thousand euros | 2023 | Per cent from total revenue in 2023 | 2022 | Per cent from total revenue in 2022 | Change when comparing 2023 to 2022, per cent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lithuania | 140,049 | 50.50% | 139,953 | 53.28% | 0.07% |
| 2 | EU countries | 97,068 | 35.00% | 87,165 | 33.18% | 11.36% |
| 3 | Other countries | 40,188 | 14.49% | 35,553 | 13.54% | 13.03% |
| 4 | Total: | 277,305 | 100% | 262,671 | 100% | 5.57% |
| Row No. | Geographic breakdown of sales, thousand euros | 2023 | Per cent from total revenue in 2023 | 2022 | Per cent from total revenue in 2022 | Change when comparing 2023 to 2022, per cent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lithuania | 139,220 | 50.08% | 139,058 | 52.79% | 0.12% |
| 2 | EU countries | 97,931 | 35.23% | 88,076 | 33.44% | 11.19% |
| 3 | Other countries | 40,853 | 14.69% | 36,260 | 13.77% | 12.67% |
| 4 | Total: | 278,004 | 100% | 263,394 | 100% | 5.55% |
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS exported its products to 47 countries in 2023. In the competitive struggle, we successfully carried out development in the Polish market, introduced new protein curd snacks Mprotein, which successfully conquered the hearts of residents of Poland. We are increasing sales and brand development in Croatia. We have introduced PIK NIK cheese strings in Hungary, which are confidently making their way in the snack category in the country.Buyers from the Baltic countries have met and already appreciated the unique A2 milk. In order to gain a stronger foothold in the export markets, like every year we have signed direct contracts with large retail chains, thus trying to ensure the highest level of satisfaction of the end user needs, the adaptation of the product in the market, the possibility of direct cooperation with the owners of the shelves. We are getting closer to the user, our buyer and the sales channels. As the awareness of our brands and the number of sales channels and countries keep growing, we consistently and constantly face the need to improve the processes of service provision, implement individual country requirements for the product and its storage, initiate and implement advertising projects, i. e. we must ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023 20 constantly strengthen our management, marketing, technological, personnel management, financial law, and other competencies. The Company's goal is to develop its universal brands with minimal adaptation to export markets. With such goals we constantly analyze markets and available resources in a global context. Thus, we are faced with considerable challenges: to stand out in the context of competitors, to create exceptional prices for market users, to increase the frequency of shopping in each country individually, taking into account the maturity of the market, traditions, and the level of competition.
The distribution of products sold by ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB in 2023-2022 by groups of products was as follows:
| Row No. | Sales by groups of products, thousand euros | 2023 | Per cent from total revenue in 2023 | 2022 | Per cent from total revenue in 2022 | Change when comparing 2023 to 2022, per cent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fermented and processed cheeses | 117,207 | 42.27% | 103,613 | 39.45% | 13.12% |
| 2 | Fresh dairy products | 95,098 | 34.29% | 88,320 | 33.62% | 7.67% |
| 3 | Butter and spreads | 27,783 | 10.02% | 25,742 | 9.80% | 7.93% |
| 4 | Dry dairy products | 24,849 | 8.96% | 25,419 | 9.68% | -2.24% |
| 5 | Other | 12,368 | 4.46% | 19,577 | 7.45% | -36.82% |
| 6 | Total: | 277,305 | 100% | 262,671 | 100% | 5.57% |
The distribution of products sold by ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Group in 2022 and 2023 by groups of products was as follows:
| Row No. | Sales by groups of products, thousand euros | 2023 | Per cent from total revenue in 2023 | 2022 | Per cent from total revenue in 2022 | Change when comparing 2023 to 2022, per cent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fermented and processed cheeses | 118,465 | 42.61% | 105,934 | 40.22% | 11.83% |
| 2 | Fresh dairy products | 95,584 | 34.38% | 88,851 | 33.74% | 7.58% |
| 3 | Butter and spreads | 27,783 | 10.00% | 25,742 | 9.77% | 7.93% |
| 4 | Dry dairy products | 24,849 | 8.94% | 25,419 | 9.65% | -2.24% |
| 5 | Other | 11,323 | 4.07% | 17,448 | 6.62% | -35.10% |
| 6 | Total: | 278,004 | 100% | 263,394 | 100% | 5.55% |
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023 21
Other products include sales of raw milk, raw cream, curds, water products and ice cream. Comparing 2023 with 2022, the sales of other products decreased by 36.82%. This was due to the dencrease in the price of raw cream. Compared to 2023 with 2022 the turnover of sales of fresh dairy products increased by 7.67%, which was influenced by the increase in the average selling price of cottage cheese and glazed cheese (in 2023, compared to 2022, the average selling price increased by 9.76%). Comparing 2023 with 2022, the sales turnover of butter and spreads increased by 7.93%. This was a result of the increase in the demand of butter (compared to 2023, in 2022 the demand for butter and grease spreads increased by 27.17%). The sales turnover of dry dairy products decreased by 2.24%, this was as a result of the decrease in the average sales price (compared to 2023, in 2022 the average sales price decreased by 21.12%).
The main activity of the company is production of dairy products. Moreover, the company provides rental, transportation, storage, maintenance of milk purchasing points and other services. The company does not buy raw materials directly from producers - the milk required for production is purchased from ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB. The purchase price of the raw material is determined according to the formula: milk price plus collection costs of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB without transportation costs. In 2023 5,042 tons of natural milk were purchased, while in 2022 – 5,704 tonnes. The decrease is 662 tonnes or 11.6 %. The average price of purchased milk recalculated according to the basic parameters was 319.3 EUR/t, while in 2022 – 427.7 EUR/t, so the price of raw milk increased by 108.4 EUR/t or 25.3 % during the Period. The amount of raw material purchased is still significantly lower than the pre-pandemic level. This is influenced by the reduced demand for the company's products. Šilutės Rambynas specializes in the production of cheese. Production volumes in 2022 and 2023 are shown in the diagram below:
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023 22
During 2023, 4,543 tons of cheese were produced, or 582 tons (11.4%) more compared to 2022 period. The decrease in production volumes was caused by the suspension of the production of fermented cheeses and cheese products for a period of four months due to reconstruction. Also the big impact was caused in 2020 when a new half-hard fermented cheese production line was put into operation at AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS factory. For this reason, the production of fermented cheeses (Gouda and Tilsit) continued to decrease in 2023 - by 50%, from 558 to 279 tons. Fermented cheese production decreased by 415 tons or 34.4% in 2023. The production of cheese strings increased by 3.6 percent in the comparative period. from 2,924 t in 2022 to 3,027 tons in 2023. Production of other cheeses creased by 1.4% or 6 tons. In both 2022 and 2023 all the raw material was processed into cheeses. Most of the products produced in Šilutės Rambynas are sold through the parent company - ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB. During 2023, production was sold for EUR 33,338 thousand or 14.3 % less than during the 2022, when sales amounted to EUR 38,896 thousand. The decline in sales was determined by the significant decrease in the prices and the production (due to the 2023 performed reconstruction) of fermented cheese and cheese products. Also the decline in sales was determined by the decrease of raw cream prices. In the comparable period, the average price of raw cream with 40 % fat content decreased from 3,061 Eur / ton to 2,204 Eur / ton. The structure of sales by markets is graphically represented:
Whereas the main sales are carried out through ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB, the company does not invest separately in marketing. In 2023 insignificant amounts were allocated to the development of sales in the markets of the Middle East. For the same reason that large sales are carried out through the parent company, the company is not directly exposed to significant risks due to market uncertainty and customer reliability. In order to manage the risk of direct sales, customers are subject to a prepayment system for production or a deferral of payments, but transactions are prohibited within the insurance limit set by the trade credit insurance company.
Information on the extent of risk and risk management, current and potential types of risks, uncertainties, risk mitigation measures and the internal control system implemented in the company is provided in the Company’s Governance Report.
AB "ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS" 88% Lithuania kt. 3% Latvia 6% other ES countries 1% other countries 2% 2021 m.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023 23
Financial and other risks and their management have also been disclosed in Chapter 29 “Financial Risk Management” of the Explanatory Notes to the Annual Audited Financial Statements for the year 2023. Also should be mentioned, that the Company and the Group companies have Activity and Product and Management Liability Insurance. All assets of the Company and Group companies, including stocks, are insured against all risks, including damage caused by overvoltage fluctuations.
In 2022 February 24 the war between Russia and Ukraine disrupted plans to increase sales to Ukraine and Belarus. AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS' sales to these countries before the start of the war amounted to about 2.5% of all sales. The Company and the Group conducted sales to these countries safely, i.e. unloaded products only in case of advance payment or having Credit insurance limits. As of 12/31/2023, the Company and the Group have no receivables from buyers located in those countries, so there is no impairment of receivables. The period of 2023 was very dynamic due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the start of the war in Israel, in any case, the Company managed not to lose its position and brand awareness in the markets where the Company was active before the war, not only that, in Ukraine the Company managed to conclude contracts with new retail chains and even increase sales to this country. After the start of the war in Israel, sales temporarily decreased due to security restrictions imposed in the country, but at the end of the year the situation began to stabilize and return to the former pre-war situation. Sales to Ukraine in 2022 accounted for 1.2% of all sales. Sales are made with an INVEGA export credit guarantee for each buyer or prepayment.At the end of the year, the Company and the Group did not have any balances of production exclusively intended for the above-mentioned countries. AB "ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS" did not have any real estate in these countries, therefore it does not assess any decrease in the value of long-term assets. The management of the Company and the Group closely monitors the situation in Ukraine and imposed sanctions in order to comply with them. The current political situation does not affect the ability of the Company and the Group to continue its activities.
The upcoming year is very important and symbolic for the Company, as it will mark the anniversary of one hundred years of experience in the production of dairy products (hereinafter referred to as the Centenary). So already in 2023, the Centenary communication was started - the promotion of the TOP 5 brands of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS in Lithuania ‘Top products to your home all year long’ was carried out, in which such brands as Džiugas, Magija, Pik-Nik, Rambynas, and Tichė were involved. This promotion increased the awareness of the said brands and carried the message of the important anniversary. The past years have been full of many awards, projects, and events, thus the Company is entering the year 2024 with great impatience, new ideas, and goals, which are special and symbolic as the Centenary of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB approaches. The managers of the Company, while considering the operational plans and strategy, proved that the Centenary teaches: courage, truth, and mutual respect are ageless. The goal of the Company and companies of the Group is to develop their universal brands with minimal adaptation to export markets. With such goals in mind, we constantly analyse markets and available resources in a global context. Thus, we are faced with significant challenges, i.e. stand out in the context of competitors, create exceptional prices for market consumers, increase the frequency of shopping in each country individually, while taking into account the maturity of the market, traditions, and the level of competition. Nevertheless, we believe in what we do. We are growing sustainably, together with Partners, markets, Consumers, and employees of our Company, who ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023 24 create and change our everyday life. The Company sought and will seek to optimally use the opportunities for rapid expansion in a competitive environment. The main goal was and is - the direct sale of the products produced by the Company and the Group to the shelves of strategic foreign countries with their own trademarks and brands, and that the products of the Company and the Group are of the highest quality in their segment and best meet the customer's expectations, so that the customer has the opportunity to choose health-friendly and organic food. The products produced and sold by the company make Lithuania and the Samogitian region famous in various countries of the world. The purpose of the company is to protect and preserve what has been created, to look for ways, to do something different that has not been tried yet.
The long-term goals of AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS group companies are:
* to become and stay strong, competitive, technically modern, reliable, attractive companies for investors, so that the Company's return to shareholders would be one of the highest among equal companies.
* To find and maintain the most profitable markets for our products in the European Union, the Baltic states and other countries of the world by giving priority to the closest markets, as well as the markets of Germany, France, England, and Hungary.
* To make maximum possible use of existing production capacities.
* By continually carrying studies of the consumer market, consumer needs for new products, tastings, with the help of scientists and new scientific methods, the aim is to improve and create new dairy products.
* In addition, the Company's goal is to get as close as possible to consumers by directly supplying and selling goods to consumers.
The essential current objectives and plans of the Company are as follows:
* to purchase milk in accordance with market conditions but not at a higher price than that paid for raw milk by other market participants in Lithuania and purchase high-quality milk only;
* encourage and assist farmers in improving milk quality;
* to increase sales at the prices favourable to the Company;
* to focus on the sales of higher value-added products on export markets;
* whatever we do, always remain a reliable, socially oriented and responsible company.
The lack of skilled labour forces the Company to focus on human resources, so special attention is paid to team building, development of competence and qualification, formation of special skills, revision, and improvement of motivation systems.
Regularly changing and dynamic market of the sale of products and the purchase of raw milk, as well as other factors, force the Group to refrain from publishing the turnover and profit forecasts for the upcoming activity period.
In the face of volatile production prices, Šilutės Rambynas plans to pay more and more attention to the search for new export markets and establishing a foothold in the existing ones. Šilutės Rambynas will give priority to further modernization, reduction of energy, material and labor resources, optimization of operations, production of profitable products. Priority will be given to increasing the production and improving the quality of Pik-Nik cheese sausages, searching for new markets.
In 2024, it is planned to allocate up to 2.0 million for new acquisitions. Eur. The largest investments are planned for equipment that will allow to increase the production of Pik-Nik cheese strings and at the same time with the aim of improving the quality of production, reducing the influence of the human factor on production and reducing the increasingly expensive labor costs. Investments will also be made in ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023 25 modernization of raw milk processing, improving work and conditions for employees, improving and modernizing existing equipment, repairing premises and replacing old, worn-out equipment with new ones.
The company continues to pay great attention to justifying the expectations of consumers by creating products focused on certain functionality. According to research data, lactose intolerance is characteristic of 32% of the Lithuanian population. Also, some consumers are allergic to milk protein - casein. Taking this into account, we were the first in Lithuania to present a unique product to the market – A2 MILK WITHOUT LACTOSE, which is suitable for consumers who previously wanted to but could not consume it. We carried out genetic tests, selected herds of cows that have only a special combination of a2a2 milk protein genes, consulted with nutritionists, EU and LT scientists. Next, in the technological process of production, we additionally split the lactose and got the following result: a product suitable for lactose-intolerant, casein- allergic consumers.
Various protein-enriched products are establishing themselves in the range of food products. According to nutrition experts, protein products have become popular due to people’s more responsible attitude towards nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. In response to this, the company introduced a new product to the market: glazed cottage cheese bars with collagen available in three flavours.
The company's technologists are constantly doing internships in foreign countries, participating in exhibitions, consulting with EU consultants on various technological and technical issues, raising their qualifications at trainings and seminars. The specialists are constantly looking for sustainable technologies and innovative production methods.
The company is constantly looking for ways to ensure constant growth of income and better implementation of operational efficiency. The Company plans to allocate up to EUR 18 million for investments in 2024. The investments are planned for the saving of energy resources, the acquisition of new equipment, the renewal and automation of production equipment, the development of technologies for renewable energy sources, and the creation of new processes. The Company and its subsidiary (jointly or separately) continuously make investments and seek ways to ensure continuous growth of income and improvement of activity effectiveness.
In 2023 the Company plans to allocate up to 14 million euros for investments. All investments are planned to reduce energy costs, for the acquisition of new equipment, the renewal and automation of production equipment, and the development of renewable energy source technologies and for the development of new processes.
The Company's goal is to ensure the highest quality standards, the production of products that meet and create the greatest added value and their supply to the consumer. Therefore, the Company's product development technologists, in cooperation with Lithuanian scientists, as well as with experts from foreign countries, create new products that meet the needs of the modern consumer. Looking for new innovative production technologies, taking into account the concept of sustainability and circular production, looking for more sustainable raw materials and a more sustainable way of producing products. The further use of recycled packaging materials and by-products (formed after the technological process) is evaluated.# Activities of the Companies of the Group in the field of environmental protection
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB, a company that produces and sells dairy products, which, in accordance with the criteria laid down in the Regulations for the issue, amendment and revocation of Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Permits, refers to companies that use the equipment subject to a special permit for the performance of its activities in accordance with the above rules. Still in 2006 the Company received an Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Permit, which is not limited in time, but is the subject to adjustment due to changes. The Company does not have a negative impact on the environment, which should be mitigated by immediate measures, however, the Company constantly monitors its performance indicators, plans and implements the latest technologies that would reduce production and operating costs and energy costs, and improve the Company’s environmental condition in every way. The company strives to save as much as possible and rationally use natural resources by various means. The company is well aware that, acting irresponsibly, its activities can cause great damage to nature, and only the complex use of economic, legal, technical and biological measures can guarantee the rational use of natural resources now and in the future, therefore the impact on the environment is controlled according to coordinated monitoring programs. When the company expands or renews facilities and technologies, an environmental impact assessment is carried out to ensure that the Company's development does not exceed the permitted environmental norms. Being socially responsible and taking care of the environment and its preservation, the company invests in saving energy, improving business management processes, and tries to allocate funds for other activities as much as possible. In 2022, we used independent auditors to conduct an audit of the energy consumption of technological processes and devices, the conclusions of which will be used to determine the need for projects in the future, reducing the use of energy resources. The Company constantly implements investment projects, during which it implements new modern technologies that allow more efficient use of renewable energy resources, reduce the amount of pollutants released into the environment, and apply other environmental protection measures. One of the priority areas of sustainability is the impact on the environment, the Company constantly monitors its performance indicators, plans and implements the latest technologies that would reduce production and operational costs and energy costs, conserve natural resources and improve the Company's environmental status in every way. In our activities, we monitor the CO₂ footprint and aim to eliminate or significantly reduce the emission of such emissions as sulfur dioxide, solid particles or nitrogen oxides. The monitoring of pollutant emissions is carried out in accordance with the environmental monitoring programs of business entities approved by the responsible institutions. in 2022 Planned and unplanned inspections by inspectors of the Department of Environmental Protection were carried out in the company, during which not a single violation was found. In the future, AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS will continue to make every effort to become an increasingly environmentally friendly company. It is expected that it will be possible to use more energy obtained from renewable sources in its activities and to reduce the amounts of pollutants emitted into the environment. During the year 2022, the amount of energy and renewable resources used during the activities of the group of companies is listed in the social responsibility and sustainability report. ABF "Šilutės Rambynas" has been paying great attention to environmental protection for several years, and the most important goal is to reduce production waste and conserve natural resources:
The main assets of the Company are its employees, the most important link in achieving goals of the Company. In 2023, the annual turnover of employees increased to 12.08% (according to 2022 - 9.61%). The Company's personnel policy is focused on the formation of teamwork, continuous professional development, optimal use of work resources, recruitment and training of competent employees. During the reporting period, a lot of attention was paid to investigating the job satisfaction of already employed employees, attracting young specialists. To increase youth interest in the Company. In the employee job satisfaction survey, 481 employees of the Company were interviewed, the insights, conclusions and implementation plan of the survey were presented to the Board of the Company and presented separately to departments and divisions according to relevance. In order to improve the results and trace the change in the job satisfaction indicator, an identical study will be conducted in 2024, and the results obtained will be compared and analysed. Taking into account the prevailing average age of employees and in order to ensure their turnover, a lot of attention is paid to youth and their attraction. In 2023, organized and participated in the German Language Day, the youth forum "Education for a career in the direction of STEAM", the opportunity exhibition "Telšiai - Jaunimui. Discover, know, find out". The long-term "Pušelė" project, which promotes employment and entrepreneurship of the youth of the Telšiai district, has been implemented. The Curators and Mentors Project, which started in 2022 and was in progress during the reporting period, was successfully implemented. In the course of this project, employee turnover decreased, the rate of adaptation during the trial period increased, and the number of employees who left after the first month of work decreased. Despite ongoing new projects, employees are also encouraged on the occasion of seniority and birth anniversaries, benefits upon the birth of a child, marriage, recommending a person for employment, obtaining a higher education diploma, having 3 (three) or more children and/or preparing for the start of a new academic year. Children of the employees are congratulated on the occasion of the holidays and former, long-term employees who worked in the Company until retirement age are not forgotten.
According to the data available by 31 December 2022, AB “ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS” had 1288 employees.
According to the data available by 31 December 2022, AB “ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS” had 1271 employees.
According to the data available by 31 December 2021, the Company had 1249 employees.
According to the data available by 31 December 2020, the Company had 1242 employees.
According to the data available by 31 December 2019, the Company had 1210 employees.
Comparing to the previous year the number of employees slightly increased in almost 1 %.
| Number of employees | 31-12-2021 | 31-12-2022 | 31-12-2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| With university education | 175 | 177 | 181 | |
| With college degree | 305 | 286 | 270 | |
| With vocational education | 358 | 384 | 395 | |
| With secondary education | 341 | 345 | 358 | |
| With unfinished secondary education | 70 | 79 | 84 | |
| Is viso: | 1249 | 1271 | 1288 |
| 12/31/2021 | 12/31/2022 | 12/31/2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Number of employees | Number of employees Average wage, EUR | Number of employees Average wage, EUR | |
| Director | 6 | 6 7710 | 7 7870 |
| Specialists | 316 | 309 2890 | 311 2832 |
| Workers | 927 | 956 1769 | 970 1819 |
| In total: | 1249 | 1271 | 1288 |
College, 270
University, 181
Lower secondary; 77
Primary; 7
Vocational, 395
Secondary, 358
Employee distribution according to education (Diagram 1)# ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
Šilutės Rambynas, ABF
At the end of the period, the company had 157 employees, their number increased by 1 employer (0.6 %) compared to 2022. Changes of groups of employees by education are provided in the Table below:
| Education of employees | 31-12-2023 | 31-12-2022 |
|---|---|---|
| With Master’s degree | 5 | 5 |
| With University Degree | 19 | 21 |
| With College Degree | 35 | 35 |
| With Vocational Education | 55 | 61 |
| With Secondary Education | 33 | 25 |
| With unfinished Secondary Education | 10 | 9 |
| In total: | 157 | 156 |
The average salary during 2023 was 1,943 EUR/month or 14,5% lower than in 2022. Changes in wages by employee groups are given in the Table below:
| Number of employees by groups | 31-12-2023 | 31-12-2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of employees | Average wage, EUR/month | |
| Director | 6 | 4075 |
| Specialists | 23 | 2675 |
| Workers | 128 | 1712 |
| Iš viso: | 157 | 1943 |

(Diagram 4 would be represented visually here, but is not present in the text provided. The labels below are for context.)
* Iki 19 metų
* 20-29 metų
* 30-39 metų
* 40-49 metų
* 50-59 metų
* 60-69 metų
* virš 70 metų
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
The Company seeks to develop and maintain long-term relationships with its employees, especially when the labour market is not satisfying - the lack of highly qualified employees. Therefore, employees are constantly encouraged to develop in the professional field. The Company employees could improve their knowledge and skills in seminars and courses. There are training programs that train and certify specialists, production workers, technicians, operators, locksmiths, brigades, masters, and masters.
Transactions of associated parties during the first half of the current financial year that have a material effect on the financial position or performance of the company and / or group of companies during that period, including the amounts of those transactions, are reported in Explanatory Note for the year 2023.
During the reporting period, the Company submitted 13 notices via the information system of the Vilnius Stock Exchange (AB NASDAQ OMX Vilnius) (on the website). All facts (events) are stored in the Central Regulated Information Database, as well as this information is available on the Company’s website www.zpienas.lt. Public notices shall be published in accordance with the procedure established by legal acts. Notices on convocation of the General Meeting of Shareholders and other material events are published in accordance with the procedure established by the Law on Securities in the Central Regulated Information Database www.crib.lt and on the Company’s website www.zpienas.lt.
The most important events of the reporting period were published of 2023:
| Date | The most important notices of the reporting period |
|---|---|
| 2023-09-29 | ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB Group half-year information for the I-st half of 2023 |
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB
Registration number 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
During the reporting period there were no significant changes related to compliance with the Corporate Governance Code of the Companies. Other information related to compliance with the Corporate Governance Code is provided in consolidated annual report of the Company for 2022, in the annex to this annual report - in the report on compliance with the Governance report.
The Court of Appeal of Lithuania examined the civil case according to the appeal of ADT Sp. z. o. o., the company registered in the Republic of Poland, the defendant (hereinafter - the Defendant) and on 27 February 2023, appealing the decision of 19 September 2023 of the Šiauliai Regional Court in civil case according to the lawsuit of the Company against the Defendant for damages and decided to reject the Defendant’s appeal and leave the decision of 19 September 2023 of the Šiauliai Regional Court unchanged. The Company reminds that, due to the Defendant’s improper performance of contractual obligations, it filed a lawsuit in the Šiauliai Regional Court for awarding of damages in the amount of EUR 630,521.00 from the Defendant. Šiauliai Regional Court in its decision of 19 September 2023 satisfied the lawsuit in full and awarded compensation of losses in the amount of EUR 630,521.00 from ADT Sp. z o. o. in favor of the Company.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2023-09-20 | Financial results of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB for the first six months of 2023 |
| 2023-09-19 | New wording of the Articles of Association of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB was registered |
| 2023-07-25 | Decisions made by extraordinary general meeting of shareholders of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB |
| 2023-07-04 | Regarding the Convening of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company |
| 2023-06-19 | Election of members of the Audit Committee of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB |
| 2023-06-12 | ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB has agreed with bank on the loan of 12 millions 135.2 thousand euros |
| 2023-04-21 | Annual information of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB |
| 2023-04-21 | Decisions made by Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB |
| 2023-04-20 | Update: Regarding alternative draft decision on agenda item 6 of the general meeting of shareholders, to be held on 21 April 2023, related to establishment of the reserve for the purchase of own shares and the determination of the procedure |
| 2023-03-30 | Regarding the convening of the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB |
| 2023-03-16 | Unaudited financial results of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB group business activity during 2022 |
| 2023-02-23 | ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB concluded a transaction for the acquisition of wind power plants |
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
| The Group | The Company | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| As at 31 | As at 31 | As at 31 | As at 31 | |
| December | December | December | December | |
| Notes | 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 |
| ASSETS | ||||
| Non-current assets | ||||
| Intangible assets | 5 | 144 | 131 | 144 |
| Property, plant and equipment | 5 | 66,559 | 59,520 | 58,868 |
| Investment property | 6 | 2,551 | 2,754 | 2,468 |
| Right-of-Use assets | 7 | 1,367 | 1,844 | 1,367 |
| Investments in subsidiaries and associates | 1 | - | - | 3,150 |
| Loans granted | 8 | 1,400 | 1,645 | 1,400 |
| Other financial assets | - | 126 | - | 126 |
| Deferred income tax asset | 27 | 293 | 600 | 395 |
| Total non-current assets | 72,314 | 66,620 | 67,792 | |
| Current assets | ||||
| Inventories | 9 | 50,580 | 69,045 | 48,225 |
| Prepayments | 426 | 284 | 388 | |
| Trade accounts receivable | 10 | 23,273 | 23,370 | 23,235 |
| Other accounts receivable | 11 | 1,636 | 3,831 | 1,636 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 12 | 18,246 | 1,725 | 15,905 |
| Total current assets | 94,161 | 98,255 | 89,389 | |
| TOTAL ASSETS | 166,475 | 164,875 | 157,181 | |
| EQUITY AND LIABILITIES | ||||
| Capital and reserves | ||||
| Share capital | 13 | 12,104 | 12,104 | 12,104 |
| Own shares (-) | 13 | (389) | (389) | (389) |
| Legal reserve | 13 | 1,403 | 1,403 | 1,403 |
| Other reserves | 13 | 10,200 | 11,600 | 10,200 |
| Retained earnings | 98,841 | 75,989 | 92,020 | |
| Equity attributable to equity holders of the Company | 122,159 | 100,707 | 115,338 | |
| Non-controlling interest | 16 | 1,585 | 1,389 | - |
| Total Equity | 123,744 | 102,096 | 115,338 | |
| Non-current liabilities | ||||
| Grants received | 14 | 2,445 | 2,736 | 2,175 |
| Loans received | 19 | 7,041 | 5,750 | 7,041 |
| Obligations under finance lease | 18 | 1,126 | 1,617 | 1,126 |
| Deferred Corporate income tax liability | - | - | - | |
| Long term provision for defined employee benefits | 15 | 3,862 | 3,913 | 3,669 |
| Total non-current liabilities | 14,474 | 14,016 | 14,011 | |
| Current liabilities | ||||
| Loans received | 19 | 2,933 | 20,735 | 2,933 |
| Obligations under finance lease | 18 | 796 | 917 | 796 |
| Trade accounts payable | 20 | 15,389 | 20,085 | 15,751 |
| Income tax payable | 2,295 | 511 | 2,225 | |
| Accrued expenses and other current liabilities | 15, 21 | 6,844 | 6,515 | 6,127 |
| Total current liabilities | 28,257 | 48,763 | 27,832 | |
| Total liabilities | 42,731 | 62,779 | 41,843 | |
| TOTAL EQUITY AND LIABILITIES | 166,475 | 164,875 | 157,181 |
The accompanying explanatory notes are an integral part of these consolidated and Company‘s financial statements.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str.# CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER, 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
| The Group | The Company | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notes | 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | |
| REVENUE FROM CONTRACTS WITH CUSTOMERS | 22 | 278.004 | 263.394 | 277.305 |
| SALES | 22 | - | - | - |
| Cost of sales | (217.036) | (217.612) | (219.987) | |
| GROSS PROFIT | 60.968 | 45.782 | 57.318 | |
| Operating expenses | 23 | (35.757) | (41.422) | (34.120) |
| Other operating income and expenses | 24 | 253 | 308 | 209 |
| PROFIT (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS | 25.464 | 4.668 | 23.407 | |
| Financial income and expenses | 25 | (401) | (107) | (401) |
| PROFIT (LOSS) BEFORE TAX | 25.063 | 4.561 | 23.006 | |
| Income tax benefit (expense) | 26 | (3.614) | (612) | (3.338) |
| NET PROFIT (LOSS) | 21.449 | 3.949 | 19.668 | |
| ATTRIBUTABLE TO: | ||||
| Equity holders of the Company | 21.253 | 4.150 | 19.668 | |
| Non -controlling interest | 196 | (201) | - | |
| 21.449 | 3.949 | 19.668 | ||
| Basic and diluted earnings per share | 17 | 0,51 | 0,10 | 0,47 |
| (EUR) | ||||
| Other comprehensive income (loss) not to be reclassified to profit or loss in subsequent periods | ||||
| Actuarial gains (losses) from long term provision for defined employee benefits, less deferred income tax | 199 | (445) | 199 | |
| Net other comprehensive income (loss) not to be reclassified to profit or loss in subsequent periods | 199 | (445) | 199 | |
| Total comprehensive income (loss) for the year, net of tax | 21.648 | 3.504 | 19.867 | |
| ATTRIBUTABLE TO: | ||||
| Equity holders of the Company | 21.452 | 3.705 | 19.867 | |
| Non -controlling interest | 196 | (201) | - | |
| 21.648 | 3.504 | 19.867 |
The accompanying explanatory notes are an integral part of these consolidated and Company‘s financial statements.
(All amounts in EUR, in thousands, unless otherwise stated)
| The Group | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share | Own shares | Legal | Other | Retained | Total equity attributable to | Non-controlling | Total | |
| capital | (-) | reserve | reserves | earnings | equity holders of the Company | interest | ||
| Balance as of 31 December 2021 | 13.449 | (8.151) | 1.403 | 14.250 | 76.440 | 97.391 | 1.590 | 98.981 |
| Net profit | - | - | - | - | 4.150 | 4.150 | (201) | 3.949 |
| Other comprehensive income | - | - | - | - | (445) | (445) | - | (445) |
| Total comprehensive income | - | - | - | - | 3.705 | 3.705 | (201) | 3.504 |
| Acquisition of own shares | - | (389) | - | - | - | (389) | - | (389) |
| Transfer to/from reserves | - | - | - | 1.600 | (1.600) | - | - | - |
| Used of reserves | - | - | - | (4.250) | 4.250 | - | - | - |
| Authorized capital increase-decrease | (1.345) | 8.151 | - | - | (6.806) | - | - | - |
| Balance as of 31 December 2022 | 12.104 | (389) | 1.403 | 11.600 | 75.989 | 100.707 | 1.389 | 102.096 |
| Net profit | - | - | - | - | 21.253 | 21.253 | 196 | 21.449 |
| Other comprehensive income | - | - | - | - | 199 | 199 | - | 199 |
| Total comprehensive income | - | - | - | - | 21.452 | 21.452 | 196 | 21.648 |
| Acquisition of own shares | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Transfer to/from reserves | - | - | - | 200 | (200) | - | - | - |
| Used of reserves | - | - | - | (1.600) | 1.600 | - | - | - |
| Authorized capital increase-decrease | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Balance as of 31 December 2023 | 12.104 | (389) | 1.403 | 10.200 | 98.841 | 122.159 | 1.585 | 123.744 |
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
| Share capital | Own shares ( - ) | Legal reserve | Other reserves | Retained earnings | Total equity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance as of 31 December 20 21 | 13.449 | (8.151) | 1.403 | 14.250 | 69.895 | 90.846 |
| Net profit | - | - | - | - | 5.460 | 5.460 |
| Other comprehensive income | - | - | - | - | (446) | (446) |
| Total comprehensive income | - | - | - | - | 5.014 | 5.014 |
| Acquisition of own shares | - | (389) | - | - | - | (389) |
| Transfer to/from reserves | - | - | - | 1.600 | (1.600) | - |
| Used of reserves | - | - | - | (4.250) | 4.250 | - |
| Authorized capital increase- decrease | (1.345) | 8.151 | - | - | (6.806) | - |
| Balance as of 31 December 202 2 | 12.104 | (389) | 1.403 | 11.600 | 70.753 | 95.471 |
| Net profit | - | - | - | - | 19.668 | 19.668 |
| Other comprehensive income | - | - | - | - | 199 | 199 |
| Total comprehensive income | - | - | - | - | 19.867 | 19.867 |
| Acquisition of own shares | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Transfer to/from reserves | - | - | - | 200 | (200) | - |
| Used of reserves | - | - | - | (1.600) | 1.600 | - |
| Authorized capital increase- decrease | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Balance as of 31 December 2023 | 12.104 | (389) | 1.403 | 10.200 | 92.020 | 115.338 |
The accompanying explanatory notes are an integral part of these consolidated and Company‘s financial statements.
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
| The Group | The Company | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash flows to operating activities | Notes | 2023 | 2022 | 2023 |
| Profit (loss) for the period | 21.449 | 3.949 | 19.668 | |
| Adjustments: | ||||
| Depreciation and amortization | 5,6 | 6.029 | 5.902 | 5.545 |
| Amortization of grants received | 14 | (291) | (297) | (253) |
| Depreciation right-of-use assets | 7 | 705 | 723 | 705 |
| Gain (loss) on disposal and write offs of non-current assets | 0 | (52) | 4 | (62) |
| Decrease (increase) in deferred tax asset | 27 | 307 | (781) | 100 |
| Impairment (reversal) of accounts receivable | 10 | 532 | 104 | 532 |
| Net financial expenses (income) | 389 | 373 | 427 | |
| Impairment (reversal) of inventories to net realizable value | 9 | (2.321) | 3.643 | (2.441) |
| Elimination of non-cash items | 325 | (8.596) | 325 | |
| Net cash flows from ordinary activities before changes in working capital | 27.124 | 4.968 | 24.612 | |
| Changes in working capital: | ||||
| (Increase) decrease in inventories | 9 | 20.785 | (29.816) | 20.424 |
| (Increase) decrease in trade receivables | 10 | 206 | (3.800) | 180 |
| (Increase) decrease in prepayments | (141) | 9 | (129) | |
| (Increase) decrease in other receivables | 581 | (317) | 538 | |
| (Decrease) increase in trade payables | 20 | (4.696) | 4.329 | (3.920) |
| (Decrease) increase other accounts payable | 21,22 | 2.903 | 1.144 | 2.651 |
| Decrease) increase income tax payables | (666) | 445 | (666) | |
| Net cash flows from operating activities | 46.096 | (23.038) | 43.690 | |
| Cash flows from (to) investing activities | ||||
| (Acquisition) of intangible assets and property, plant and equipment. | 5 | (13.482) | (6.821) | (12.215) |
| Proceeds on sale of property, plant and equipment | 604 | 449 | 100 | |
| Acquisition of right-of-use assets | 7 | (219) | (1.762) | (219) |
| Repayment of loans granted | 8 | 2.484 | 1.181 | 2.484 |
| Loans granted | 8 | (1.267) | (2.332) | (1.267) |
| Interest received | 26 | 210 | 107 | 210 |
| Net cash flows (to) investing activities | (11.670) | (9.178) | (10.907) | |
| Cash flows from (to) financing activities | ||||
| (Acquisition) of own shares | 13 | - | 7.762 | - |
| Grants received | 14 | 93 | 88 | 56 |
| Financial lease payments | 18 | (786) | 744 | (786) |
| Loan received | 19 | 3.724 | 24.735 | 3.724 |
| Loan (payments) | 19 | (20.235) | (2.750) | (20.235) |
| Other financial (income) and expenses | 26 | 44 | (42) | 44 |
| Interest (payments) | (745) | (352) | (745) | |
| Net cash flows from (to) financial activities | (17.905) | 30.185 | (17.942) | |
| Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | 16.521 | (2.031) | 14.841 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year | 1.725 | 3.756 | 1.064 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year | 18.246 | 1.725 | 15.905 |
The accompanying explanatory notes are an integral part of these consolidated and Company‘s financial statements.
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
Reporting entity AB “Žemaitijos Pienas” (hereinafter – the Company) is a public limited liability company registered in the Republic of Lithuania. The address of the Company’s registered office is as follows: Sedos Str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania. The Company produces dairy products and sells them in the Lithuanian and foreign markets. The Company has a number of wholesale departments with storage facilities and transport means in major Lithuanian towns. The Company started its operations in 1984. AB “Žemaitijos Pienas” is a Lithuanian public listed company with shares traded on AB NASDAQ OMX Vilnius. The nominal value of one share is 0,29 EUR. As at 31 December 2023 and 2022, its shares are held by the following shareholders:
| Shareholder | 31 12 2023 | 31 12 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of shares | Ownership % | |
| Pažemeckas Algirdas | 14.063.152 | 33,69% |
| Pažemeckienė Danutė | 14.014.581 | 33,58% |
| AB Klaipėdos pienas, code 240026930, Šilutės pl. 33, 91107 Klaipėda | 2.901.844 | 6,95% |
| UAB Baltic Holding, code 302688114. Vilhelmo Berbomo g. 9 - 4, Klaipėda | 4.530.380 | 10,86% |
| Other shareholders | 6.005.523 | 14,39% |
| “Žemaitijos pienas” AB | 222.020 | 0,53% |
| Total share capital, shares units | 41.737.500 | 100,00% |
The management report provides detailed information about the main shareholders, see p.8 All shares are issued, subscribed and paid for.
30 08 2022 The Management Board of AB Žemaitijos Pienas , taking into account the existence of a reserve for the acquisition of treasury shares and in accordance with the Company's resolution of 2 April 2021. AB Žemaitijos pienas, on the basis of the decision of the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of AB Žemaitijos pienas, has decided to buy back the Company's ordinary registered shares with a nominal value of EUR 0.29 through the official offering market of the Nasdaq Vilnius stock exchange. In 2022, the Company additionally acquired 222,020 units of its own shares for 389 thousand EUR, respectively in 2021 – 3,145,999 units for 5,517 thousand EUR. During 2023, there was no movement of own shares.# ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
The shareholders of the Company have a statutory right to either approve these financial statements or not approve them and require the management to prepare a new set of financial statements.
The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), as adopted by the European Union (EU).
The amounts in these financial statements are presented in EUR, rounded to thousands. Due to rounding errors, the numbers in the statements may not match. The financial statements are prepared on the historical cost basis. The financial year of the Company and other Group companies coincides with the calendar year.
When preparing financial statements in accordance with IFRS adopted for EU application, management is required to make calculations and estimates on the basis of certain assumptions that influence the choice of accounting principles and the amounts of Assets, Liabilities, Income and Costs. Estimates and related assumptions are based on historical experience and factors reflecting current conditions. On the basis of the above assumptions and estimates, the residual values of assets and liabilities are deduced from other sources. Actual results may differ from estimates. The estimates and their assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis. The effect of a change in an accounting estimate is recognized in the period in which the estimate is revised if it only affects that period, or in the period of the revision and subsequent periods if the estimate affects both the revision and future periods (Note 4). The accounting policies set out below have been consistently applied and are in line with those applied last year.
The consolidated financial statements of the Group include AB Žemaitijos Pienas and its subsidiary and associate. The financial statements of the subsidiary and the associate are prepared for the same reporting period and use the same accounting principles. Subsidiaries are consolidated from the date on which control is transferred to the Group and are no longer consolidated from the date on which control is transferred outside the Group. All intercompany transactions, balances and unrealized profit and losses on transactions between Group companies have been eliminated. Equity and net income attributable to a minority of shareholders, if any, are disclosed separately in the statement of financial position and comprehensive income.
Control is achieved when the Group determines whether it is entitled to variable returns from its involvement in the investment and has the ability to affect that return through its influence on the investment. The Group controls an investment when, and only when, the Group has:
It is commonly assumed that most voting rights confer control. The net result of a subsidiary is attributable to a minority of shareholders even if the result is negative. Acquisitions and disposals of minority interest in the Group are accounted for as an equity transaction: the difference between the net assets acquired/transferred to the minority in the Group's financial statements and the purchase/sale price of the shares is recognized directly in equity.
As at 31 December 2023 and 2022 the Group consisted of AB “Žemaitijos Pienas” and the subsidiary of the Company ABF Šilutės Rambynas:
| Subsidiary | Registration of the Group activities | Main address | Ownership Percentage as of 31 December | Cost of investment 2023 | Cost of investment 2022 | Net assets of consolidation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Šilutės Rambynas ABF | Cheese production and selling | Klaipėdos g. 3, Šilutė | 87,82% | 3.150 | 3.150 | 13.014 |
The subsidiary ABF Šilutės Rambynas does not hold any shares of AB “Žemaitijos Pienas” as at 31 December 2022 and 2023. The Company employed 1.288 employees as at 31 December 2023 (1.271 employees as at 31 December 2022). The Group employed 1.445 employees as at 31 December 2023 (1.427 employees as at 31 December 2022).
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
An associate is an entity over which the Company has significant influence, but does not control the financial and operating policies. Significant influence is presumed to exist when the Company holds between 20 and 50 percent of the voting power of another company. The Group accounts for investments in associates using the equity method. Under the equity method, an investment in an associate is carried in the statement of financial position at cost adjusted for the change in the net assets of the associate. Goodwill relating to an associate is included in the carrying amount of the investment and is not subject to depreciation or individual impairment. The result of the associate is recognized in the statement of comprehensive income.
Business combinations are accounted for using the acquisition method. The cost of an acquisition is determined by adding the fair value of the consideration transferred at the acquisition date to the amount of the minority interest in the acquire, if any. For each business combination, the acquirer shall measure the minority interest in the acquire either at fair value or at the proportionate share of the acquire's identifiable net assets. Acquisition costs incurred are written off and included in administrative expenses. If the business combination is achieved in stages, the acquirer's previously owned interest in the acquire is measured at fair value at the acquisition date through the statement of comprehensive income. A contingent consideration to be paid by the buyer is recognized at fair value at the acquisition date. Subsequent estimates of the contingent consideration that is considered an asset or liability are recognized at fair value through profit or loss or as a change in other comprehensive income. If the contingent consideration is classified as equity, it is not remeasured and its subsequent payment is recognized in equity.
Goodwill is recognized at cost and is the amount by which the full amount of the consideration transferred, including the amount recognized as a minority interest, exceeds the net amount of the assets acquired and liabilities recognized. If this consideration is less than the fair value of the net assets of the subsidiary acquired, the difference is recognized in the statement of comprehensive income. Subsequent to initial recognition, goodwill is stated at cost less any accumulated impairment losses. For the purpose of assessing impairment, goodwill acquired in a business combination from the acquisition date is allocated to those cash generating units of the Group that are expected to benefit from the combination, whether or not the acquire's other assets or liabilities are classified as such. When goodwill forms part of a cash-generating unit and part of the activities of that unit is sold, the goodwill relating to the sale is included in the carrying amount of the sale of the business for the purpose of determining profit or loss on disposal. In this case, the goodwill sold is measured by the relative value of the activity sold relative to the rest of the cash-generating unit.
The Company accounts for its investments in subsidiaries using the acquisition cost method. The Company determines at the end of each period whether there are objective reasons that could determine the value of an investment in a subsidiary.
In the statement of financial position of the Company, investments in subsidiaries are accounted for at cost less impairment. Accordingly, at initial recognition, the investment is carried at cost, being the fair value of the consideration paid, less any impairment loss. The carrying amount of an investment is measured when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the investment's carrying amount may exceed its recoverable amount (higher of fair value less costs to sell or value in use). In case of such circumstances, the Company makes an assessment of
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
the recoverable amount of the investment. If the carrying amount of an investment exceeds its recoverable amount, the investment is written down to its recoverable amount. Impairment is recognized in the statement of comprehensive income, under general and administrative expenses.# ADOPTION OF NEW AND REVISED INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING STANDARDS
In the current year, the Company and the Group has adopted all of the new and revised Standards and Interpretations that are relevant to its operations and effective for accounting periods beginning on 1 January 2023.
(a) The following standards, amendments and interpretations are mandatory for accounting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2023
The amendments to IFRS 17 are effective, retrospectively, for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2023, with earlier application permitted. The amendments aim at helping companies implement the Standard. In particular, the amendments are designed to reduce costs by simplifying some requirements in the Standard, make financial performance easier to explain and ease transition by deferring the effective date of the Standard to 2023 and by providing additional relief to reduce the effort required when applying IFRS 17 for the first time. The amendments to IFRS 4 change the fixed expiry date for the temporary exemption in IFRS 4 Insurance Contracts from applying IFRS 9 Financial Instruments, so that entities would be required to apply IFRS 9 for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2023. The management has assessed that these amendments will not have any impact on the Company’s financial statements.
The standard is effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2021 with earlier application permitted if both IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers and IFRS 9 Financial Instruments have also been applied. In its March 2020 meeting the Board decided to defer the effective date to 2023. IFRS 17 Insurance Contracts establishes principles for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of insurance contracts issued. It also requires similar principles to be applied to reinsurance contracts held and investment contracts with discretionary participation features issued. The objective is to ensure that entities provide relevant information in a way that faithfully represents those contracts. This information gives a basis for users of financial statements to assess the effect that contracts within the scope of IFRS 17 have on the financial position, financial performance and cash flows of an entity. This IFRS will not have any impact on the financial position or performance of the Company as insurance services are not provided.
The amendments require companies to recognise deferred tax on transactions that, on initial recognition, give rise to equal amounts of taxable and deductible temporary differences. The amendments are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2023.
The Amendments are effective for annual periods beginning on or after January 1, 2023 with earlier application permitted. The amendments provide guidance on the application of materiality judgements to accounting policy disclosures. In particular, the amendments to IAS 1 replace the requirement to disclose ‘significant’ accounting policies with a requirement to disclose ‘material’ accounting policies. Also, guidance and illustrative examples are added in the Practice Statement to assist in the application of the materiality concept when making judgements about accounting policy disclosures.
The amendments introduce a new definition of accounting estimates, defined as monetary amounts in financial statements that are subject to measurement uncertainty. Also, the amendments clarify what changes in accounting estimates are and how these differ from changes in accounting policies and corrections of errors. The amendments become effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2023 with earlier application permitted and apply to changes in accounting policies and changes in accounting estimates that occur on or after the start of that period.
(b) Standards and amendments that have been approved but are not yet effective and have not been applied in advance
The amendments aim to promote consistency in applying the requirements by helping companies determine whether, in the statement of financial position debt and other liabilities with an uncertain settlement date should be classified as current or non-current. The amendments affect the presentation of liabilities in the statement of financial position and do not change existing requirements around measurement or timing of recognition of any asset, liability, income or expenses, nor the information that entities disclose about those items. Also, the amendments clarify the classification requirements for debt which may be settled by the company issuing own equity instruments. Management has not yet assessed the impact of applying these amendments.
Modify the requirements introduced by Classification of Liabilities as Current or Non-current on how an entity classifies debt and other financial liabilities as current or non-current in particular circumstances: only covenants with which an entity is required to comply on or before the reporting date affect the classification of a liability as current or non-current. In addition, an entity has to disclose information in the notes that enables users of financial statements to understand the risk that non-current liabilities with covenants could become repayable within twelve months. The amendments are effective for reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2024. The amendments are applied retrospectively in accordance with IAS 8 and earlier application is permitted. Management has not yet assessed the impact of applying these amendments.
Lease Liability in a Sale and Leaseback (Amendments to IFRS 16) requires a seller-lessee to subsequently measure lease liabilities arising from a leaseback in a way that it does not recognise any amount of the gain or loss that relates to the right of use it retains. The new requirements do not prevent a seller-lessee from recognising in profit or loss any gain or loss relating to the partial or full termination of a lease. The amendments are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2024. Earlier application is permitted. A seller-lessee applies the amendments retrospectively in accordance with IAS 8 Accounting Policies, Changes in Accounting Estimates and Errors to sale and leaseback transactions entered into after the date of initial application.
Supplier Finance Arrangements amends IAS 7 Statement of Cash Flows to require an entity to provide additional disclosures about its supplier finance arrangements. The amendments also add supplier finance arrangements as an example within the liquidity risk disclosure requirements of IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures. The Amendments have not yet been endorsed by the EU. The Company has not yet evaluated the impact of the implementation of these amendments.
Lack of Exchangeability amends IAS 21 The Effects of Changes in Foreign Exchange Rates to require an entity to apply a consistent approach to assessing whether a currency is exchangeable into another currency and, when it is not, to determining the exchange rate to use and the disclosures to provide. The Amendments have not yet been endorsed by the EU. The Company has not yet evaluated the impact of the implementation of these amendments.
Property, plant and equipment are stated at historical cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. The cost of acquisition of an asset of the Company/Group consists of the costs directly attributable to the acquisition of the asset.# ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 (All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
The cost of an item of property, plant and equipment includes the cost of materials, direct labour, and other costs incurred in producing the asset before it is used, dismantling, removing, and reconditioning the asset. When parts of an item of property, plant and equipment have different useful lives, they are accounted for as separate items of property, plant and equipment.
Subsequent to initial recognition, any costs incurred in replacing a component of property, plant and equipment or related to its reconstruction are capitalized only to the extent that it is probable that future economic benefits will flow to the asset and the cost of the new component can be measured reliably. All other costs are recognized as an expense when they are incurred.
Depreciation (amortization) starts on the month following the commencement date of the respective unit of plant, property and equipment. The commencement date is the date when the asset is actually ready for use. The transfer of non-current assets for use is formalized by the transfer and acceptance of non-current assets. Depreciation (amortization) is no longer calculated from the following month when the non-current asset is classified as held for sale or is written off, sold or otherwise disposed of.
Depreciation (amortization) on property, plant and equipment and intangible assets is calculated using the proportional (straight-line) method of depreciation (amortization) over the estimated useful life of the asset. The amount of depreciation (amortization) accrued during the period is recorded in the depreciation (amortization) expense accounts. If, after the repair of an item of property, plant and equipment or after an impairment assessment, an asset changes its useful life, the carrying amount of the asset, beginning at the date of adjusting its useful life, shall be depreciated over the restated useful life.
The useful lives of the Company's/Group's property, plant and equipment and intangible assets are determined separately for each asset, taking into account future economic benefits as well as the expected period of use in the Company/Group, the intensity of use, the environment in which the asset is used, changes in its useful life, technological and economic progress, morally aging assets, legal and other factors limiting the useful life of property, plant and equipment.
Based on the resolution of the Company/Group Management Board, as at 1 January 2017, the useful life of newly acquired production lines accounted for in “Machinery and equipment” is 10-15 years. In 2018, the Company and the Group restated the carrying amounts and useful lives of property, plant and equipment as defined in IAS 16 Property, Plant and Equipment and decided to adjust the carrying amounts and useful lives of those items that were not fully depreciated as at 1 January 2018, prospectively. Based on the assessment made, the amendments became effective on 1 January 2018 (Note 5).
As at 1 January 2019, new non-current assets useful lives/depreciation/amortization rates have been approved. Below are the average useful lives of the Company's/Group's property, plant and equipment by asset class:
Depreciation methods, residual values and useful lives of assets are/will be reviewed at the reporting date to ensure that the depreciation period is consistent with the expected useful lives of the property, plant and equipment.
Construction in progress is stated at cost less impairment losses. Cost includes design, construction, plant and equipment outsourced and other direct costs. Depreciation on unfinished construction is not calculated. Construction in progress is transferred to the appropriate groups of property, plant and equipment when it is completed and the asset is ready for its intended use.
When property, plant and equipment is derecognised or otherwise disposed of, its cost and related depreciation are no longer recognized in the financial statements and the related profit or loss, calculated as the difference between the proceeds and the carrying amount of the non-current tangible asset disposed of.
Investment property of the Company/Group includes land and buildings that are leased and earns lease income and are not used for the Group's and the Company's operating activities. Investment property is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of 20 to 40 years.
Investment property is written off only when the property is sold or permanently discontinued and no economic benefits are expected from its sale. Any profit or loss on disposal or sale of an investment property is recognized in the statement of comprehensive income in the period in which the asset is sold or otherwise disposed of.
Transfers to investment property are made when, and only when, there is a change in use, when the owner discontinues the use of the property for its own use or when the operating lease begins. Transfers from investment property are made when, and only when, there is a change in use through the use of the property by the owner or the beginning of reconstruction with a view to sale.
Intangible assets with finite useful lives that are comprised of purchased computer software and licenses and trademarks are stated at cost less accumulated amortization and impairment.
Amortization is charged to the statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line basis over its estimated useful life. The useful lives of intangible assets are as follows:
Subsequent expenditure on an intangible asset is capitalized only when it increases the future economic benefits of the asset to which it relates. All other costs are expensed as incurred. Intangible assets are reviewed for impairment whenever there is an indication that the asset may be impaired. The useful lives, residual values and amortization method are reviewed annually to ensure that they are consistent with the expected pattern of use of the intangible asset. The Company/Group has no intangible assets with indefinite useful lives.
Leases where the Company/Group assumes substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership are classified as finance leases. Assets acquired under finance leases are recognized as assets of the Company/Group at the commencement date of the lease term and are stated at the lower of fair value of the asset and the present value of the minimum lease payments, less depreciation and impairment losses. All other leases are treated as operating leases. Assets treated as leases shall be depreciated over the expected useful life on the same basis as the property. A decision or agreement is a lease based on the substance of the agreement, at the time the agreement is made, to determine whether performance of the agreement is dependent on the use of the particular asset or on whether the agreement grants the right to use the asset.
Stocks, including in-progress and finished production, shall be accounted for in the financial statements as the lower of the values (cost or net realised value), after the valuation of impairment for slow-moving and obsolete stocks. Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less the estimated costs of completion and selling expenses. The write-down of stocks to net realizable value below their cost is made when the cost of inventories may not be recoverable through their sale or use. Unrealisable stocks are written off completely. The cost of stocks is calculated using the FIFO method. Where stocks are produced and in the case of unfinished production, the cost price shall also include an appropriate proportion of the indirect cost of production, allocated at rates calculated on the basis of the utilisation of production capacity. Auxiliary materials and stocks are accounted for as costs when they are put into use or included in the price of finished goods if they are used in production.
Cash consists of cash on hand and in bank accounts. Cash equivalents are current, highly liquid investments that are easily converted into a known amount of money. Such investments have a maturity of less than 3 months at the date of the contract and the risk of a change in value is negligible. Bank accounts held for automated payment of taxes and repurchase of overpayments are also considered cash equivalents. For the purposes of the cash flow statement, cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand and in bank current accounts, deposits with maturity equal to or less than 3 months at the date of the agreement and tax accounts with the bank.
Grants are accounted for on an accrual basis, i.e. grants received or parts of grants are recognized as being used in the periods in which they are incurred.
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
Grants related to assets include grants received in the form of non-current assets or intended for the acquisition of non-current assets. Grants are recognized as deferred income at the fair value of the non-current assets received or acquired and subsequently recognized as income. Amortization of a grant reduces the depreciation expense of the related non-current assets over the useful life of those non-current assets.
The carrying amounts of the Company's/Group's non-financial assets, other than inventories and deferred tax assets, are reviewed at each reporting date to determine whether there is any indication of impairment. If any such indication exists, the asset's recoverable amount is estimated. The recoverable amount of intangible assets with indefinite useful lives and intangible assets not yet available for use is estimated at the reporting date. An impairment loss is recognized when the carrying amount of an asset or its cash-generating unit exceeds its recoverable amount. A cash-generating unit is the smallest group of cash-generating assets that generates cash flows that are independent of other assets or groups of assets. Any impairment loss is recognized in the statement of comprehensive income.
The recoverable amount of a non-financial asset is the greater of its fair value less costs to sell and value in use. The value in use of an asset is calculated by discounting the future cash flows from the use of the asset to its present value using a tax discount rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset.
If there is any change in the events or circumstances that led to the measurement of the recoverable amount of the non-financial asset that indicate that the carrying amount of the non-financial asset may be recovered, an impairment loss is reversed. An impairment loss is reversed so that the carrying amount of the asset does not exceed the carrying amount that would have been determined, net of depreciation or amortization, if no impairment loss had been recognized.
Dividends are recognized as a liability in the period in which they are declared (i.e. approved by the general meeting of shareholders).
Foreign currency transactions are translated into euro at the official exchange rate between the euro and the foreign currency (hereinafter referred to as the official exchange rate) published by the Bank of Lithuania on the day of the transaction. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies at the balance sheet date are translated to the euro at the official exchange rate ruling at the date of the statement of financial position. Exchange differences arising on the settlement of these transactions are recognized in the statement of comprehensive income.
The following exchange rates were used for the preparation of the financial statements as at 31 December 2022 and 2023:
| 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| USD 1 = EUR | 0,904977 | 0,939055 |
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
A financial instrument is any contract that gives rise to a financial asset between one entity and a financial liability or equity instrument.
Financial assets at initial recognition are classified as subsequently measured at amortized cost, fair value through other comprehensive income, or fair value through profit or loss. The designation of financial assets at initial recognition depends on the contractual cash flow characteristics of the financial assets and the business model of the Group/Company that governs the management of the financial assets. Except for trade receivables and contract assets (if any) that do not have a significant financing component, the Group/Company measures at initial recognition financial assets at fair value plus, when financial assets are not carried at fair value through profit or loss, transaction costs. Trade receivables and contract assets (if any) that do not include a significant financing component are measured at the transaction price in IFRS 15. For a financial asset to be designated and measured at amortized cost or fair value through other comprehensive income, the cash flows arising from a financial asset need only be the principal and the interest payable (SPPI) on the uncovered principal. This assessment is called the SPPI test and is performed for each financial instrument. The Group/Company's financial asset management model describes how the Group/Company manages its financial assets to generate cash flows. The business model determines whether the cash flows will be generated by collecting the contractual cash flows, selling the financial asset, or both. A regular way purchase or sale of a financial asset is recognized on the trade date, i.e. the date on which the Group/Company commits to purchase or sell financial assets.
After initial recognition, the Company evaluates financial assets:
a) Amortized cost (debt instruments);
b) At fair value through other comprehensive income, when the profit or loss on derecognition is transferred to profit or loss (debt instruments). As at 31 December 2023 and 2022, the Group/Company did not have such measures;
c) At fair value through other comprehensive income, when the gain or loss is derecognised, it is not transferred to profit or loss (equity instruments). As at 31 December 2023 and 2022, the Group/Company did not have such measures;
d) At fair value through profit or loss. As at 31 December 2023 and 2022, the Group/Company did not have such measures;
The Group/Company measures financial assets at amortized cost if both of the following conditions are met:
i) Financial assets are held in accordance with a business model that seeks to hold financial assets for the purpose of collecting contractual cash flows; and
ii) The contractual terms of financial assets may give rise to cash flows at specified dates that are only interest payments on the principal and the principal outstanding.
Financial assets carried at amortized cost are subsequently measured using the effective interest rate method (EIR), less impairment losses. Gains and losses are recognized in the statement of comprehensive income when the asset is derecognised, replaced or impaired.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
The Group's/Company's financial assets at amortized cost include trade receivables, other current and non-current receivables, loans issued.
In accordance with IFRS 9, the Group/Company generally recognizes an expected credit loss (ECL) for all debt instruments that are not measured at fair value through profit or loss. The ECL is based on the difference between the contractual receivable cash flows and the cash flows the Group/Company expects to receive, discounted at the approximate effective initial interest rate. ECLs are recognized in two stages. For credit exposures where the credit risk has not materially increased since initial recognition, the ECL shall be calculated for the credit losses arising from default events occurring within the next 12 months (12-month ECL). For those credit exposures with a significant increase in credit risk since initial recognition, the impairment loss is formed by the amount of credit loss expected to be incurred during the remaining life of the credit exposure, regardless of the default maturity (ECL). For trade receivables and assets arising from customer contracts (if any), the Group/Company applies a simplified method of calculating ECL. Therefore, the Group/Company does not monitor changes in credit risk, but recognizes impairment at each reporting date based on the effective ECL. The Group/Company has constructed a matrix of expected loss rates based on historical credit loss analysis and adjusted to reflect future factors specific to borrowers and the economic environment (market macroeconomic factors, employment rate, consumer price index, etc.). The Company estimates and records the expected credit loss for 12 months when issuing a loan. In subsequent reporting periods, in the absence of a significant increase in the credit risk associated with the borrower, the Company adjusts the expected credit loss balance for the 12 months against the outstanding loan amount at the measurement date. If the borrower's financial position is determined to have materially deteriorated compared to the condition prevailing at the time of the loan issuance, the Company accounts for all expected credit losses over the life of the loan. Loans with expected credit losses during the life of the loan are considered to be credit impaired financial assets.# ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
The Group/Company considers that a debtor has defaulted on a financial asset if the contractual payments are overdue by more than 90 days, or where there are indications that the debtor or group of debtors is in serious financial difficulties, defaulting on payments or interest, it is probable that they will enter bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings, and where observable data indicate that future cash flows are expected, such as changes in debt arrears or changes in economic conditions that correlate with defaults. The total amount of expected credit losses on trade receivables and trade receivables is recognized through profit or loss using a counterpart receivable account. Financial assets are derecognised when there is no reasonable expectation of recovering the contractual cash flows.
Financial liabilities at initial recognition are classified as financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss, loans and receivables. All financial liabilities are initially recognized at fair value and, in the case of loans and receivables, less any directly attributable transaction costs. Financial liabilities of the Group/Company include trade and other payables, loans received and finance lease liabilities.
The assessment of financial liabilities depends on their classification as described below.
Subsequent to initial recognition, loans and receivables are carried at amortized cost using the effective interest rate method (EIR). Gains and losses are recognized in the statement of comprehensive income when the liabilities are derecognised or amortized. Amortized cost is calculated by taking into consideration the discount or premium on the acquisition as well as the taxes or expenses that are an integral part of the EIR. Amortization of an EIR is included in financial expenses in the statement of comprehensive income.
Financial assets and financial liabilities are offset and the net amount is recognized in the statement of financial position if there is an enforceable right to clear recognized amounts and it is intended to be settled on a net basis, i.e. realize assets and fulfil liabilities at the same time.
The Company and the Group pay social security contributions to the State Social Insurance Fund (hereinafter referred to as the Fund) for their employees in accordance with a defined contribution plan and in accordance with the laws of the country. A defined contribution plan is a plan under which the Company and the Group make a defined contribution and will have no future legal or constructive obligation to continue to pay such contributions if the Fund does not have sufficient assets to pay all employees related benefits in the current or prior periods. Social security contributions are recognized as an expense on an accrual basis and classified as an expense for employees.
Non-current liabilities (Employee benefit plans under company ordinances)
The Company and the Group recognizes a liability and an expense for additional benefits based on the Company's and the Group's additional benefit policy, the amount of which depends on the length of service completed in the Company and the Group under 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, etc. years of service. Such changes to the Order came into effect in 2017. The liability under the entity's employee benefit orders is calculated on the basis of actuarial estimates using the projected unit credit method. Reassessments of actuarial profits and losses are recognized immediately in the statement of financial position with an appropriate debit or credit in retained earnings in other comprehensive income in the period in which they are incurred. Reassessments are not carried forward to profit or loss in subsequent periods. The liability is recognized in the statement of financial position and reflects the present value of those benefits at the statement of financial position date. The present value of the employee benefit obligation is determined by discounting the estimated future cash flows based on the interest rate on government securities denominated in the same currency as the benefits and having a payout period similar to the expected payout period.
Retirement benefits for employees
In accordance with the requirements of the Labour Code of the Republic of Lithuania, every employee leaving the Company/Group at the age of retirement is entitled to a lump sum of 2 months' salary. Liabilities to employees are recognized as an expense in the current year in the statement of comprehensive income. Past costs are recognized as an expense on an equal basis over the average period until the benefits become vested. Any gain or loss resulting from a change (decrease or increase) in the benefit terms is recognized immediately in the statement of comprehensive income. The retirement benefit obligation is calculated on the basis of actuarial assumptions using the projected unit credit method. Reassessments of actuarial profits and losses are recognized immediately in the statement of financial position with an appropriate debit or credit in retained earnings in other comprehensive income in the period in which they are incurred. Reassessments are not carried forward to profit or loss in subsequent periods. The liability is recognized in the statement of financial position and reflects the present value of those benefits at the statement of financial position date. The present value of the employee benefit obligation is determined by discounting the estimated future cash flows based on the interest rate on government securities denominated in the same currency as the benefits and having a payout period similar to the expected payout period.
The Company and the Group are engaged in the production, sale and distribution of dairy products. Revenue from contracts with customers is recognized when the control of goods or services passes to the customer, the amount the Group/Company expects to receive in exchange for the goods or services. The Company/Group estimates that the contracts have only one operating obligation. Revenue from contracts with customers is recognized net of value added tax, excise duties and discounts directly attributable to the sale (usually at the time of sale). Management considers the impact of other items on revenue recognition, such as:
1) Whether the contracts contain several different operational obligations;
2) Whether the contracts provide for variable consideration (other than discounts at the point of sale as described above) and restrictions, if any;
3) Whether the contracts include non-monetary consideration or significant funding components;
4) Whether the other promises in the contracts that should be considered as part of the transaction price;
5) Whether the contractual arrangements (if any) are considered consideration or purchase from the buyer to the customer;
6) Whether the contracts include a non-refundable advance payment to the customer.
The Company sells to its subsidiary raw material (i.e. milk) which is purchased from milk suppliers. The raw material is used by the subsidiary for the production of cheese, which is subsequently purchased by the Company and sold to third parties. Because these raw materials are the major ingredient used in cheese production, the income and expense of such transactions are recorded net in the Company's separate financial statements to avoid artificially inflating revenue as customer contracts are made with the Company and the subsidiary operates as a production unit. When the Company sells goods purchased from its subsidiary to third parties (retail entities), the Company assumes all risks associated with these transactions, so that income is not offset as stated in IFRIC 15 relating to the assessment of whether the Company is acting on its own account or as an agent. Due to the Group's/Company's business model, management has not made any significant accounting judgments, estimates or assumptions related to the recognition of contract revenue with customers other than those disclosed in Note 4.
Revenue from the rendering of services is recognized in the statement of comprehensive income on the basis of the level of performance of the services over the period. Revenue is recognized net of value added tax and discounts. Lease income is recognized in the statement of comprehensive income on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Revenue from disposal of assets is recognized in the statement of comprehensive income when the control of goods or services is transferred to the customer, in the amount that the Group/Company expects to receive in exchange for the goods or services. Revenue is not recognized if there are significant doubts about the recovery of the revenue or the incurrence of the expense associated with the revenue, or when the expected return of the goods or the probable significant risk and the goods cannot be considered as passed on to the buyer. Interest income is recognized in the statement of comprehensive income as it accrues, using the effective interest method.# ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
Operating lease payments
Operating lease payments under operating leases are recognized in the statement of comprehensive income on a systematic basis over the lease term.
Financial lease payments
Minimum lease payments are apportioned between the finance charge and the outstanding liability, using the effective interest method. Finance charges are spread over the term of the finance lease at a constant periodic rate of interest on the outstanding balance of the liability.
Net financing costs
Net financing costs include interest expense, calculated using the effective interest rate method, interest income on invested funds and the effect of changes in foreign exchange rates.
Borrowing costs
Borrowing costs that are directly attributable to the acquisition, construction or production of assets that take time to be prepared for their intended use or sale are capitalized as part of the cost of the asset. All other borrowing costs are expensed as incurred. The Group capitalizes borrowing costs on assets whose construction commenced after 1 January 2009. Debts are initially recognized at the fair value of the proceeds received, less the transaction costs. They are subsequently carried at amortized cost (using the effective interest rate method) and the difference between the proceeds and the amount that will be payable on the debt (excluding the capitalized portion) is included in profit or loss for the period.
Segment disclosure
A segment is a significant part of the Company's/Group's operations, distinguished by the products or services being supplied (business segment) or by the provision of products or services in a particular economic environment with specific risks and economic benefits (geographical segment). For the purposes of this financial statements, a business segment is a distinguishable component of the Group's and the Company's operations that are involved in the production of a single product or service or a group of related products or services with different risk and returns.
Income tax
Current and prior tax assets and liabilities are measured at the amount expected to be recovered or paid to the tax authorities, including adjustments for prior years. The tax rates used to calculate this amount are those that are (in principle) applicable before the date of the statement of financial position. The calculation of the income tax is based on the annual profit, taking into account the calculation of the deferred income tax. Income tax is calculated according to the requirements of Lithuanian tax laws. In 2023, the corporate tax rate in the Republic of Lithuania is 15 percent (in 2022 – 15 percent).
Deferred tax is provided for temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. Deferred income taxes are calculated using the liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are calculated using tax rates that are expected to apply to taxable profit in the year in which the temporary differences are realized, taking into account the tax rates enacted or substantively enacted at the reporting date. Deferred tax assets are recognized in the statement of financial position to the extent that the management of the Company/Group expects it to be realized in the foreseeable future, based on taxable profit forecasts. If part of the deferred tax is not expected to be realized, this part of the deferred tax is not recognized in the financial statements. From 1 January 2014 the amount of deductible tax losses carried forward cannot exceed 70 percent of the taxable profit for the current year. Tax losses may be carried forward for an indefinite period, except for losses arising from the disposal of securities and/or derivatives. Such a transfer is terminated if the Company/Group discontinues operations that caused the loss, unless the Company/Group discontinues operations for reasons beyond its control.
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
Losses arising from the disposal of securities and/or derivative financial instruments may be carried forward for 5 years and only be offset against profits from transactions of the same nature. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are offset to the extent that the laws permit the offsetting of the income tax expense and the deferred tax assets of the same enterprise and the same tax authority. In accordance with applicable tax laws, the tax office may at any time during the 5 consecutive years following the reported tax year carry out a tax audit of the Company and the Group and recalculate additional taxes and fines. The management of the Group believes that all taxes have been correctly calculated and paid in accordance with applicable law and are not aware of any circumstances that could give rise to a potential material liability for unpaid taxes.
Basic and diluted earnings per share
The Company/Group reports basic earnings (losses) per share and diluted earnings (losses) per share. Earnings per share is calculated by dividing the profit/loss attributable to shareholders of the Company/Group by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share are calculated by adjusting the profit (loss) attributable to shareholders and the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the period by all potential ordinary shares. During the reporting period, the Company/Group had not issued any potential ordinary shares.
Post-balance sheet events
Subsequent events that provide additional information about the financial position of the Group and the Company at the balance sheet date (adjusting events) are reflected in the financial statements. Subsequent events that are not adjusting events are disclosed in the notes when material.
Estimates and assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis and are based on historical experience and other factors, which reflect the current situation and the reasonably foreseeable future events. The management of the Company/Group, having regard to forecasts and budget, borrowing requirements, performance of its obligations, products and markets, financial risk management, after conducting business continuity assessment, believes that there are no uncertainties and uncertainties regarding the Company's/Group's business continuity. The Company/Group makes estimates and assumptions about future events, so accounting estimates by definition will not always be consistent with actual results. The preparation of the financial statements of the Group and the Company requires management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of income, expenses, assets and liabilities and contingencies at the reporting date. However, the uncertainty about these assumptions and estimates may affect results, which may require a significant adjustment to the carrying amounts of assets or liabilities in the future. As of the date of these financial statements, there was no material risk that the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities would be materially adjusted in the next reporting year due to changes in the related estimates in the following financial years.
Revenue
The management of the Group and the Company has adopted a significant accounting valuation assumption relating to accounting for marketing services (purchased from customers) (whether considered as consideration payable to the customer or purchase from the customer as noted above). Based on management's assessment, marketing services acquired from customers (retail entities) are treated as a separate service related to various advertising and marketing services provided to the Group, therefore all advertising and marketing expenses incurred during the financial year are accounted as operating expenses in the consolidated and separate reports.
Impairment of loans and receivables
The Company/Group regularly reviews receivables for impairment. As described in the accounting policy, the Company/Group uses the ECL provisioning matrix defined in IFRS 9 for the measurement of impairment, in addition to which individual debtors are individually assessed. The Company/Group has determined that credit losses are less
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
than 1% of total receivables, and, considering the effect of future factors, they have been determined to have no impact on the level of losses. The Company/Group used a matrix of expected credit loss provisions for most receivables, and individual estimates were used for a few individual, non-homogeneous cases as described below. In assessing whether an impairment loss should be recognized in the statement of comprehensive income, the Company/Group adopts an estimate of whether there is an indication of a material decrease in expected cash flows from the receivables portfolio and whether the decrease can be related to a separate receivable in that portfolio.# CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
Such evidence may include data showing the existence of adverse changes in borrowers' payments or in national or local economic conditions that are directly correlated with the class of receivables. Impairment losses on receivables are usually recognized in the event of late payment by the debtor by 90 days or more depending on the payment terms that have been set. Management estimates the expected cash flows from borrowers based on the historical loss experience of borrowers with similar credit risk. The methods and assumptions used to estimate the amount and timing of cash flows are reviewed regularly to reduce any difference between loss estimates and actual loss experience. Loans granted by management are rated as having low credit risk. Such an assessment is based on an assessment of the structure of debtors and their ability to repay debt, including historical (very low) default rates and the projected impact of the economic environment. In addition, it is noted that loan repayment is secured by a pledge of assets with a high loan-to-value ratio (LTV). Therefore, the expected credit losses are considered to be insignificant. An estimate of the impairment of receivables from related parties is disclosed in Note 29.
Inventories represent a significant proportion of the assets of the Group and the Company. As at 31 December 2023 and 2022, the management of the Group and the Company had assessed whether the carrying amount of inventories was greater than their net realizable value (summarized in Note 9). Management has also assessed the value of obsolete inventories by applying depreciation rates (based on historical data and projected sales) and assessing whether the amount of depreciation of obsolete inventories was sufficient.
As at 31 December 2023, Impairment losses recognized by the Group and the Company were EUR 1,877 thousand and EUR 1,351 thousand, respectively (as at 31 December 2022: EUR 4,198 thousand and EUR 3,792 thousand, respectively). The impairment was based on information such as the date of manufacture, product quality specifications and management's sales forecast calculations. The summarized information related to impairment of stocks is disclosed in Note 9.
The Company and the Group conducts business with related parties in the ordinary course of business. These transactions are mainly aimed at market prices. In the absence of an active market for these transactions, the valuation is used to determine whether the transactions correspond to market prices or not. The basis for measurement is pricing for similar transactions with unrelated parties, if such information is available to the Company or the Group.
As disclosed in Note 3 to the financial statements, the Company and the Group has accounted for non-current liabilities to the employees in accordance with the Labour Code of the Republic of Lithuania and the applicable Company/Group employee benefits policy. As disclosed in Note 15, the present value of the liabilities includes a range of significant estimates for the assumptions used regarding the level of inflation, the employee turnover rate, the discount rate, etc.
The Company and the Group pay various bonuses to milk suppliers, which are calculated on the basis of the quantity and quality of milk delivered, with regular payments. In addition, the Company/Group may pay additional bonuses to suppliers based on market conditions, annual results of the Company/Group, etc.
The decision as to the fact and the amount of the additional payments to the milk suppliers is a matter of significant appreciation. As at 31 December 2023, the Company and the Group did not recognize any liabilities relating to the payment of additional bonuses as the Company and the Group had no contractual obligation to the suppliers for these benefits. These benefits are a unilateral decision by the Company and the Group. About the annual bonuses assigned and accumulated as at 31 December 2022 and 2023 by the Company to raw material suppliers are disclosed in Note 20.
As disclosed in Note 28 to these financial statements, the Company and the Group have been involved in a number of ongoing legal disputes whose outcome and potential economic loss or gain could not be measured reliably to date. Management estimates that the Company and the Group does not expect to incur material losses in the future due to legal disputes. The effect of legal disputes on financial statements for the purpose of measuring the amount of a potential liability and its recognition in balance sheet items, and the appropriate disclosure of such disputes in the notes to the financial statements, is within the scope of significant measurement.
Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized at the balance sheet date, taking into account temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for taxation purposes. Significant amounts of deferred tax assets are recognized based on the Company's and the Group's management's estimates, taking into account the expected periods and amounts of future taxable profits and the Company's/Group's tax planning strategies.
Change in accounting estimate is an adjustment to the carrying amount of an asset or liability or the amount of a periodic disposal of an asset by measuring the present condition of the asset or liability, its expected future benefits and future liabilities. Changes in accounting estimates result from new information or new circumstances and are not considered as corrections to errors. The accounting estimate shall be revised if the circumstances on which it was based change or if new information or experience becomes available. Revisions to the estimate, by their nature, are not related to prior reporting periods and are not a correction of an error. The result of a change in an accounting estimate is recognized prospectively. In 2018, the Company and the Group reviewed the applicable rates of depreciation of property, plant and equipment for certain classes of property, plant and equipment as disclosed in Note 5. To the extent that a change in an accounting estimate changes an asset or a liability or relates to an equity item, the result of that change is the adjustment to the carrying amount of the related asset, liability or equity item during the period.
Omission or misstatement of the data in the prior period financial statements due to failure to use or misuse reliable information available for the reporting periods for which the financial statements were requested to be published; and could have been received and used properly (and could reasonably have been expected) in the preparation and presentation of the financial statements for that reporting period. Such errors include the consequences of inaccurate mathematical calculations, misapplication of accounting policies, errors, misinterpretation of facts in the recognition, measurement or presentation of financial statements.
Most industries have been, or may be, affected by climate change and efforts to manage its effects. It is therefore a topic in which investors and other stakeholders are increasingly interested due to its potential impact on corporate business models, cash flows, financial position and financial performance. IFRSs do not explicitly address climate- related matters, however companies must consider those issues in applying IFRSs when the effect of those matters is material in the context of the financial statements taken as a whole. Information is material if its omission, misstatement or non-disclosure could reasonably be expected to influence decisions made by major users of financial statements (investors). The Company's and the Group's Management understands the importance of integrating climate-related matters into the risk management system and disclosing these risk management solutions in the financial statements. The following are key climate issues and Management's assessment of the impact of climate issues in applying the principles of many IFRSs, IASs (International Accounting Standards). When preparing the financial statements, it was also considered whether additional information is available if the specific requirements of IFRS are not sufficient to enable investors to understand the impact of climate-related matters on the Company's and the Group's financial position and financial performance:
FS – Financial statements.
At the date of submission of the FS, the Company and the Group companies did not have (and / or did not receive such information) any real estate, movable property, infrastructure objects, which had some carrying value at December 31 2023, but in 2024 or later will have to be written off, dismantled, utilized due to the requirements of climate change policy and environmental regulations, regardless of whether they are completely depreciated.
2.# INVENTORY VALUATION
At the date of submission of the FS, the Company and the Group companies did not have (and / or did not receive such information) any goods, whose realizable value may have been decreased due to the requirements of climate change policy and environmental regulations, compared to:
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
55
At the date of submission of the FS there were no (and / or no any information was received) such raw materials, materials, other production component inventory, whose value has decreased or has been lost due to the climate change policy and environmental regulation requirements.
At the date of submission of the FS there was no any reasonable information / facts / circumstances on the likely increase in the cost of certain products in the near future (2024) due to the requirements of the climate change policy and environmental regulations (e.g. more expensive or additional production components). The Company and the Group have identified potential threats to cost growth beyond 2024 financial periods. The 2024 budget does not provide for self-cost growth. Examples of such threats may be:
2019 an EU directive on the restriction of single-use plastics has been adopted: In the production of PET bottle in 2025, it will have to contain 25% secondary, i.t. - processed raw materials. This can lead to self-cost growth (if in 2025 the supply of secondary raw materials will remain the same as in 2023), but there may be no such effect (if e.g. there were to occur more companies involved in plastics recycling who are willing and able to offer more secondary raw materials to the market).
At the date of submission of the FS there was no any specific and reasonable information, that climate-related matters may prompt expenditure to change or adapt business activities and operations of the Company and the Group in 2024, including research and development.
No climate change related costs were recognized as an asset (long-term tangible and intangible) during the reporting period 2023. In 2024 there are no such planned expansion, development, equipment adaptation costs that would need to be recognized as assets.
During the 2023 reporting period, it has not caused any unusual costs associated with climate change policies and environmental legislation requirements that have been recognized as an expense.
In 2023, regulations related to climate change policy and environmental requirements did not affect residual value and useful life of the Company's and the Group's any long-term assets (due to obsolescence, legal restrictions or unavailability). At the date of submission of the FS there was no any information on such possible impact in 2024.
At the date of submission of the FS no such substantiated facts were known, that in 2024 and further climate- related matters may give rise to indications that an asset (or a group of assets) is impaired. For example, a decline in demand for products that emit greenhouse gases could indicate that a manufacturing plant may be impaired, requiring the asset to be tested for impairment.
If there were a need to estimate the recoverable amount of any assets by measuring their value at value in use, given the expected future cash flows from the assets and the expected changes in the amount or timing of those future cash flows, independent valuers would be invoked for this purpose in accordance with the current practice of the Company and the Group. At the date of submission of the FS there was no any substantiated evidence that climate change - related regulations could affect future (2024 and beyond) cash flows.
During the reporting period 2023 no impairment losses were incurred due to the regulations of environmental legislation. Such losses are not expected in 2024 and beyond, as there is no substantiated facts and information to do so.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
56
other reasons.
At the date of submission of the FS, the Company's and the Group's Management did not have any information to make assumptions about future events that should be reflected in the amounts of the provisions.
At the date of submission of the FS, no strong arguments or substantiated information were known that to climate-change policy related matters may affect the increase in credit risk of the Company and the Group companies.
At the date of submission of the FS, the Company's and the Group's management does not anticipate and does not have any assumptions that climate change related regulations give rise or could lead to market, financial or any other risks (e.g. impairment of assets due to market changes), associated with financial assets during the next 12 months.
Climate change related issues and / or regulations did not During the reporting period of 2023, the issues, circumstances and regulations related to climate change did not affect the changes in the value of financial assets and there is no such substantiated data that it may have an impact on 2024 or further.
During the reporting period 2023, climate change-related matters did not in any way lead to any insured events (e.g. business interruption, property damage, illness and death). There is no reasonable information to assume that the probability of such insured events will increase in 2024 and further.
At the date of submission of the FS, the Company's and the Group's Management did not have any reasonable information on the assumptions used to assess the impact of climate change-related matters and circumstances on insurance contract liabilities.
At the date of submission of the FS there were no any specific and reasonable facts and information, that climate- related matters may affect:
5.# INTANGIBLE AND TANGIBLE NON-CURRENT ASSETS
The Group
| Aquired rights and patents | Computer software | Licenses | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition cost | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | 279 | 142 | 631 | 1,052 |
| -acquisition | 76 | - | 3 | 79 |
| -incorporation/mergers | - | - | - | - |
| -sold or written-off assets | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 355 | 142 | 634 | 1,131 |
| -acquisition | 74 | 31 | 6 | 111 |
| -reclassification | - | - | - | - |
| -sold or written-off assets | (0) | (8) | (300) | (308) |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 429 | 165 | 340 | 934 |
| Accumulated amortisation | | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | 198 | 131 | 524 | 853 |
| -amortization | 50 | 6 | 91 | 147 |
| --reclassification | - | - | - | - |
| -amortization of sold and written-off assets | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 248 | 137 | 615 | 1,000 |
| -amortization | 69 | 11 | 17 | 97 |
| -reclassification | - | - | - | - |
| -amortization of sold and written-off assets | (0) | (8) | (299) | (307) |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 317 | 140 | 333 | 790 |
| Net Book Value | | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | 81 | 11 | 107 | 199 |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 107 | 5 | 19 | 131 |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 112 | 25 | 7 | 144 |
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
EXPLANATORY NOTES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
57
The Company
| Aquired rights and patents | Computer software | Licenses | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition cost | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | 279 | 121 | 631 | 1,031 |
| -acquisition | 76 | - | 3 | 79 |
| -incorporation/mergers | - | - | - | - |
| -sold or written-off assets | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 355 | 121 | 634 | 1,110 |
| -acquisition | 74 | 31 | 6 | 111 |
| -reclassification | - | - | - | - |
| -sold or written-off assets | (0) | (8) | (300) | (308) |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 429 | 144 | 340 | 913 |
| Accumulated amortisation | | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | 198 | 110 | 524 | 832 |
| -amortization | 50 | 6 | 91 | 147 |
| - incorporation/mergers | - | - | - | - |
| -amortization of sold and written-off assets | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 248 | 116 | 615 | 979 |
| -amortization | 69 | 11 | 17 | 97 |
| - reclassification | - | - | - | - |
| -amortization of sold and written-off assets | (0) | (8) | (299) | (307) |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 317 | 119 | 333 | 769 |
| Net Book Value | | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | 81 | 11 | 107 | 199 |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 107 | 5 | 19 | 131 |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 112 | 25 | 7 | 144 |
In 2023 amortization of non-current intangible assets of the Group and the Company amounts to EUR 97 thousand and EUR 97 thousand respectively (In 2022 – EUR 147 thousand and EUR 147 thousand, respectively).
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
EXPLANATORY NOTES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
58
Amortization expenses of intangible assets are recognized as Operating expenses in the statement of comprehensive income (Note 23). Investments in the purchase of non-current intangible assets made by the Group and the Company in 2023 amount to EUR 111 thousand and EUR 111 thousand, respectively (in 2022 - EUR 79 thousand and EUR 79 thousand). As at 31 December 2023, the Company and the Group have EUR 606 thousand and EUR 629 thousand (EUR 791 thousand and EUR 814 thousand as at 31 December 2022, respectively) of fully amortized non-current intangible assets that are still in use.
The Group
| Land, buildings and constructions | Machinery and equipment | Vehicles | Other property, plant and equipment | Construction in progress | prepayments | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition cost | | | | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | 27,363 | 93,740 | 12,103 | 5,261 | 1,141 | 139,608 |
| -acquisition | 128 | 1,287 | 1,081 | 247 | 3,999 | 6,742 |
| -sold or written-off assets | (117) | (455) | (399) | (71) | - | (1,042) |
| -reclassification | 672 | 966 | 36 | 1 | (1,675) | - |
| --internal operatios | - | - | 36 | - | - | 36 |
| -transfers to investment property | (385) | - | - | - | - | (385) |
| -transfers from investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 27,661 | 95,538 | 12,821 | 5,438 | 3,465 | 144,923 |
| -acquisition | 129 | 1,788 | 732 | 174 | 10,548 | 13,371 |
| -sold or written-off assets | (505) | (62) | (406) | (284) | - | (1,257) |
| -reclassification | 524 | 982 | 1 | 2 | (1,509) | - |
| -incorporation/mergers | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -internal operatios | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -transfers to investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -transfers from investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 27,809 | 98,246 | 13,148 | 5,330 | 12,504 | 157,037 |
| Accumulated depreciation | | | | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | 9,864 | 58,598 | 8,995 | 3,298 | - | 80,755 |
| -depreciation | 648 | 3,859 | 614 | 421 | - | 5,542 |
| -depreciation of written-off and sold assets | (20) | (359) | (337) | (70) | - | (786) |
| -incorporation/mergers | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -reclassification ( subsidiary) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -transfers to investment property | (108) | - | - | - | - | (108) |
| -transfers from investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 10,384 | 62,098 | 9,272 | 3,649 | - | 85,403 |
| -depreciation | 635 | 3,995 | 703 | 395 | - | 5,728 |
| -depreciation of written-off and sold assets | (9) | (56) | (320) | (268) | - | (653) |
| -incorporation/mergers | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -reversals (subsidiary) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -reclassification (subsidiary) | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -transfers to investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -transfers from investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 11,010 | 66,037 | 9,655 | 3,776 | - | 90,478 |
| Impairment | | | | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -impairment losses | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -transfers to investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
EXPLANATORY NOTES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
59
| -reversal of impairment | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -impairment losses | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -transfers to investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -reversal of impairment | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2023 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Net book value | | | | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | 17,499 | 35,142 | 3,108 | 1,963 | 1,141 | 58,853 |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 17,277 | 33,440 | 3,549 | 1,789 | 3,465 | 59,520 |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 16,799 | 32,209 | 3,493 | 1,554 | 12,504 | 66,559 |
The Company
| Land, buildings and constructions | Machinery and equipment | Vehicles | Other property, plant and equipment | Construction in progress | prepayments | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition cost | | | | | | |
| As of 31 Decmber 2021 | 24,543 | 84,035 | 10,605 | 4,753 | 354 | 124,290 |
| -acquisition | 128 | 1,259 | 1,092 | 151 | 2,647 | 5,277 |
| -incorporation/mergers | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -sold or written-off assets | (117) | (453) | (303) | (65) | - | (938) |
| -adding value | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -reclassification | - | 531 | 36 | 1 | (568) | - |
| -transfers to investment property | (385) | - | - | - | - | (385) |
| -transfers from investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 24,169 | 85,372 | 11,430 | 4,840 | 2,433 | 128,244 |
| -acquisition | 128 | 1,714 | 714 | 159 | 9,389 | 12,104 |
| -incorporation/mergers | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -sold or written-off assets | - | (61) | (406) | (224) | - | (691) |
| -adding value | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -reclassification | - | 982 | - | 2 | (984) | - |
| -transfers to investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -transfers from investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 24,297 | 88,007 | 11,738 | 4,777 | 10,838 | 139,657 |
| Accumulated depreciation | | | | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | 8,652 | 52,824 | 7,505 | 2,936 | - | 71,917 |
| -depreciation | 600 | 3,420 | 620 | 388 | - | 5,028 |
| -incorporation/mergers | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -depreciation of written-off and sold assets | (19) | (358) | (266) | (63) | - | (706) |
| - transfers to investment property | (108) | - | - | - | - | (108) |
| -transfers from investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 9,125 | 55,886 | 7,859 | 3,261 | - | 76,131 |
| -depreciation | 585 | 3,578 | 728 | 355 | - | 5,246 |
| -incorporation/mergers | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| -depreciation of written-off and sold assets | - | (55) | (320) | (214) | - | (589) |
| -transfers to investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -transfers from investment property | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 9,711 | 59,409 | 8,267 | 3,402 | - | 80,789 |
| Impairment | | | | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| - impairment losses | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| -reversal of impairment | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| - impairment losses | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| - reversal of impairment | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2023 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Net book value | | | | | | |
| As of 31 December 2021 | 15,891 | 31,211 | 3,100 | 1,817 | 354 | 52,373 |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 15,044 | 29,486 | 3,571 | 1,579 | 2,433 | 52,113 |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 14,586 | 28,598 | 3,471 | 1,375 | 10,838 | 58,868 |
In order to make energy resources cheaper, increase competitiveness and achieve sustainability, the Company started the implementation of the wind power plant construction project in 2022. In 2023, EUR 7.2 million has been allocated for these investments, respectively – in 2022 – EUR 700 thousand. Expected start of operation of wind power plants – the first-second quarter of 2025. For the year ending at 31 December 2023 the depreciation costs of the Group’s and the Company’s property, plant and equipment amount to EUR 5.728 thousand and EUR 5.246 thousand, respectively (2022 – EUR 5.542 thousand and EUR 5.028 thousand). The amount of depreciation accounted under the caption ‘Cost of Sales’ for the financial years 2023 and 2022 amounts to EUR 3.997 thousand and EUR – 2.989 thousand by the Company, respectively. By the Group, EUR 4.649 thousand and 3.545 thousand, respectively. The rest of the Company‘s and the Group‘s depreciation is accounted under the ‘Operating expenses’ caption. Part of the depreciation amount is also accounted under the ‘Inventory’ caption in the value of unsold Inventories as of 31 December 2022 and 2023. Part of property, plant and equipment of the Company and the Group with the acquisition cost amounting to EUR 41.722 thousand and EUR 49.338 thousand, respectively, was fully depreciated as at 31 December 2023 (EUR 41.207 thousand and EUR 48.733 thousand as at 31 December 2022), but was still in use.
6.# INVESTMENT PROPERTY
The Group
| As of 31 December 2021 | As of 31 December 2022 | As of 31 December 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition cost | |||
| - acquisition | 4.449 | 4.636 | 4.636 |
| - transfers from property, plant and equipment | 385 | - | - |
| - reversals (subsidiary) | - | - | - |
| - sold or written-off investment property | (198) | - | - |
| - transfers to property, plant and equipment | - | - | - |
| Accumulated depreciation | |||
| As of 31 December 2021 | 1.617 | 1.882 | 2.085 |
| - depreciation | 214 | 203 | - |
| - transfers to property, plant and equipment | (57) | - | - |
| - reversals (subsidiary) | - | - | - |
| - sold or written-off investment property | - | - | - |
| - transfers from property, plant and equipment | 108 | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 1.882 | 2.085 | - |
| - depreciation | 203 | 202 | - |
| - transfers to property, plant and equipment | - | - | - |
| - reversals (subsidiary) | - | - | - |
| - sold or written-off investment property | - | - | - |
| - transfers from property, plant and equipment | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 2.085 | - | - |
| Impairment | |||
| As of 31 December 2021 | - | - | - |
| - impairment losses | - | - | - |
| - reversal of impairment | - | - | - |
| - transfers from property, plant and equipment | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | - | - | - |
| - impairment losses | - | - | - |
| - reversal of impairment | - | - | - |
| - transfers from property, plant and equipment | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2023 | - | - | - |
| Net book value, Eur thousand: | |||
| As of 31 December 2021 | 2.832 | 2.746 | |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 2.754 | 2.670 | |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 2.551 | 2.468 |
The Company
| As of 31 December 2021 | As of 31 December 2022 | As of 31 December 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition cost | |||
| - acquisition | 3.712 | 3.899 | 3.899 |
| - transfers from property, plant and equipment | - | - | - |
| - reversals (subsidiary) | - | - | - |
| - sold or written-off investment property | (198) | - | - |
| - transfers to property, plant and equipment | - | - | - |
| Accumulated depreciation | |||
| As of 31 December 2021 | 966 | 1.229 | 1.431 |
| - depreciation | 213 | 202 | - |
| - transfers to property, plant and equipment | (57) | - | - |
| - reversals (subsidiary) | (1) | - | - |
| - sold or written-off investment property | - | - | - |
| - transfers from property, plant and equipment | 108 | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 1.229 | 1.431 | - |
| - depreciation | 202 | - | - |
| - transfers to property, plant and equipment | - | - | - |
| - reversals (subsidiary) | - | - | - |
| - sold or written-off investment property | - | - | - |
| - transfers from property, plant and equipment | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 1.431 | - | - |
| Impairment | |||
| As of 31 December 2021 | - | - | - |
| - impairment losses | - | - | - |
| - reversal of impairment | - | - | - |
| - transfers from property, plant and equipment | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2022 | - | - | - |
| - impairment losses | - | - | - |
| - reversal of impairment | - | - | - |
| - transfers from property, plant and equipment | - | - | - |
| As of 31 December 2023 | - | - | - |
| Net book value, Eur thousand: | |||
| As of 31 December 2021 | 2.746 | ||
| As of 31 December 2022 | 2.670 | ||
| As of 31 December 2023 | 2.468 |
Investment property has been evaluated by independent valuator on 20 April 2018 (adjusted comparable price method was used as primarily valuation method to establish fair value, level 3 in fair value hierarchy). The company's investment property was leased to a related party UAB Čia Market and to other unrelated parties as well as natural persons. According to the assessment findings, the fair value of the investment property as at 31 December 2022 and 31 December 2023 differs slightly from the residual book value. At the moment of acquisition, the Company and the Group use independent valuator valuations in case the assets are bought/sold within related parties. In other case assets are purchased in competitive market at the market price. For the year ending at 31 December 2023 the depreciation costs of the Company’s investment property amount to EUR 202 thousand (2022 – EUR 213 thousand). Rental income and related costs are disclosed in Notes 23,24. All rent contracts are easily cancellable with a few months prior notice made by the lessee or the lessor. There was no investment property under construction in 2023 and 2022. Depreciation of investment property is included in the ‘Operating expenses’ caption.
According to IFRS 16 “Leases” the right-of use asset account to the following:
The Group
| Land, buildings and constructions | Movable property | Vehicles | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition cost | ||||
| As of 31 December 2021 | 2.412 | 507 | 103 | 3.022 |
| - acquisition | 1.719 | 92 | - | 1.811 |
| - reclassification | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| - the end of the contract | (1.637) | - | (103) | (1.740) |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 2.494 | 600 | - | 3.094 |
| - acquisition | 52 | 236 | - | 288 |
| - reclassification | - | - | - | - |
| - the end of the contract | - | (600) | - | (600) |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 2.546 | 236 | - | 2.782 |
| Accumulated depreciation | ||||
| As of 31 December 2021 | 1.549 | 414 | 83 | 2.046 |
| - depreciation | 618 | 92 | 13 | 723 |
| - reclassification | - | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| - the end of the contract | (1.629) | - | (98) | (1.727) |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 538 | 508 | 0 | 1.046 |
| - depreciation | 623 | 82 | - | 705 |
| - reclassification | - | - | - | - |
| - the end of the contract | - | (531) | - | (531) |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 1.161 | 59 | - | 1.220 |
| Impairment | ||||
| As of 31 December 2021 | (31) | - | - | (31) |
| Impairment losses | (173) | - | - | (173) |
| Impairment | (204) | - | - | (204) |
| As of 31 December 2022 | - | - | - | - |
| Impairment losses | 23 | (14) | - | 9 |
| Impairment | (181) | (14) | - | (195) |
| As of 31 December 202 3 | - | - | - | - |
| Net book value, Eur thousand : | ||||
| As of 31 December 2021 | 832 | 93 | 20 | 945 |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 1.752 | 92 | - | 1.844 |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 1.204 | 163 | - | 1.367 |
The Company
| Land, buildings and constructions | Movable property | Vehicles | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition cost | ||||
| As of 31 December 2021 | 2.412 | 507 | 103 | 3.022 |
| - acquisition | 1.719 | 92 | - | 1.811 |
| - reclassification | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| - the end of the contract | (1.637) | - | (103) | (1.740) |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 2.494 | 600 | - | 3.094 |
| - acquisition | 52 | 236 | - | 288 |
| - reclassification | - | - | - | - |
| - the end of the contract | - | (600) | - | (600) |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 2.546 | 236 | - | 2.782 |
| Accumulated depreciation | ||||
| As of 31 December 2021 | 1.549 | 414 | 83 | 2.046 |
| - depreciation | 618 | 92 | 13 | 723 |
| - reclassification | - | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| - the end of contract | (1.629) | - | (98) | (1.727) |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 538 | 508 | - | 1.046 |
| - depreciation | ||||
| - reclassification | ||||
| - the end of the contract | ||||
| As of 31 December 2023 | 1.161 | 59 | - | 1.220 |
| Impairment | ||||
| As of 31 December 202 1 | (31) | - | - | (31) |
| Impairment loses | (173) | - | - | (173) |
| Impairment | (204) | - | - | (204) |
| As of 31 December 202 2 | - | - | - | - |
| Impairment loses | 23 | (14) | - | 9 |
| Impairment | (181) | (14) | - | (195) |
| As of 31 December 202 3 | - | - | - | - |
| Net book value, Eur thousand: | ||||
| As of 31 December 2021 | 832 | 93 | 20 | 945 |
| As of 31 December 2022 | 1.752 | 92 | - | 1.844 |
| As of 31 December 2023 | 1.204 | 163 | - | 1.367 |
The Company and the Group have granted loans to 20 Company‘s employees as at 31 December 2023 (16 as at 31 December 2022). The average annual loan interest rate: about 5 %. Loans have been granted to the employees as a motivating tool based on the Regulations for Provision of Loans to employees. The maximum limit of the fund intended for these loans granted makes up EUR 231.696. On all occasions loans are being granted to a borrower after he/she undertakes to secure repayment of a loan by pledging his/her or another person’s real estate property or using other means of security of repayment of a loan acceptable to the company (a credit institution guarantee or other). Upon assessment of a possible risk, liquidity of property being pledged and etc. a fair value of the property being pledged makes up from 100% to 200% of an amount being borrowed. The Company and the Group have also granted loans to 67 farmers (milk-suppliers) as at 31 December 2023 (72 as at 31 December 2022). Loans in the amount of EUR 1.113,5 thousand had been granted to farmers within the period from 01/01/2023 to 31/12/2023. The average interest rate on loans granted: until 5 %. All long-term loans have been granted with collateral (land have been pledged at market prices). The related party Klaipėdos pienas AB owed EUR 300 thousand to the Company as at 31 December 2023 (as at 31 December 2022 – EUR 412,5 thousand). The loan has been granted on 29 12 2014 with a variable/floating annual average 2,6% interest rate a loan repayment period – the year 2029; pledged shares. On the 1 st of October 2022, a short-term loan of 1.2 million EUR with average 3,9% annual variable interest rate was additionally granted to Klaipėdos pienas AB. The repayment term of the loan – 30 th of September 2023. In 2022, 140,000 EUR of this loan was repaid. In 2023, the Company repaid the remaining share of this loan amounting to EUR 1,060 million.
The Group
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Loans granted: | 2.421 | 3.638 |
| Loans granted to related parties | 300 | 1.473 |
| Loans granted to milk suppliers | 1.849 | 1.967 |
| Loans granted to the staff | 272 | 198 |
| Loans granted to not related parties | - | - |
| Current portion of loans granted (Note 11) | (1.021) | (1.993) |
| In the number loans granted to milk suppliers | - | - |
| impairment | ||
| Non- current loans granted | 1.400 | 1.645 |
The Company
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Loans granted: | 2.421 | 3.638 |
| Loans granted to related parties | 300 | 1.473 |
| Loans granted to milk suppliers | 1.849 | 1.967 |
| Loans granted to the staff | 272 | 198 |
| Loans granted to not related parties | - | - |
| Current portion of loans granted (Note 11) | (1.021) | (1.993) |
| In the number loans granted to milk suppliers | - | - |
| impairment | ||
| Non- current loans granted | 1.400 | 1.645 |
All granted loans are in EUR. Granted loan’s payback periods are between 1 – 12 years.
The Group
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Raw materials | 6.743 | 7.278 |
| Finished goods and work in progress | 45.225 | 65.454 |
| Goods for resale | 489 | 511 |
| Total | 52.457 | 73.243 |
| Less: Allowance for inventories | (1.877) | (4.198) |
| Total | 50.580 | 69.045 |
The Company
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Raw materials | 5.957 | 6.286 |
| Finished goods and work in progress | 43.130 | 63.203 |
| Goods for resale | 489 | 511 |
| Total | 49.576 | 70.000 |
| Less: Allowance for inventories | (1.351) | (3.792) |
| Total | 48.225 | 66.208 |
Changes in the allowance for impairment of inventories (EUR thousand):
The Group
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Balance at beginning of year | 4.198 | 555 |
| Additional allowance made | - | 3.643 |
| Reversals of allowance made | (2.321) | - |
| Write-off | - | - |
| Balance at end of year | 1.877 | 4.198 |
The Company
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Balance at beginning of year | 3.792 | 246 |
| Additional allowance made | - | 3.546 |
| Reversals of allowance made | (2.441) | - |
| Write-off | - | - |
| Balance at end of year | 1.351 | 3.792 |
The acquisition cost of the Group’s and the Company’s inventories accounted at net realizable value as at 31 December 2023 amounted to EUR 15.299 thousand and EUR 13.482 thousand, respectively (as at 31 December 2022, EUR 28.645 thousand and EUR 26.394 thousand, respectively). Changes in impairment allowance for inventories during 2023 and 2022 were recorded within the Group’s and the Company’s operating expenses (Note 23).As at 31 December of 2023 the Company held a stock of EUR 244,5 thousand at the third parties (as at 31 December 2022 EUR 339 thousand, respectively). The allowance formed by the Company for the inventories as at 31 December 2023 and 2022 (EUR 1.351 thousand and EUR 3.792 thousand, respectively) was formed for illiquid –stationary material and amounts of inventories was greater than their net realizable value. The amount of inventory used (written-off) by the Group and the Company in production of goods for the financial year 2023 accounted under the caption ‘Cost of Sales’ amounts to EUR 185.324 thousand and EUR 161.938 thousand, respectively (EUR 194.989 thousand and EUR 162.016 thousand in 2022, respectively).
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Group | The Group | The Company | The Company | |
| Trade accounts receivable | 22.087 | 21.715 | 22.068 | 21.684 |
| Accounts receivable from related parties | 1.270 | 1.848 | 1.251 | 1.816 |
| Total accounts receivable: | 23.357 | 23.563 | 23.319 | 23.500 |
| Allowance for bad debts | (84) | (193) | (84) | (193) |
| Allowance for bad debts of related parties | - | - | - | - |
| Net trade receivables: | 23.273 | 23.370 | 23.235 | 23.307 |
Changes in the allowance for impairment of trade accounts receivable (EUR thousand):
| 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Group | The Group | The Company | The Company | |
| Balance at beginning of year | 193 | 89 | 193 | 89 |
| Additional allowance made | - | - | - | - |
| Reversals of allowance made | (21) | 104 | (21) | 104 |
| Write-off | - | - | - | - |
| Balance at end of year | 172 | 193 | 172 | 193 |
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
65
Analysis of trade receivables based on the terms of payment on the 31 st December, 2023 (EUR thousand):
Trade accounts receivables past due
| Less than 60 days | 60-120 days | More than 120 days | Not past due | Total (EUR thousand) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Group | The Group | The Group | The Group | The Group | |
| Trade account receivables | 18.703 | 3.265 | 36 | 83 | 22.087 |
| Allowance formed | - | - | (1) | (83) | (84) |
| Trade accounts receivables from related parties | 1.060 | 209 | 1 | - | 1.270 |
| Allowance formed | - | - | - | - | - |
| Less than 60 days | 60-120 days | More than 120 days | Not past due | Total (EUR thousand) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Company | The Company | The Company | The Company | The Company | |
| Trade account receivables | 18.685 | 3.264 | 36 | 83 | 22.068 |
| Allowance formed | - | - | (1) | (83) | (84) |
| Trade accounts receivables from related parties | 1.046 | 204 | 1 | - | 1.251 |
| Allowance formed | - | - | - | - | - |
Analysis of trade receivables based on the terms of payment on the 31 st December, 2022 (EUR thousand):
Trade accounts receivables which due term has passed
| Less than 60 days | 60-120 days | More than 120 days | Which period has not passed | Total (EUR thousand) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Group | The Group | The Group | The Group | The Group | |
| Trade account receivables | 17.420 | 3.433 | 41 | 821 | 21.715 |
| Allowance formed | - | - | (2) | (191) | (193) |
| Trade accounts receivables from related parties | 1.409 | 430 | 9 | - | 1.848 |
| Allowance formed | - | - | - | - | - |
| Less than 60 days | 60-120 days | More than 120 days | Which period has not passed | Total (EUR thousand) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Company | The Company | The Company | The Company | The Company | |
| Trade account receivables | 17.390 | 3.432 | 41 | 821 | 21.684 |
| Allowance formed | - | - | (2) | (191) | (193) |
| Trade accounts receivables from related parties | 1.377 | 430 | 9 | - | 1.816 |
| Allowance formed | - | - | - | - | - |
For the assessment of allowance on intercompany trade receivables, please refer to Note 29.
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Group | The Group | The Company | The Company | |
| Prepaid income tax | - | - | - | - |
| ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania | ||||
| CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023 | ||||
| (All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated) | ||||
| 66 |
| Current portion of long-term loans granted (Note 8) | 1.021 | 1.993 | 1.021 | 1.993 |
| VAT receivable | 520 | 1.668 | 520 | 1.624 |
| Other receivables | 747 | 182 | 747 | 182 |
| | 2.288 | 3.843 | 2.288 | 3.799 |
| Other receivables allowance formed | (652) | (12) | (652) | (12) |
| Total: | 1.636 | 3.831 | 1.636 | 3.787* |
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Group | The Group | The Company | The Company | |
| Cash at bank | 18.092 | 1.721 | 15.751 | 1.060 |
| Cash on hand | 26 | 2 | 26 | 2 |
| Provided guarantees* | 128 | 2 | 128 | 2 |
| Total: | 18.246 | 1.725 | 15.905 | 1.064 |
The share capital is fully paid. Only fully paid ordinary share entitles its owner to one vote at a meeting of shareholders. Shareholders have the right to receive dividends when they are announced, to withdraw part of the capital in the event of a reduction of the share capital, and other property and non-property rights established in the Law on Joint-Stock Companies of Republic of Lithuania and other laws and legal acts. The Company's share capital as at 31 December 2021 amounted to EUR 13.448.750, divided into 46.375.000 ordinary registered shares with a par value of EUR 0,29 per share. On the 15 th of April 2022, the ordinary general meeting of shareholders adopted a decision to reduce the authorized capital of the Company in order to annul 4,637,500 units of its own ordinary registered shares acquired by the Company during share redemption processes. The authorized capital of the Company was reduced from 13,448,750 EUR to 12,103,875 EUR by annulling and declaring invalid 4,637,500 units of ordinary registered shares of the Company, each of which having a nominal value of 0.29 EUR. As of 05/07/2022, the authorized capital consisted of 41,737,500 ordinary registered shares for the amount of 12,103,875 EUR. The nominal value of the share is 0.29 EUR. In 2022, the Company additionally acquired 222,020 units of its own shares for 389 thousand EUR, respectively in 2021 – 3,145,999 units for 5,517 thousand EUR. The reason and purpose of acquiring own shares is to maintain and increase the share price in the market. In 2023, there were no changes in the authorized capital or the acquisition of own shares.
Legal reserve is compulsory reserve under Lithuanian legislation. Annual contributions of at least 5% of the annual ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
67
profit are required until legal reserve reaches 10% of the authorised capital. This reserve cannot be distributed. It can be used only for covering accumulated losses. Legal reserve of the Company wasn’t fully formed.
Other reserves are formed on basis of a decision of the General Shareholders’ Meeting on appropriation of distributable profit. These reserves can be used only for the purposes approved by the General Shareholders’ Meeting. According to the Law of Stock Companies, the reserves formed by the Company other than the legal reserve if not used or not planned to be used should be restored to retained earnings and redistributed. Through the allocation of distributable profit of the year 2021, the shareholders of the Company formed a reserve of EUR 10,000 thousand for the acquisition of the own shares, which was redistributed in the same amount in the year 2022 and 2023. Also, by the decision of the ordinary general meeting of shareholders in April 2023, it was decided to allocate EUR 200 thousand for employee bonuses.
Changes in the grants received by the Group and the Company ( EUR thousand):
| As of 31 December 2021 (balance) | - received | As of 31 December 2022 (balance) | - received | As of 31 December 2023 (balance) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Group | The Group | The Group | The Group | The Group | |
| Grants received | 11.101 | - | 11.101 | - | 11.101 |
| The Company | The Company | The Company | The Company | The Company | |
| Grants received | 8.651 | - | 8.651 | - | 8.651 |
| As of 31 December 2021 (balance) | - amortization | As of 31 December 2022 (balance) | - amortization | As of 31 December 2023 (balance) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Group | The Group | The Group | The Group | The Group | |
| Accumulated amortisation | 8.068 | 297 | 8.365 | 291 | 8.656 |
| The Company | The Company | The Company | The Company | The Company | |
| Accumulated amortisation | 5.968 | 255 | 6.223 | 253 | 6.476 |
| As of 31 December 2021 | As of 31 December 2022 | As of 31 December 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net book value (EUR thousand) | |||
| The Group | The Group | The Group | |
| 3.033 | 2.736 | 2.445 | |
| The Company | The Company | The Company | |
| 2.683 | 2.428 | 2.175 |
The amounts of the grant received are amortized in equal parts within the respective useful service life of the asset acquired from these funds. Grant amortization is included in the statement of comprehensive income, under the caption ‘Cost of Sales’ and reduces depreciation costs of non-current assets. As according to the grant agreement, the Company and the Group is obligated to fulfil the requirements related to Company‘s and Group‘s revenue and net profit. In 2023, the Company and the Group was in compliance with the grant agreement requirements. On the 18 th of December 2020, a contract was signed between the European Social Fund Agency and ABF Šilutės Rambynas, in order to improve the qualifications of employees of AB Žemaitijos pienas and ABF Šilutės Rambynas at the workplace. The financing funds were received for AB Žemaitijos pienas back in 2021 – 129 thousand EUR, for ABF Šilutės Rambynas – 39 thousand EUR, during 2022 – 61 thousand and 26 thousand EUR, respectively. ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EXPLANATORY NOTES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
68
The aforementioned funding was finalised in 2023: Žemaitijos Pienas, AB received EUR 56 thousand and Šilutės Rambynas, ABF – EUR 37 thousand. The funding compensates up to 50% of the salary costs of the production workers and their teachers involved in the project.The funding compensates up to 50% of the salary costs of the production workers and their teachers involved in the project.
The Company has accounted for long-term defined benefit obligations for its employees based on requirements of the Lithuanian Labour Code and also based on additional contractual obligations concluded in the Company’s employee additional rewards policy.
The Company
| | 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 |
| :-------------------------------------------------- | :------------- | :------------- |
| Long term liability of post retirement employee benefits | 691 | 773 |
| Short term liability of post retirement employee benefits | 214 | 205 |
| (Note 2 1 ) | | |
| Long term liability under additional rewards policy | 2.978 | 2.955 |
| Short term liability under additional rewards policy | 440 | 502 |
| (Note 2 1 ) | | |
| Total: | 4.323 | 4.435 |
The Group
| | 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 |
| :-------------------------------------------------- | :------------- | :------------- |
| Long term liability of post retirement employee benefits | 727 | 812 |
| Short term liability of post retirement employee benefits | 277 | 231 |
| (Note 2 1 ) | | |
| Long term liability under additional rewards policy | 3.135 | 3.101 |
| Short term liability under additional rewards policy | 485 | 582 |
| (Note 2 1 ) | | |
| Total: | 4.624 | 4.726 |
| The Group | The Company | |
|---|---|---|
| Post retirement employee benefits and long terms employee benefits (Premium based on additional rewards policy) | ||
| Balance as at 31 December 2021 | 4.254 | 3.924 |
| Change accounted in the statements of comprehensive income | 27 | 65 |
| Actuarial (gain) loss | 445 | 446 |
| Balance as at 31 December 2022 | 4.726 | 4.435 |
| Change accounted in the statements of comprehensive income | 97 | 87 |
| Actuarial (gain) loss | (199) | (199) |
| Balance as at 31 December 2023 | 4.624 | 4.323 |
The main assumptions used in assessing the liability of the Company's long-term employee benefits are presented below:
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Discount rate | 3,78-5,55% | 1,75-3,78% |
| Inflation rate | 4,16% | 6,00% |
| Turnover rate | 20%-24% | 20%-24% |
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EXPLANATORY NOTES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
69
Financial information of subsidiaries that have material non-controlling interests is provided below. Summarised financial information of the subsidiary is as follows (in EUR thousand):
| Silutes Rambynas AB | ||
|---|---|---|
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
| Current assets | 6.433 | 4.871 |
| Non-current assets | 9.233 | 9.225 |
| Current liabilities | 2.087 | 2.199 |
| Non-current liabilities | 295 | 186 |
| Revenue | 33.339 | 38.896 |
| Profit | 1.611 | (1.651) |
| Total comprehensive income | 1.611 | (1.651) |
The subsidiary paid no dividends neither in year 2023 no in year 2022.
Basic earnings (loss) per share are calculated by dividing the net profit attributable to shareholders by the weighted average number of ordinary circulation shares in issue during the year.
| The Group | The Company | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
| Net profit (loss) attributable to the equity shareholders in EUR thousand | 21.253 | 4.150 | 19.668 | 5.460 |
| Weighted average number of circulation shares (units) | 41.515.480 | 41.515.480 | 41.515.480 | 41.515.480 |
| Basic earnings (loss) per share in EUR | 0,51 | 0,10 | 0,47 | 0,13 |
The Company has not issued any other securities convertible to shares. Therefore, the diluted earnings per share are equal to basic earnings per share.
| The Group | The Company | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
| Dividends declared | - | - | - | - |
| Weighted average number of circulation shares (units) | 41.515.480 | 41.515.480 | 41.515.480 | 41.515.480 |
| Dividends declared per share in EUR | - | - | - | - |
As at 31 December 2023, finance lease liabilities of the Group and the Company included liabilities from lease contracts concluded with the leasing companies and liabilities for the right-of-use assets. Future financial lease payments according to the signed financial lease contracts and liabilities for the right-of-use assets are as follows (EUR thousand):
| 2023 12 31 | 2022 12 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimal financial lease payments | Present value of financial lease minimal payments | |
| The Group | ||
| Less than 1 year | 821 | 796 |
| 2 – 5 years | 1.158 | 1.126 |
| Minimal financial lease payments, EUR thousand | 1.979 | 1.922 |
| Less: future interest | (57) | - |
| Present value of minimal financial lease payments, EUR thousand | 1.922 | 1.922 |
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EXPLANATORY NOTES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
70
| 2023 12 31 | 2022 12 31 | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimal financial lease payments | Present value of financial lease minimal payments | |
| The Company | ||
| Less than 1 year | 821 | 796 |
| 2 – 5 years | 1.158 | 1.126 |
| Minimal financial lease payments, EUR thousand | 1.979 | 1.922 |
| Less: future interest | (57) | - |
| Present value of minimal financial lease payments, EUR thousand | 1.922 | 1.922 |
As at 31st December 2023, 2022 the financial lease contracts of the Company and the Group are signed in EUR. The terms and conditions of the contract with all later additions do not provide any restrictions on the Company’s and Group’s activities, associated with dividends, additional borrowings or additional long-term rent.
The loans of the Company and the Group as at 31 st December 2023 (EUR thousand):
| Creditor | Date of agreement | Loan maturity | Currency | 2023.12.31 | 2022.12.31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB SEB bank | 2018-06-11/ 2019 - 07 - 16 | 2024-03-30 | EUR | 1.000 | 2.500 |
| AB SEB bank | 2018-06-11/2022- 06 . - 06 | 2027-05-23 | EUR | 5.250 | 6.750 |
| AB SEB bank | 2018-06-11/2023 | 2028-06-07 | EUR | 3.724 | - |
| AB SEB bank | Overdraft limit | 2024-06-30 | EUR | - | 17.235 |
| Total: | 9.974 | 26.485 |
1) In June 2018, AB Žemaitijos pienas and SEB Bank signed the credit contract. In July 2019, the Company and SEB Bank signed an amendment to the credit contract of June 2018, based on which the Company was granted a new business credit of 6 million EUR. The credit was granted with variable annual interest until March 2024. The production building in Telšiai together with the equipment therein were additionally pledged.
2) In accordance with the additional amendments to this credit contract, SEB bankas granted the Company a credit of 7.5 million EUR in June 2022. The credit is granted until the 23rd of May 2027. The purpose of the loan is to refinance the investments of AB Žemaitijos pienas and ABF Šilutės Rambynas.
3) In accordance with the additional amendments to this credit contract, SEB Bankas granted the Company a credit of EUR 12,135 million in June 2023 (Business Credit III). The last day for granting this credit is 31 December 2024. Additional security for the obligations under this contract is the construction of a wind farm with all its appurtenances and equipment. Under this agreement, in 2023 the Company was granted a credit facility of EUR 3,724 thousand.
4) In June 2020, the Company signed the annex “Account credit overdraft limit I” to the credit contract dated 11/06/2018 for the amount of the overdraft limit of 5 million EUR. Means of ensuring the performance of obligations under the credit contract: the Company’s current account within AB SEB bank, and real and movable property located at Klaipėdos str. 3, Šilutė.
In June 2022, the Company signed an annex “Account credit overdraft limit I” to the credit contract dated 11/06/2018 for the increased amount of the overdraft limit of 10 million EUR. In August 2022, an annex “Account credit overdraft limit I” was signed according to the same credit contract for the increased amount of the overdraft limit of 18 million EUR. Means of ensuring the performance of obligations under the credit contract: the Company’s current account within AB SEB bankas, and real and movable property located at Klaipėdos str. 3, Šilutė.
In addition to the credit contract, the Company has signed a contract with AB SEB bankas on financial indicators and other obligations. The financial indicators and non-financial obligations specified in the contract are being implemented.
In 2023, the Group and the Company repaid 20.235 thousand EUR of loans. As of 31st of December 2023, the balance of loans received by the Group and the Company amounted to 9,974 thousand EUR.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
CONSOLIDATED AND COMPANY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENTS EXPLANATORY NOTES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
71
| The Group | The Company | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
| Payables to suppliers | 14.471 | 17.675 | 13.273 | 16.647 |
| Annual bonuses to the suppliers of raw material* | - | - | - | - |
| Payables to related parties | 184 | 1.549 | 1.816 | 2.163 |
| Advances received | 734 | 861 | 662 | 861 |
| Total: | 15.389 | 20.085 | 15.751 | 19.671 |
Trade payables are non-interest bearing and are normally settled on 30-day terms.
| The Group | The Group | The Company | The Company | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
| Vacation reserve | 1.464 | 1.599 | 1.269 | 1.415 |
| Bonuses for employees | - | - | - | - |
| Wages and salaries payable | 1.607 | 1.405 | 1.447 | 1.263 |
| Social security payable | 1.113 | 914 | 1.004 | 853 |
| Dividends payable | 772 | 796 | 772 | 796 |
| Payables based on defined obligations to employees (Note 15) | 762 | 814 | 654 | 707 |
| Management Bonus | - | - | - | - |
| Accrued expenses | 288 | 404 | 288 | 404 |
| Taxes payable, other than income tax | 753 | 571 | 662 | 528 |
| Other short-term liabilities | 85 | 12 | 31 | 5 |
| Total: | 6.844 | 6.515 | 6.127 | 5.971 |
Other payables are non-interest bearing and have an average term of one month.
For management purposes the Group‘s and the Company‘s business activity is organized as one main segment – dairy products production and trading:
| Sales, EUR thousand | Variation in % | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | As comparing 2023 with 2022 | |
| Fermented cheese | 118.465 | 105.934 | 11,83% |
| Fresh dairy products | 95.584 | 88.851 | 7.58% |
| Butter and spreadable fat mixes | 27.783 | 25.742 | 7,93% |
| Dry dairy products | 24.849 | 25.419 | (2,24)% |
| Other | 11.323 | 17.448 | (35,10)% |
| Total: | 278.004 | 263.394 | 5,55% |
| Sales, EUR thousand | Variation in % | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | As comparing 2023 with 2022 | |
| Fermented cheese | 117.207 | 103.613 | 13,12% |
| Fresh dairy products | 95.098 | 88.320 | 7.67% |
| Butter and spreadable fat mixes | 27.783 | 25.742 | 7,93% |
| Dry dairy products | 24.849 | 25.419 | (2,24)% |
| Other | 12.368 | 19.577 | (36,82)% |
| Total: | 277.305 | 262.671 | 5,57% |
In order to better plan, organise and control sales, employees of the Marketing and Sales Division are assigned different geographic regions according to the location of final market of the products‘ sale. Information on revenue made in different geographical markets is provided below:
| Sales, EUR thousand: | The Group | The Group | The Company | The Company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| Lithuania | 139.220 | 139.058 | 140.049 | 139.953 |
| EU countries | 97.931 | 88.076 | 97.068 | 87.165 |
| Other countries | 40.853 | 36.260 | 40.188 | 35.553 |
| Total, EUR thousand: | 278.004 | 263.394 | 277.305 | 262.671 |
Other non-core activities are considered to be not significant, therefore such information is not provided separately to the decision makers. For the disclosure on the revenues from transactions with a single external customer that amount to 10% or more of the entty's revenues, please refer to Note 28.
| The Group | The Group | The Company | The Company | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| Wages, salaries and social security** | 18.553 | 16.857 | 18.144 | 16.514 |
| Marketing expenses | 7.652 | 8.112 | 7.650 | 8.086 |
| Rent and insurance | 827 | 818 | 802 | 805 |
| Logistic services | 1.564 | 2.001 | 1.375 | 1.833 |
| Repairs | 280 | 915 | 275 | 911 |
| Materials | 1.225 | 1.183 | 1.176 | 1.131 |
| IT consulting | 424 | 357 | 413 | 346 |
| Taxes, other than income tax | 867 | 950 | 756 | 855 |
| Consulting | 283 | 264 | 243 | 158 |
| Depreciation or amortisation | 1.159 | 1.161 | 1.123 | 1.126 |
| Business trips | 213 | 169 | 213 | 160 |
| Trade accounts receivable impairment (reversal) | 532 | 104 | 532 | 104 |
| Utilities | 403 | 532 | 293 | 361 |
| Production for advertising purposes | 114 | 164 | 113 | 160 |
| Telecommunication | 55 | 50 | 51 | 45 |
| Pension reserve and other employee related accruals | 50 | (6) | 41 | 30 |
| Employee bonuses | 2.011 | 1.553 | 2.011 | 1.553 |
| Other expenses | 1.459 | 2.285 | 1.350 | 2.171 |
| Inventory allowance (reversal)* | (1.914) | 3.953 | (2.441) | 3.546 |
| Total: | 35.757 | 41.422 | 34.120 | 39.895 |
** A part of salary and social security expenses and employee bonuses is accounted under Cost of Sales (the Company during 2023 and 2022 accounted EUR 15.512 and 11.655 thousand respectively, the Group accounted EUR 18.069 and EUR 13.944 thousand respectively)
| The Group | The Group | The Company | The Company | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| Other operating income | ||||
| Goods for resale sales income | 277 | 284 | 263 | 307 |
| Gain on disposal of property, plant and equipment | 22 | 131 | 19 | 114 |
| Rental income | 610 | 480 | 573 | 434 |
| Other | 6 | 109 | 7 | 127 |
| 915 | 1.004 | 862 | 982 | |
| Other operating expenses | ||||
| Cost of goods for resale sold | (205) | (239) | (210) | (228) |
| Rental expenses | (320) | (317) | (318) | (315) |
| Other | (137) | (140) | (125) | (164) |
| (662) | (696) | (653) | (707) | |
| Net income and expenses of other activities: | 253 | 308 | 209 | 275 |
Future rent income according to the signed rent agreements are as follows (EUR thousand):
| Rent Income | The Group | The Group | The Company | The Company |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | 31 st Dec 2023 | 31 st Dec 2022 | |
| Less than 1 year | 657 | 449 | 658 | 449 |
| 2 – 5 years | 1.109 | 1.330 | 1.109 | 1.330 |
| Over 5 years | - | - | - | - |
| Total: | 1.766 | 1.779 | 1.767 | 1.779 |
In the year 2023 and 2022 the currency of the rent income agreements was EUR.
| The Group | The Group | The Company | The Company | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2022 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| Income from financial and investment activities | ||||
| Interest income | 210 | 107 | 210 | 107 |
| Foreign currency exchange gain | - | 42 | - | 42 |
| Other financial income | 190 | 93 | 190 | 93 |
| Goodwill/merger result | - | - | - | - |
| 400 | 242 | 400 | 242 | |
| Expenses from financial and investment activities | ||||
| Foreign currency exchange (loss) | (53) | - | (53) | - |
| Interest expense | (745) | (352) | (745) | (350) |
| Other financial expenses | (3) | 3 | (3) | 4 |
| (801) | (349) | (801) | (346) | |
| Total: | (401) | (107) | (401) | (104) |
| The Group | The Company | The Group | The Company | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | 2022 | |
| Current income tax expenses | 3.307 | 3.238 | 1.393 | 1.393 |
| Change in deferred income tax asset | 307 | 100 | (781) | (836) |
| Change in deferred income tax accounted through OCI | - | - | - | - |
| The correction of prior year income tax | - | - | - | - |
| Income tax expenses (income) recognised in the statement of comprehensive income | 3.614 | 3.338 | 612 | 557 |
| The Group | The Company | The Group | The Company | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2023 | 2022 | 2022 | |
| Profit before tax | 25.063 | 23.006 | 4.561 | 6.017 |
| Income tax, applying valid tax rate (15%) | 3.521 | 3.451 | 903 | 903 |
| Permanent differences | 375 | 169 | (176) | (231) |
| Investment incentive utilization | (282) | (282) | (115) | (115) |
| Change in deferred tax allowance | - | - | - | - |
| Deffered tax recognition from investment incentive that was not previously recognised | - | - | - | - |
| Income tax expenses (income) reported in the statement of comprehensive income | 3.614 | 3.338 | 612 | 557 |
| The correction of prior year income tax | - | - | - | - |
| Income tax expenses (income) reported in the statement of comprehensive income | 3.614 | 3.338 | 612 | 557 |
| The Group | The Group | The Company | The Company | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Dec 2023 | 31 Dec 2022 | 31 Dec 2023 | 31 Dec 2022 | |
| Deferred income tax asset | ||||
| Accounts receivable | 110 | 31 | 110 | 31 |
| Inventory allowance | 282 | 630 | 203 | 569 |
| Accrued vacation reserve | 191 | 213 | 190 | 212 |
| Other accrued expenses | 698 | 708 | 654 | 665 |
| Tax loss | 93 | 273 | - | - |
| Investment incentive | - | - | - | - |
| Total deferred income tax asset | 1.374 | 1.855 | 1.157 | 1.477 |
| Deferred income tax asset realization allowance* (-) | (-) | (-) | (-) | (-) |
| Deferred income tax asset (after realization allowance) | 1.374 | 1.855 | 1.157 | 1.477 |
| Deferred income tax liability | ||||
| Change in depreciation rates of tangible assets | (1.081) | (1.255) | (762) | (982) |
| Total deferred income tax liability, in total | (1.081) | (1.255) | (762) | (982) |
| Deferred income tax asset, net | 293 | 600 | 395 | 495 |
During the financial year 2023 the Company had litigation proceedings indicated below. The list of important decisions of judicial, enforcement cases, administrative processes that have been or are being carried out by state institutions and that have been examined and are being examined in 2023.
In the course of using financial instruments, the Company and the Group face the following risks:
* Credit risk;
* Liquidity risk;
* Market risk.
The present note provides information on each of the aforementioned risks the Company/Group faces, the Company’s/Group’s risk evaluation goals, policy and risk valuation and management processes, as well as the Company’s/Group’s capital management.
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
76
The Company’s management is completely responsible for development and supervision of the Company’s/Group’s risk management structure. The Company’s/Group’s risk management policy is devoted to identification and analysis of the risks the Company faces, determination of respective risk limits and controls, and monitoring of the observance of risks and limits. Risk management policy and risk management system are regularly revised to match the changes of market conditions and the Company’s/Group’s activities. With the help of trainings, procedures of management standards, the Company/Group aims to develop a disciplined and constructive management environment, where every employee knows his/her functions and duties.
Credit risk is the risk that the Company will suffer financial losses in case if a customer or another party fails to fulfil their respective obligations, and in most cases such risk is related with amounts receivable from the Company’s customers. The Company’s and the Group’s credit risk consisted of the following:
| \multicolumn{2}{c | }{The Group} | \multicolumn{2}{c | }{The Company} | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 12 2023 | 31 12 2022 | 31 12 2023 | 31 12 2022 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 18.246 | 1.725 | 15.905 | 1.064 |
| Loans granted | 1.400 | 1.645 | 1.400 | 1.645 |
| Trade accounts receivable | 23.273 | 23.370 | 23.235 | 23.307 |
| Other accounts receivable | 1.636 | 3.831 | 1.636 | 3.787 |
| Other | - | 126 | - | 126 |
| Total financial assets | 44.555 | 30.697 | 42.176 | 29.929 |
The Group and the Company have no significant concentration of trading counterparties, which is related with one partner or group of partners with similar characteristics. In 2022, there was one client in the Group and in the Company with the outstanding trade receivables higher than 10% calculated from total trade receivables before trade receivables allowance whereas in 2023 Client No. 1 and Client No. 2 had outstanding trade receivables higher than 10%. The composition of trade receivables is presented in the table below. Moreover, Client No. 1 generated more than 10% of total Company’s revenue during 2022 and 2023.
| \multicolumn{2}{c | }{The Group} | \multicolumn{2}{c | }{The Company} | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 12 31 | 2022 12 31 | 2023 12 31 | 2022 12 31 | |
| Customer No. 1 | 17% | 19% | 17% | 19% |
| Customer No. 2 | 11% | 10% | 11% | 10% |
| Customer No. 3 (related party) | 3% | 5% | 3% | 5% |
Customers’ credit risk, or the risk, that the partners will not keep to their obligations, is managed by approving credit terms and procedures of control. The Group’s procedures are in force to ensure on a permanent basis that sales are made to customers with an appropriate credit history and do not exceed an acceptable credit exposure limit. An impairment analysis is performed at each reporting date using a provision matrix and individual assessment to measure expected credit losses. The provision rates are based on days past due for groupings of various customer segments with similar loss patterns. The calculation reflects the probability-weighted outcome, the time value of money and reasonable and supportable information that is available at the reporting date about past events, current conditions and forecasts of future economic conditions. Based on the analysis performed, the Company/Group concluded that its customers fall under the low-credit risk category.
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
77
The maximum exposure to credit risk is represented by the carrying amount of each financial asset, including derivative financial instruments, if any, in the statement of financial position. Consequently, the Group considers that its maximum exposure is reflected by the amount of financial assets presented above. With respect to loans granted, trade receivables and other receivables that are neither impaired nor past due, there are no indications as of the reporting date that the debtors will not meet their payment obligations since the Company trades only with recognized, creditworthy third parties. The credit risk on liquid funds is limited because the counterparties of the Group and the Company are banks belonging to international financial groups with high credit ratings assigned by international credit-rating agencies.
Liquidity risk is the risk that, upon maturity, the Company and the Group will be unable to fulfil its financial liabilities. The Group’s liquidity management objective is to maximally secure sufficient liquidity of the Group, which enables the Group to fulfil its obligations under both, normal and complicated circumstances, without suffering unacceptable losses and being exposed to the risk of losing its good reputation. The Group’s policy is to maintain sufficient cash and cash equivalents or have available funding through an adequate amount of committed credit facilities, bank overdrafts and credit lines to meet its commitments at a given date in accordance with its strategic plans. The tables below summarise the maturity profile of the Group’s and the Company’s financial liabilities to banks and suppliers based on contractual undiscounted payments:
The Group
| On demand | Up to 3 months | From 3 months to 1 year | From 1 year to 5 years | More than 5 years | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance as of 31 December 2022 | ||||||
| Trade payables | - | 18.535 | - | - | - | 18.535 |
| Trade payables to related parties | - | 1.550 | - | - | - | 1.550 |
| Loans received | - | 875 | 19.860 | 5.750 | - | 26.485 |
| Financial lease | - | 271 | 646 | 1.617 | - | 2.534 |
| Other financial debts | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Balance as of 31 December 2022 | - | 21.231 | 20.506 | 7.367 | - | 49.104 |
| Balance as of 31 December 2023 | ||||||
| Trade payables | - | 15.204 | - | - | - | 15.204 |
| Trade payables to related parties | - | 185 | - | - | - | 185 |
| Loans received | - | 1.375 | 1.558 | 7.041 | - | 9.974 |
| Financial lease | - | 228 | 568 | 1.126 | - | 1.922 |
| Other financial debts | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Balance as of 31 December 2023 | - | 16.992 | 2.126 | 8.167 | - | 27.285 |
The Company
| On demand | Up to 3 months | From 3 months to 1 year | From 1 year to 5 years | More than 5 years | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance as of 31 December 2022 | ||||||
| Trade payables | - | 17.508 | - | - | - | 17.508 |
| Trade payables to related parties | - | 2.163 | - | - | - | 2.163 |
| Loans received | - | 875 | 19.860 | 5.750 | - | 26.485 |
| Financial lease | - | 271 | 646 | 1.617 | - | 2.534 |
| Other financial debts | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Balance as of 31 December 2022 | - | 20.817 | 20.506 | 7.367 | - | 48.690 |
| Balance as of 31 December 2023 | ||||||
| Trade payables | - | 13.935 | - | - | - | 13.935 |
| Trade payables to related parties | - | 1.816 | - | - | - | 1.816 |
| Loans received | - | 1.375 | 1.558 | 7.041 | - | 9.974 |
| Financial lease | - | 228 | 568 | 1.126 | - | 1.922 |
| Other financial debts | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Balance as of 31 December 2023 | - | 17.354 | 2.126 | 8.167 | - | 27.647 |
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
78
Market risk is the risk that market price changes, e.g. raw materials (i.e. milk), foreign exchange rates or interest rates, will affect the Company’s income or the value of financial instruments. The objective of market risk management is to manage and control the market risk, considering certain limits, through optimization of the return.
Major currency risks of the Group and Company occur due to the fact that the Group and Company is involved in imports and exports. The Group’s policy is to match cash flows arising from highly probable future sales and purchases in each foreign currency. The Group does not use any financial instruments to manage its exposure to foreign exchange risk other than aiming to borrow in EUR. The monetary assets and liabilities stated in various currencies were as follows (EUR thousand):
The Group
| 31 12 2023 Assets | 31 12 2023 Liabilities | 31 12 2022 Assets | 31 12 2022 Liabilities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUR | 39.450 | 40.223 | 30.415 | 59.993 |
| USD | 4.419 | 28 | 249 | 29 |
| PLN | 730 | 21 | 115 | 12 |
| GBP | 29 | 1 | 40 | 0 |
| HUF | 351 | 13 | 160 | 9 |
| Other | 2 | - | 2 | 0 |
| Total: | 44.981 | 40.286 | 30.981 | 60.043 |
The Company
| 31 12 2023 Assets | 31 12 2023 Liabilities | 31 12 2022 Assets | 31 12 2022 Liabilities | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EUR | 37.033 | 39.605 | 29.622 | 58.850 |
| USD | 4.419 | 28 | 249 | 29 |
| PLN | 730 | 21 | 115 | 12 |
| GBP | 29 | 1 | 40 | 0 |
| HUF | 351 | 13 | 160 | 9 |
| Other | 2 | - | 2 | 0 |
| Total: | 42.564 | 39.668 | 30.188 | 58.900 |
The fair value of the Group’s and the Company’s investment property was estimated based on the third level of fair value hierarchy (Note 6). The fair value of financial assets and liabilities provided in the statement of financial position as at the 31 December 2023 does not significantly differ from their carrying amounts. Trade payables and receivables accounted for in the Group’s and the Company’s statement of financial position should be settled within a period shorter than three months, therefore, it is deemed that their fair value equals their carrying amount as at 31 December 2023 and 2022 (third level of fair value hierarchy).
Company’s code 180240752, Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, Lithuania
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2023
(All amounts in EUR thousands unless otherwise stated)
79
The fair value of non-current borrowings is based on the similar non-current borrowings available in the market or on the current rates available for borrowings with the same maturity and risk profile.The fair value of non-current borrowings with variable interest rates approximates their carrying amounts (third level of fair value hierarchy). Capital management The objective of the Group‘s and the Company’s management policy is to maintain a significant level of owner’s equity compared to borrowed funds to avoid discrediting investors, creditors and market trust, as well as maintain development of activities in the future. The management observes the return on capital and presents offers on payment of dividends to owners of ordinary shares, considering the Company’s financial results and strategic plans. The primary objectives of the capital management are to ensure that the Group and the Company comply with externally imposed capital requirements and that the Group and the Company maintains healthy capital ratios in order to support its business and to maximise shareholders’ value. As of 31 December 2023 The Group‘s and Company’s capital consists of share capital in the amount of EUR 12,104 million, own shares (-) EUR 389 million, retained earnings, other reserves and legal reserve. Under the Lithuanian laws a company has to maintain its equity at no less than ½ of its share capital, the Company was in compliance with this requirement as of 31 December 2023 and 2022. No changes were made to the objectives, policies or processes of the Group’s and Company’s capital management during the year ending as of 31 December 2023. The Group and the Company manages its capital structure and makes adjustments to it in the light of changes in economic conditions and the risk characteristics of its activities. The Group and the Company monitor capital using debt to equity ratio. There is no specific target for debt to equity ratio set out by the Group’s and the Company’s management, however the management strives for maintaining the balance between higher return, which could be achieved through a higher level of liabilities, and safety, which is provided by a higher level of owner’s equity.
Related parties of the Group and the Company are:
- the parties that control, are controlled by or are under common control with the Company;
- the parties that have significant influence over the Company;
- the parties that are management members of the Company or its parent company;
- close members of the family of the aforesaid persons;
- the companies that are under control or significant influence of the aforesaid persons.
The main related parties of the Group and the Company are:
| Item No. | Company Name | Company Details | Nature of Main Activities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Šilutės Rambynas, ABF | Company code: 277141670; address: Klaipėdos g. 3, Šilutė, LT-99115 | Dairy activities and cheese making |
| 2. | Žemaitijos pieno investicija, AB | Company code: 300041701; address: Sedos g. 35, Telšiai , LT-87101 | Renting and operating own and rented real estate |
| 3. | Klaipėdos pienas, AB | Company code: 240026930; address: Šilutės pl. 33, Klaipėda, LT-91107 | Ice-cream production |
| 4. | Čia Market, UAB | Company code: 141354683, address: Sedos g. 35A, Telšiai LT-87101 | Retail trade in non-specialized stores. |
| 5. | Muižas piens, SIA | Company code: 4 0003786632, address: Bauskas iela 58a-8, 5stavs room 507, Riga, LV-1004, Latvia | Wholesale trade in food products, marketing |
| 6. | Samogitija, UAB | Company code: 302501454, address: Narutavičių g. 4, Telšiai, LT-87101 | Production, transportation, storage, distribution, etc. of dairy and other food products. |
| 7. | S.A.R. Dziugas France | Company code: 75186 0669, address: Rue 10 de Penthievre 75008, Paris | Production and sale of dairy products |
| 8. | Dziugas USA L.L.C. | Company code: 0400754292, address: Five greentree centre, ste. 104, 525 Route 73 North Marlon, NJ08053, | Wholesale import, marketing of dairy products |
| 9. | Dziugas Eesti OU | Company code: 14324189, address: Punane 56, Tallinn, Estonia | Wholesale import, sales and marketing of dairy products |
| 10. | Dziugas Poland | Company code: 368496450, address: ul. Luki Wielke 5, Warsaw, Poland | Activities of agents trading in food and beverages |
| 11. | Baltic Holding, UAB | Company code: 302688114, address: Įgulos g. 18B -4, Klaipėda | IT services |
| 12. | Nepriklausoma tyrimų laboratorija, UAB | Company code: 110824551, address: Narutavičių g. 4, Telšiai | Laboratory and other tests of materials and analysis services |
| 13. | Dziugas Deutschland GmbH | Company code: HRB 154342, address: Neuer Wall 41, 20354 Hamburg , Germany | Marketing and product sales |
| 14. | Dziugas Hungary Kft | Company code: 01-09-325932, address: 1064 Budapest, Podmaniczky u. 57.2 emelet 14, Vengrija | Wholesale import, sales and marketing of dairy products |
| 15. | Dziugas UK Ltd | Company code: 11405400; address: 10 Bloomsbury Way, London WC1A 2SL, United Kingdom | Activities of agents trading in food and beverages |
| 16. | Danutė Pažemeckienė | Virvytės 36, Telšiai | Rent of premises |
Milk purchase/sales, acquisition/sales of fixed assets and inventory, purchase/sales of services and other transactions between associated parties are carried out under normal/usual market conditions.
Sales to and purchases from related parties (EUR thousand):
| The Group | The Company | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 12 2023 | 31 12 2022 | 31 12 2023 | 31 12 2022 | |
| 1) Sales | ||||
| Sales of goods | ||||
| To the subsidiary Šilutės Rambynas ABF | - | - | 1.132 | 2,695 |
| Total to subsidiary | - | - | 1.132 | 2.695 |
| To other related parties | ||||
| Klaipėdos pienas AB | 1.454 | 1.835 | 1.403 | 1.292 |
| Žemaitijos pieno investicija AB | 496 | 0 | - | 0 |
| Čia Market UAB | 5.490 | 5.733 | 5.491 | 5.733 |
| Dziugas USA LLC | - | - | - | - |
| Dziugas UK Ltd | 898 | 210 | 898 | 210 |
| S.A.R.Dziugas France | - | - | - | - |
| Dziugas Deutschland GmbH | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Dziuugas Hungary Kft | 430 | 205 | 430 | 205 |
| Dziugas Eesti OU | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Dziugas Poland | 1.553 | 1.004 | 1.553 | 1.004 |
| Nepriklausoma tyrimų laboratorija UAB | 21 | 17 | 19 | 14 |
| Muizas piens SIA | 756 | 977 | 756 | 977 |
| Total to other related parties | 11.098 | 9.995 | 10.550 | 9.449 |
| Total Sales: | 12.373 | 11.403 | 12.937 | 13.615 |
| 2) Purchases | ||||
| From the subsidiary Šilutės Rambynas ABF | - | - | 12.717 | 8.105 |
| Total from subsidiary | - | - | 12.717 | 8.105 |
| From other related parties | ||||
| Samogitija UAB | 19 | 12 | 19 | 12 |
| Čia Market UAB | 1.535 | 2.237 | 1.533 | 2.236 |
| Klaipėdos pienas AB | 86 | 98 | 86 | 98 |
| Žemaitijos pieno investicija AB | 914 | 910 | 913 | 910 |
| Muizas piens SIA | 449 | 460 | 449 | 460 |
| Nepriklausoma tyrimų laboratorija UAB | 1.521 | 1.451 | 1.195 | 1.127 |
| Dziugas Poland | 819 | 645 | 819 | 645 |
| Dziugas UK Ltd | 280 | 190 | 280 | 190 |
| Dziugas Hungary Kft | 393 | 338 | 393 | 338 |
| Dziugas Deutschland GmbH | 101 | 362 | 101 | 362 |
| S.A.R.Dziugas France | 85 | 256 | 85 | 255 |
| Dziugas USA LLC | - | - | - | - |
| Dziugas Eesti OU | 346 | 288 | 346 | 288 |
| Danutė Pažemeckienė | 114 | 112 | 114 | 112 |
| Total from other related parties | 6.662 | 7.359 | 6.333 | 7.033 |
| Total Purchases: | 6.662 | 7.359 | 19.050 | 15.138 |
| The Group | The Company | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 12 2023 | 31 12 2022 | 31 12 2023 | 31 12 2022 | |
| 3) Accounts receivable and financial debts | ||||
| Subsidiary Šilutės Rambynas ABF | - | - | - | - |
| Other related parties | ||||
| Samogitija UAB | - | 0 | - | 0 |
| Čia Market UAB | 709 | 1.155 | 707 | 1.154 |
| Klaipėdos pienas AB (including loan) | 477 | 1.781 | 461 | 1.750 |
| Žemaitijos pieno investicija UAB | - | - | - | - |
| Muizas piens SIA | 128 | 119 | 128 | 119 |
| Dziugas Hungary Kft | 30 | 33 | 30 | 33 |
| Dziugas Deutschland GmbH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| S.A.R.Dziugas France | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Dziugas Eesti Ou | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| Dziugas Poland | 81 | 180 | 81 | 180 |
| Dziugas UK Ltd | 136 | 52 | 136 | 52 |
| Dziugas USA LLC | - | - | - | - |
| Total balances of receivables: | 1.570 | 3.321 | 1.551 | 3.289 |
| 4) Balances of payables | ||||
| Subsidiary Šilutės Rambynas ABF | - | - | 1.661 | 1.242 |
| Other related parties | ||||
| Žemaitijos pieno investicija UAB | 16 | 1.346 | 16 | 746 |
| Klaipėdos pienas AB | - | - | - | - |
| Čia Market UAB | - | - | - | - |
| Muizas piens SIA | - | - | - | - |
| Samogitija UAB | 11 | 40 | 11 | 40 |
| Nepriklausoma tyrimų laboratorija UAB | 126 | 125 | 96 | 96 |
| Dziugas Poland | - | - | - | - |
| Dziugas UK Ltd | - | - | - | - |
| S.A.R.Dziugas France | - | 10 | - | 10 |
| Dziugas USA LLC | - | - | - | - |
| Dziugas Deutschland GmbH | - | - | - | - |
| Dziugas Hungary Kft | - | - | - | - |
| Dziugas Eesti OU | 32 | 29 | 32 | 29 |
| Total balances of payables: | 185 | 1.550 | 1.816 | 2.163 |
In 2023-2022, the Company did not account for the impairment of debts related to amounts that belong to related parties. The assessment of these doubtful debts is reviewed each financial year by examining the related party's financial position, the market in which the related party operates and future factors as described in Note 3 (Impairment of Financial Assets). The main assumptions used by the Company's management in assessing the value of doubtful debts were as follows: (a) the period during which it is expected to recover the existing debt balance. As at 31 December 2023, the debts were due for repayment (as at 31 December 2022, it was one year). As at 31 December 2023 and 31 December 2022, there were no indications of applying related party impairment to receivables.# AB „ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS“ CONSOLIDATED GOVERNANCE REPORT
General information on corporate governance report ...................................... 2
Main risk factors and risk management .......................................................... 2
Management of companies (group) ................................................................ 7
Other governance information ...................................................................... 14
Compliance with the corporate governance code ......................................... 15
Governance report of AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS (hereinafter – Report) provides main information and principles regarding management and related processes. During development of the Consolidated governance report one followed the Law on Financial Statements of Companies of the Republic of Lithuania and Law on Consolidated Financial Statements of Groups of Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, legal acts regulating issuer legal form and activities, documents on incorporation of issuer and affiliated Company and other legal acts.
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS (hereinafter - the Company) is a large public interest entity whose securities are traded on the regulated market of the Republic of Lithuania. The Company has a subsidiary (subsidiary) - ABF Šilutės Rambynas, which is a medium-sized company (hereinafter - the Companies or the Group). As both Companies are related, therefore the consolidated Report is provided.
The Report indicates key risks faced during pursuant in economic activities, their mitigation measures and processes, provides information on the structural bodies of both Companies, data on shareholders and their (directly or indirectly) shareholdings, shareholders' rights, transactions concluded by the Group in accordance with the procedure established in Article 37 2 of the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania as well as data on the Group management and other bodies, systems policies on election of their members, powers and functions of bodies, information on following to the Corporate Governance Code for the Companies, review of other information related to the Group management. other information required by law.
The governance report for 2023 is an integral part of the consolidated annual report and is published on the Company's website http://www.zpienas.lt/lt and www.nasdaqomxbaltic.com in accordance with the procedure established by legal acts.
The risk management of the Group's companies is based on the principles of COSO ERM (The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations’ Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Framework), which defines ERM as: „Enterprise risk management is not a function or a division, but the culture, capabilities, and practices, integrated with strategy-setting and performance, that organizations rely on to manage risk in creating, preserving, and realizing value “.
Risks in our operations are inherent and may be related to strategic objectives, performance, compliance with laws and regulations, and key environmental, social and governance priorities. Risk management starts with the individual and collective abilities of the organization’s employees; knowledge of risks, their significance and impact on the organization; approach to strong risk management as an important contribution to effective organizational governance. All employees of the Group are encouraged to be open, honest and guided by the facts when discussing risks and their management, thus enabling the Group to consider all possible opportunities and risks and to make informed decisions.
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT
For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
The main objectives of risk management are:
Risk management enables the successful business development of the Group of companies in line with our business principles and organizational values.
Risk - the influence of surprise, uncertainty on goals (deviation from what we expected). The approach of the Group of companies is twofold: RISK = THREATS + OPPORTUNITIES. Risks are rarely isolated, so management identifies the interactions between risks when identifying them. The risk is assessed according to its consequences and probability of occurrence. Risk management requires a broad understanding of the business environment (internal and external factors) that may affect the achievement of strategic and business objectives. As the business environment changes, so do the risks, their impact, and management priorities. In the Group of companies, risks are divided into categories. Reviewing and categorizing risks is an ongoing, uninterrupted process, the frequency and extent of which depend on changes in the business environment. The following are selected examples of risks specific to our industry. A definitive and static definition of all possible types of risks is not possible due to the ever-changing business environment.
| Risk categories | Description, examples |
|---|---|
| Strategic | ◦ Reduction in business vitality due to competition and increasing pricing pressures ◦ Loss of intellectual property and trade secrets ◦ Increasing geopolitical barriers to trade in the form of protectionism and nationalism ◦ Production quality control, including changes in food safety standards ◦ Negative impact to reputation/loss of public trust |
| Operational | ◦ Supply chain breakdown and / or- insufficient / inappropriate information flow within the organization and / or with suppliers and buyers ◦ Loss of business continuity or resilience ◦ Third party risk - the quality of relations with external business partners and their relations with their partners, including human rights issues ◦ Availability of key materials, labour and other critical resources ◦ Inefficient use of resources/increased product cost |
| Cybersecurity | ◦ Hacking, data loss, breach, fraud ◦ Impact to availability of critical information systems ◦ Security incident at critical third-party affecting business operations |
| Environmental | ◦ Environmental, social and governance perceptions - opportunities to identify strategies to address long- term sustainability ◦ Restriction of labour resources and trade due to the effects of diseases and viruses ◦ Increased severe weather events such as storms, flooding, drought |
| Social | ◦ Human capital development risks, including leadership sustainability, management succession and capability, employee engagement and accountability ◦ Unfair labour practices, including collective bargaining, freedom of association and grievance processes |
| Compliance | ◦ Increasing regulatory changes and enforcement in areas such as: - Animal welfare and protection - Protection and handling of personal information in accordance with data protection requirements - Employee health and safety - Selling and promotion of products, including health compliance, healthy eating promotion, climate change programs, anti-corruption trade requirements, other governmental, international programs ◦ Product quality, safety and effectiveness concerns ◦ Significant legal proceedings, including product liability |
| Financial | ◦ Credit risk related with the fulfilment of obligations of customers or other parties to the Group of companies ◦ Liquidity risk related with the fulfilment of the Group's obligations to suppliers and other bound parties ◦ Achievement of the set / planned financial results, economic exponents ◦ Changes in tax laws or exposures to additional tax liabilities ◦ Fluctuating currency exchange rates; inflation and currency devaluation ◦ Impact of interest rates changes ◦ Risk of errors / non-compliances in financial statements ◦ Risk of changes in the value of assets and liabilities ◦ Risk of capital adequacy ratio and maintenance |
Depending on the complexity of the risks, their interactions, probabilities, impacts and ability to
The Company and the Group have concluded a number of transactions with related parties (AB “Žemaitijos pieno investicija” group companies) and the Group's profit and sales are significantly affected by transactions with AB “Žemaitijos pieno investicija” group. Transactions include the leasing of fixed assets, the sale of raw materials and the purchase of manufactured products (cheese) from ABF “Šilutės Rambynas”, the sale of the finished products to UAB “Čia Market”, and the sale of raw materials, production and services to AB "Klaipėdos Pienas".
There were no significant events after the balance sheet date that could significantly affect the financial reporting of the Company and the Group as at 31 December 2023.
83
The Company and the Group have concluded a number of transactions with related parties (AB “Žemaitijos pieno investicija” group companies) and the Group's profit and sales are significantly affected by transactions with AB “Žemaitijos pieno investicija” group. Transactions include the leasing of fixed assets, the sale of raw materials and the purchase of manufactured products (cheese) from ABF “Šilutės Rambynas”, the sale of the finished products to UAB “Čia Market”, and the sale of raw materials, production and services to AB "Klaipėdos Pienas".
There were no significant events after the balance sheet date that could significantly affect the financial reporting of the Company and the Group as at 31 December 2023.
83
2023 AB „ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS“ CONSOLIDATED GOVERNANCE REPORT
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT
For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
1 CONTENT
General information on corporate governance report ...................................... 2
Main risk factors and risk management .......................................................... 2
Management of companies (group) ................................................................ 7
Other governance information ...................................................................... 14
Compliance with the corporate governance code ......................................... 15
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT
For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
2
Governance report of AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS (hereinafter – Report) provides main information and principles regarding management and related processes. During development of the Consolidated governance report one followed the Law on Financial Statements of Companies of the Republic of Lithuania and Law on Consolidated Financial Statements of Groups of Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, legal acts regulating issuer legal form and activities, documents on incorporation of issuer and affiliated Company and other legal acts.
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS (hereinafter - the Company) is a large public interest entity whose securities are traded on the regulated market of the Republic of Lithuania. The Company has a subsidiary (subsidiary) - ABF Šilutės Rambynas, which is a medium-sized company (hereinafter - the Companies or the Group). As both Companies are related, therefore the consolidated Report is provided.
The Report indicates key risks faced during pursuant in economic activities, their mitigation measures and processes, provides information on the structural bodies of both Companies, data on shareholders and their (directly or indirectly) shareholdings, shareholders' rights, transactions concluded by the Group in accordance with the procedure established in Article 37 2 of the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania as well as data on the Group management and other bodies, systems policies on election of their members, powers and functions of bodies, information on following to the Corporate Governance Code for the Companies, review of other information related to the Group management. other information required by law.
The governance report for 2023 is an integral part of the consolidated annual report and is published on the Company's website http://www.zpienas.lt/lt and www.nasdaqomxbaltic.com in accordance with the procedure established by legal acts.
INTERNAL CONTROL SYSTEM, RISK MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
The risk management of the Group's companies is based on the principles of COSO ERM (The Committee of Sponsoring Organizations’ Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Framework), which defines ERM as: „Enterprise risk management is not a function or a division, but the culture, capabilities, and practices, integrated with strategy-setting and performance, that organizations rely on to manage risk in creating, preserving, and realizing value “.
Organizational structure, roles and responsibilities of risk management
Risks in our operations are inherent and may be related to strategic objectives, performance, compliance with laws and regulations, and key environmental, social and governance priorities. Risk management starts with the individual and collective abilities of the organization’s employees; knowledge of risks, their significance and impact on the organization; approach to strong risk management as an important contribution to effective organizational governance. All employees of the Group are encouraged to be open, honest and guided by the facts when discussing risks and their management, thus enabling the Group to consider all possible opportunities and risks and to make informed decisions.
GENERAL INFORMATION ON CORPORATE GOVERNANCE REPORT
RISK SCOPE, FACTORS AND RISK MANAGEMENT
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT
For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
3
The main objectives of risk management are:
• Expeditious management of internally identified risks related to compliance with laws and other legal acts by ensuring the production and supply of quality products, consumer safety, satisfaction and proper customer relations;
• Supporting strategies to ensure resource efficiency; enabling an optimized, proactive approach to audit and compliance identification/recovery processes; promoting monitoring and reporting of functional compliance;
• Continuous improvement of decision-making, planning and prioritization in the assessment of opportunities and threats;
• Promoting value creation by enabling the management to respond quickly, effectively, and efficiently to future events that create uncertainty and indicate a significant threat or opportunity.
Risk management enables the successful business development of the Group of companies in line with our business principles and organizational values.
MAIN RISKS, THEIR FACTORS AND RISK MANAGEMENT
Risk - the influence of surprise, uncertainty on goals (deviation from what we expected). The approach of the Group of companies is twofold: RISK = THREATS + OPPORTUNITIES. Risks are rarely isolated, so management identifies the interactions between risks when identifying them. The risk is assessed according to its consequences and probability of occurrence. Risk management requires a broad understanding of the business environment (internal and external factors) that may affect the achievement of strategic and business objectives. As the business environment changes, so do the risks, their impact, and management priorities. In the Group of companies, risks are divided into categories. Reviewing and categorizing risks is an ongoing, uninterrupted process, the frequency and extent of which depend on changes in the business environment. The following are selected examples of risks specific to our industry. A definitive and static definition of all possible types of risks is not possible due to the ever-changing business environment.
Risk categories Description, examples
Strategic ◦ Reduction in business vitality due to competition and increasing pricing pressures
◦ Loss of intellectual property and trade secrets
◦ Increasing geopolitical barriers to trade in the form of protectionism and nationalism
◦ Production quality control, including changes in food safety standards
◦ Negative impact to reputation/loss of public trust
Operational ◦ Supply chain breakdown and / or- insufficient / inappropriate information flow within the organization and / or with suppliers and buyers
◦ Loss of business continuity or resilience
◦ Third party risk - the quality of relations with external business partners and their relations with their partners, including human rights issues
◦ Availability of key materials, labour and other critical resources
◦ Inefficient use of resources/increased product cost
Cybersecurity ◦ Hacking, data loss, breach, fraud
◦ Impact to availability of critical information systems
◦ Security incident at critical third-party affecting business operations
Environmental ◦ Environmental, social and governance perceptions - opportunities to identify strategies to address long- term sustainability
◦ Restriction of labour resources and trade due to the effects of diseases and viruses
◦ Increased severe weather events such as storms, flooding, drought
Social ◦ Human capital development risks, including leadership sustainability, management succession and capability, employee engagement and accountability
◦ Unfair labour practices, including collective bargaining, freedom of association and grievance processes
Compliance ◦ Increasing regulatory changes and enforcement in areas such as:
Animal welfare and protection
Protection and handling of personal information in accordance with data protection requirements
Employee health and safety
Selling and promotion of products, including health compliance, healthy eating promotion, climate change programs, anti-corruption trade requirements, other governmental, international programs
◦ Product quality, safety and effectiveness concerns
◦ Significant legal proceedings, including product liability
Financial ◦ Credit risk related with the fulfilment of obligations of customers or other parties to the Group of companies
◦ Liquidity risk related with the fulfilment of the Group's obligations to suppliers and other bound parties
◦ Achievement of the set / planned financial results, economic exponents
◦ Changes in tax laws or exposures to additional tax liabilities
◦ Fluctuating currency exchange rates; inflation and currency devaluation
◦ Impact of interest rates changes
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT
For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
4
Risk categories Description, examples
◦ Risk of errors / non-compliances in financial statements
◦ Risk of changes in the value of assets and liabilities
◦ Risk of capital adequacy ratio and maintenance
Depending on the complexity of the risks, their interactions, probabilities, impacts and ability tomanage the situation, the behavior of the risks (response) is different. In the general case, the access to risk response of the Group companies is as follows:
The following is a more detailed description of the risks that the Group companies identify as the most important (priority) for the period 2023 and the directions of management of these risks:
Business resilience risk is highly related to the environment in which the Company and the Group operate and which affect the Company's and the Group's performance. This is the competitiveness of the Company and the Group; economic viability of the Company's and the Group's largest customers; the political and economic environment in the European Union and Russia; legal regulations for the purchase of the main raw materials. The major risk faced by AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS is raw milk seasonality: in summer one purchases twice as much milk than in winter, therefore such situation at the raw milk market has negative impact on both Companies. Therefore, production capacities of the Company are used irregularly: in summer the Company operates with full capacity, and in winter – could be with only 60 per cent capacity. So, wishing to ensure raw milk supply, the Company pays to raw milk suppliers (farmers) higher price than it is paid at the market. The main reasons for the Company's lack of milk as a milk processor are the high standards of milk quality and dairy farms in the EU, including regulations related to the Climate change policy; A large part of the milk purchased by cooperatives in Lithuania is exported from the country, because milk processors can no longer pay higher raw material prices due to cheaper milk products imported into the country more freely by foreign competitors (e. g. Poland). The rise in energy prices is affecting the Company and the Group due to rising production costs. As the price of fuel becomes more expensive, the transportation costs of importing raw materials and distributing products increase. In order to reduce these risks, the Company and the Group streamline production by digitizing and standardizing workplaces, investing in energy cost optimization solutions, optimizing logistics routes. In order to move in the direction of sustainable business, in 2023 the Company has concluded a transaction with the wind power plant manufacturer ENERCON GmbH for the purchase and installation of 2 (two) wind power plants at Telšiai district. The total value of the transaction reaches over 10 million Euros (excl. VAT). The installation completion of power plants is scheduled for the end of 2024. The total power of power plants will reach 8.4 MW. By investing in green energy, the Company aims to continue going in the direction of sustainable business, thereby contributing to the fight against climate change. It is expected that the amount of green electricity produced by these wind power plants will meet the most part of Company's electricity consumption needs.
The Company and the Group face competitive risk at the local market, so the main objective of the Company and Group is to increase export sales directly to “shelves” of marketing networks. In order to avoid lack of sales specialists, the Company has associated companies in strategic countries that employ sales specialists in those countries, thus reducing the risk of shortage of specialists. Ambitious goals are also being set for the increasing export to EU countries, development of e-commerce and export distribution channels.
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT
For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
5
Reputation risk is related to the decisions made by the Company and the behavior of employees. Reputation and honor in the Company and the Group are valued as the foundation of business and business relationships. The Company has the Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics sets standards of conduct for all employees, regardless of their position, scope of employment and other conditions. With regard to reduce the risk of corruption and bribery, the Company and the Group have implemented appropriate internal processes, also has approved Anti-corruption policy. Also Company's and the Group's has equal opportunities policy was approved as well. In order to achieve high standards of compliance with competition law and ethical treatment of its competitors the Company has approved Competition Compliance Policy. According to the management assessment, the implemented measures are effective.
Purchases of goods (basic, auxiliary materials, parts, equipment, etc.) and services in the Company are carried out by public and closed tenders or by sending inquiries/inquiries to suppliers of services or goods. The supplier of goods or services is usually selected from three commercial offers. The Company and the Group have procedures for identifying and analyzing purchase and supplier risk factors. When selecting key suppliers, internal audits of suppliers are performed. Contracts with suppliers are prepared and signed in accordance with the procedures provided for in the approved procedure for concluding, coordinating and approving contracts between the Company and the Group. The Company has a legal department that oversees all signed contracts between the Company (or Group companies) and the suppliers and buyers.
The Company and the Group companies, as well as all Lithuanian and World business organizations, live in the conditions of increased threat and impact of these risks. The most important risks in this category today are the impact of the Russia’s war in Ukraine, impact of climate change and the increased threat of cyber-attacks and hacking. Due to their uniqueness and importance in today's context, these risks and their management approaches have been discussed in the Annual Report and the impact on the financial statements in the Explanatory Note. Therefore, the information in the Management Report is no longer duplicated. The influence of the war in Ukraine is managed by the Company's management closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine and sanctions in order to comply with them. The Company has an approved Sanctions Policy, which helps to ensure that no transactions are made with sanctioned persons. The impact of climate change and compliance with legal requirements are managed on the basis of the company's established procedures, procedures and through targeted project activities. The threat of cyber-attacks and possibilities of break-ins are managed according to the company's current procedures. The company has implemented modernization work for critical communications, server, software and also security systems.
The Company and the Group are exposed to major financial risks, most of which are market risks. Financial risk management is an integral part of the Group's Financial Management Policy, which in turn is an integral part of the Group's Risk Management System. The main risks of the financial category faced by the Company and the Group to date are interest rate, exchange rate risk, liquidity and credit risks. The Company and the Group operate internationally, therefore they are exposed to the risk of foreign exchange rate fluctuations. International business involves settlements in foreign currencies, which exposes it to the risk of foreign exchange fluctuations, which are related to fluctuations in the exchange rates of the Polish zloty, the US dollar and other currencies. Foreign exchange risk arises from future commercial transactions, recognized assets and liabilities and net investments in foreign operations when the recognized assets and liabilities are denominated in a currency that is not the functional currency of the Company and of the Group. The primary currency in which the Company and the Group makes settlements is the Euro. The Company's and the Group's operating income and expenses are largely independent of changes in market interest rates. However, the Company is exposed to interest rate change risk due to long-term loans. In order to determine the impact of interest rates on the Company's performance, positions are identified that give rise to the interest rate risk.# Assets and liabilities that are sensitive to changes in interest rates include the Company's actual transactions, such as: deposits, investments, loans granted, securities held by the Company and any other on-balance sheet and off-balance sheet transactions whose value depends on fixed or variable interest rates and positively correlates with interest rate fluctuations. The Company does not use any financial instruments to hedge against the risk of interest rate fluctuations, but the situation is constantly monitored to ensure that such decisions are made in a timely manner if necessary.
In order to ensure the timely settlement of receivables, before signing purchase and sale agreements with the client/buyer, the buyer's financial and economic situation is checked through available sources (data provided by the client, various databases, registers, etc.). The concentration of customers in the dairy industry determines the overall credit risk of the Company and the Group, as these customers may be similarly exposed to changes in environmental and economic conditions. The Company has procedures in place, including a Credit Risk Management Policy, to ensure that sales do not exceed AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023 6 the accepted credit risk limit, i. e. the Company evaluates the reliability of each business partner both when selling and buying goods or services, i.e. - performs reliability analysis. Sale of products (dispatch of goods) in the Company begins if there is a 90-100% payment guarantee. Various payment guarantees apply, such as: 100% prepayment; mortgage of liquid real estate (value is determined by property valuers); a bank guarantor (this is a settlement security, but not a settlement instrument, it is used when payment is not made); documentary letter of credit (L/C); the most commonly used trade credit limit insurance; document collection (payment procedure when the bank undertakes to mediate for the seller of the goods in order to obtain payment for the goods from the buyer). The Company is among those Lithuanian companies that pays for purchased goods and services on time, and evaluates, rates and determines the reliability of their customers. In each case, it is decided what kind of hedging can and must be required from customers, what kind of credit limit and payment deferral in days may be granted. Customers’ settlements are constantly monitored and analysed. Because this type of risk is well managed, the Company does not have new large “bad” debts, which makes it easier to plan its cash flows
The Company's policy is to maintain a sufficient amount of cash and cash equivalents and, if necessary, to attract additional external financing in order to fulfil its strategic plans and commitments and maintain an optimal capital structure. As liquidity is determined by the asset-liability ratio, the aim is to have a liquidity ratio close to or higher than 1. Liquidity risk is managed by planning and forecasting cash flows, which helps to pro-proactively identify potential cash shortages and facilitate the choice of financing method. Cash flow forecasts are prepared for one month, year and long-term - up to 3-5 years. The cash flow forecast anticipates cash receipts and payments and enables to plan short-term borrowing and investing money. Until the end of the current year, the forecast shows the main trends in working capital and cash flow: the need for external financing of activities or the possibility of investing funds is identified, the impact of possible interest rates and currency exchange risk is assessed. At the end of the current year, the monetary budget for the following year is drawn up. Long-term forecasting (over a year) is part of strategic business planning. These cash flow projections provide with information on the extent of the cash surplus or extra need: when the cash surplus or extra need will arise, the extension of the period of the surplus or extra need, how the cash surplus will be used or the need will be financed. For the cash flow projections until the end of the month or the current year the cash payments and receipts method is exploited, and the sources and uses of funds method is embraced for the next year's budget plan or for the next 3- 5 years. Cash flow forecasting is necessary due to the uneven distribution of income and expense flows. Payments for goods sold are deferred from 14 to 30 days, in rare cases - up to 60-90 days. Suppliers are paid for services and goods on average within thirty days, and raw milk providers / farmers – within 15-20 days from the end of the decade. Based on these facts, the forecasts for the month, week are quite accurate. There is the aim to agree on a deferral of payments with suppliers of goods and services for up to 60 days. The company has a loan committee that assesses the risk of loans granted to employees and milk providers / farmers. The Company has approved lending regulations, based on which the members of the loan committee evaluate the applications of borrowers. Loans are not granted if the borrower does not have to offer liquid real estate / movable property as collateral. A conservative approach to liquidity risk management allows the Company to maintain the required amount of cash while maintaining funding flexibility.
The Company seeks to minimize the risk of legal non- compliance and ensure that the Company's activities comply with applicable legal requirements and standards. For this purpose, the Company's lawyers participate in decision-making, preparation of various procedures and agreements, coordination processes. Representatives of potential clients, who visited the Company several times with the independent audit engagements, positively assessed the conditions of the existing infrastructure, the organization of the main operational and safety processes, cooperation with related third parties and the designed control system. The Company's Audit Committee supervises the preparation of consolidated financial statements; internal control and financial reporting risk management system; compliance with the legislation governing the preparation of consolidated financial statements. The Company is responsible for the quality and timely preparation of the consolidated financial statements. The Company's and the Group's risk management is implemented through a Risk Management System with integrated internal policies, procedures and regulations in line with the organization's operating principles, values and business philosophy. The proper functioning of internal control is implemented through the development and maintenance of an appropriate control environment; continuous monitoring and evaluation; horizontal and vertical communication, including information systems supporting business processes. The Company has separated business decision-making and operational functions from controlling functions; the limits of decision-making power are set and their control is provided for; defined collegial decision-making in business processes, etc. The overall logic of the functioning of internal control is presented in the Map of the Risk Management System
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023 7
Management bodies of AB „ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS“ are: (i) The General Meeting of Shareholders; (ii) The Supervisory council; (iii) The Board; ir (iv) Chief Executive Officer (CEO, General Manager). Administration of the Company, consisting of structural divisions – departments, is subordinate to General Manager. The Company has the following departments: (i) Financial; (ii) Legal and personnel; (iii) Logistics; (iv) Production and Raw material purchase; (v) Sales and Marketing; and (vi) Central purchasing. Also the Company has operating Audit Committee.
GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
PRODUCTION AND RAW MATERIAL PURCHASE DEPARTMENT
SALES AND MARKETING DEPARTMENT
FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT
LEGAL AND PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT
LOGISTICS DEPARTMENT
CENTRAL PURCHASING DEPARTMENT OF GROUP COMPANIES
BOARD
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (CEO)
INTERNAL AUDITOR
SUPERVISORY COUNCIL
MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANIES
AUDIT COMMITTEE
SECRETARIAT
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023 8
The General Meeting of Shareholders is the supreme body of the Company responsible for taking of decisions. Competence of the General Meeting of Shareholders, its convocation procedure, rights and obligations do not differ from competence of the General Meeting of Shareholders, its convocation procedure and rights and obligations provided for in the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, other legal acts and Articles of Association of the Company. It should be noted that due to the fact that the shares of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB are traded on the stock exchange, the number of shareholders and their structure are constantly changing. Assessing the data obtained from the intermediary of public trading in securities, on 31 of December 2023, there were 3182 shareholders (natural and legal persons). While at the beginning of the year 2023 there were 3152 shareholders. Thus, the number of shareholders increased during the reporting period. On 2023 the structure of the Company’s major shareholders holding more than 5 % of the capital had no changes. It should also be noted, that during 2023 the Company still owns 222,020 of its own shares or 0,53% of its authorized capital.
| Shareholder | Number of shares owned, pcs. |
| :---------- | :--------------------------- |# AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT
For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
Neither AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, nor ABF Šilutės Rambynas have been restricted in terms of the transfer (disposal of) securities, or subject to any other constraints, including those imposed on voting rights. The shareholders of both Companies exercise their property and non-property rights, and are obliged to perform the duties specified in the Republic of Lithuania Law on Companies, and the Articles of Association of the Company. All of the issued shares grant their holders equal rights laid out in the Republic of Lithuania Law on Companies, other legislation, and the Company’s Articles of Association.
All registered ordinary shares of the companies carry equal voting rights and are of equal nominal value. Each share grants its holder one vote during general shareholder meetings. The companies do not know of any restrictions, bans and/or other special conditions which have been applicable to their securities or shareholdings during the reporting period, and are not aware of (have no data on) any systems in accordance with which the property rights attached to securities have been separated from the holders thereof. The companies do not know of any special control rights held by any individual shareholders (shareholder), which leads them to believe that no such shareholders exist, and are not aware of any special agreements drawn up between shareholders or Groups thereof which could fundamentally alter, give rise to, or terminate their rights and duties with regards to controlling the Company, including affecting the interests of the Group or the shareholders.
Shareholders of the Companies shall have the following property rights:
(i) to receive a part of the Company profit;
(ii) to receive a part of the assets of liquidated companies;
(iii) to receive shares free of charge, provided that authorized capital has been increased using Company funds, except in cases specified by the law;
(iv) in cases where the shareholder is a natural person – to bequeath all shares, or a part thereof, to one or more persons;
(v) having regard to the procedure and conditions laid out by the law, to sell or otherwise transfer all shares, or part thereof, to other persons;
(vi) other rights conferred by legislation;
Shareholders of the Companies shall have the following non-property rights:
(i) to attend meetings;
(ii) according to the rights granted by the shares to vote at the meetings;
(iii) to receive non-confidential information about the economic activity of the company under the conditions and on the grounds established by legal acts;
(iv) to elect and be elected to the management and control bodies of the company, to hold any position in the company, unless otherwise provided by the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania;
(v) to submit specific proposals for the improvement of the company's financial, economic, organizational, etc. activities, to appeal to the court against the decisions or actions of the shareholders' meetings, the Supervisory Board, the Board and the manager of the company that violate the laws of the Republic of Lithuania, the Company's Articles of Association, shareholders' property and non-property rights. One or more shareholders have the right to claim compensation for damage caused to shareholders without a separate authorization;
(vii) other non-property rights established by law.
A person acquires all the rights and obligations granted to him by the part of the authorized capital and / or voting rights acquired in the company: in case of increase of authorized capital - from the date of registration of amendments to the Company's Articles of Association related to increase of the authorized capital and/or voting rights, in other cases - from the acquisition of ownership rights to the part of the authorized capital of the Company and/or voting rights.
The companies do not know of any significant agreements drawn up between shareholders or by any shareholders who have been conferred any special control rights. Furthermore, based on the available data, shares held by the shareholders are not subject to any restrictions, constraints, or special rights. As far as the Company is aware, all shareholders are free to exercise their property and non-property rights attached to the shares. There have been no arrangements wherein AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS is a party and which would enter into force, change, or be terminated in the event of a change in control of the issuer, or the effects thereof, except in cases where due to the nature of the arrangements the disclosure thereof would cause significant damage to the issuer. The same situation is with ABF Šilutės Rambynas. The companies have not entered into any unusual agreements with members of the bodies or employees that would would provide for compensation in the event of their resignation or dismissal without just cause or if their employment is terminated due to a change in control of the issuer.
During the reporting period, there have been no harmful transactions which: fail to comply with the aims of the Company or the Group, or with regular market conditions; violate the interests of the shareholders or other groups of persons; and have had any negative impact on the operations of the Company or the performance thereof, or might have such an impact in the future. There were also no transactions concluded due to conflicts of interest between the Company's managers, controlling shareholders or other parties' obligations to the Company and their private interests and (or) obligations.
The Supervisory Board of the Company is a collegial supervisory body, responsible for the Company activity supervision, managed by the Chairman. Supervisory Board of the Company consists of 3 members elected by the General Meeting of Shareholders for the period of four years. Articles of Association of the Company provide that number of cadencies of the Board members is unlimited. By 31 December 2023 the Supervisory Board was independent, because all members of the Supervisory Board do not have any relationships with the Company. More detailed aspects related to the Supervisory Board and its activities are reviewed in the Report on Following to the Corporate Governance Code. It should be noted that no special rules regulating election, replacement of members of the Supervisory Board are applied. These actions are taken in accordance with provisions of the Law on Companies and Articles of Association of the Company. No special policies related to age, gender, education, professional experience applied to election of members. We appreciate personal properties which would be the best for interests of the Group and shareholders. Functioning of the Supervisory Board is regulated in the Work Procedure of the Supervisory Board.
Chairman of the Company’s Supervisory Council. Elected to the Supervisory Council on the 2 August, 2021, by the ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders for a four- year term. Education: Vilnius university, Master of commerce. Participation in activities of other companies and (or) organizations: Compensa Vienna Insurance Group, Head of Klaipėda region. Supervising Company’s field of sales of products and finances.
Member of the Company’s Supervisory Council. Elected to the Supervisory Council on the 2 August, 2021, by the ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders for a four- year term. Education: Kaunas Polytechnic Institute, mild and dairy products technologist-engineer. Does not participate in any activities of other companies, institutions and (or) organizations. Supervising Company’s field of quality parameters in production processes, performs quality control of raw milk and also controls companies that provide raw milk test services, also performs tasting supervision.
Member of the Company’s Supervisory Council. Elected to the Supervisory Council on the 2 August, 2021, by the ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders for a four- year term. Education: Kaunas Polytechnic Institute, milk and dairy products technologist-engineer.# AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT
For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
Does not participate in any activities of other companies, institutions and (or) organizations. Supervising Company’s manufacturing processes and development of new products. During 2023, the following amounts were accrued to the members of the Supervisory Board for their work on the Supervisory Board:
No loans were granted to the members of the Supervisory Board, no guarantees were issued, no assets were disposed of.
The Board of the Company – a collegial management body representing the shareholders of the Company within the period between their meetings and making decisions on the most important issues of the Company’s economic activities. The Board of the Company does not perform supervisory functions since these functions are delegated to the Supervisory Board of the Company. All members of the Board have the powers provided for by law, the Articles of Association of the Company and the Rules of Procedure of the Board adopted by it. All members of the Board are responsible for the specific economic activity spheres of the Company. Currently, the Board consists of 5 (five) members. The members of the Board are elected by the Supervisory Council for a maximum four-year period. The number of their cadencies is unlimited. It should be noted that no special rules regulating election, replacement of members of the Board are applied. These actions are taken in accordance with provisions of the Law on Companies and Articles of Association of the Company. The election of members is not subject to special policies related to age, gender, education, professional experience, and the qualities that would best suit the interests of the Group and shareholders are assessed. The activities of the Board are managed by the chairman who is elected by the members of the Board. Specific aspects related to the Board and its activity is provided in the Report on Following to the Company Management Code. Below are the data about the members of the Board of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB. In addition to the general and statutory functions, the members of the Board of the Company also carry out delegated special and individual functions directly related to the activities of the Companies, including some functions oriented to prevention in order to avoid various negative external impacts.
Member of the Board of the Company since 24-08-2021, until the term of office of the acting Board of Company. Chairman of the Board. Education: Vilnius University, Master of laws. Workplace: General Manager of the Company. Does not participate in the management of other companies. Holds 2540 pcs. of Company’s shares. The shareholding of the Company is less than 0.05%.
Member of the Board of the Company since 24-08-2021, until the term of office of the acting Board of Company. Education: Kaunas University of Technology, bachelor of transport engineering; Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, master of transport engineering. Workplace: ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Logistics director. Participation in the management of other companies - Member of the Board of Čia Market, UAB (code 141354683, Sedos 35a, Telšiai, LT-87101). Do not hold Company shares.
Member of the Board of the Company since 24-08-2021, until the term of office of the acting Board of Company. Education: Kaunas Polytechnic Institute (KTU), engineer - economist. Workplace: ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Chief Accountant. Does not participate in the management of other companies. Holds 475 160 pcs of Company shares. The Company's shareholding is 1.14%.
Member of the Board of the Company since 27-07-2022, until the term of office of the acting Board of Company. Education: University degree - Kaunas Polytechnic Institute - mechanical engineer. Workplace: ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Sales manager. Does not participate in the management of other companies. Together with the spouse under the right of joint ownership holds 33.69% of the Company’s shares
Member of the Board of the Company since 24-08-2021, until the term of office of the acting Board of Company. Education: Kaunas University of Technology, Bachelor of food chemistry and engineering; Kaunas University of Technology, Master of manufacturing/engineering. Workplace: ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB Chief production manager. Does not participate in the management of other companies. Do not hold Company shares.
During 2023, no remuneration or other monetary amounts were accrued to the members of the Board of Company. Board member Monika Jasiulionienė had a balance of unpaid loans of 135,948 euros on 31/12/2023. Loans were granted with interest and mortgage of real estate. Loans were granted with interest and mortgage of real estate. No loans were granted to other members of the Board, no guarantees were issued, no assets were disposed of. All members of the Board are employees of the Company, therefore they were paid according to their duties.
The Manager of Company is the CEO, who is acting on the basis of the Company’s Articles of Association, the decisions of the General Meeting of Shareholders, Board decisions and other Company’s local acts. The manager of the Company is elected by the Board of the Company. The Manager shall organise Company’s daily activities and implement the actions required to perform the functions, to implement the decisions of Company’s management bodies and to ensure Company’s business. The CEO of the Company is a responsible one and reports to the Board on a regular basis. It should be noted that no special rules, regulating selection or replacement of the Manager of the Company, are applied; when taking these actions the Company shall follow the Law on Companies and the provisions of Articles of Association of the Company. The members of management, control and supervisory bodies of the Company are elected in accordance with the requirements of the legislation, considering the skills, qualifications and professional experience of these persons; moreover, before being elected to the relevant body each candidate shall fill in a declaration of conflict of interests. The Company believes that such a system of election of candidates for a position fully meets the interests of the Company and the majority of shareholders. The administration of the Company consists of the CEO, Chief production officer, Logistics director, Sales and marketing department director, Procurement manager, Legal and personnel department director, Chief financial officer, Chief Accountant and other staff performing administrative functions. Administration of the Company is managed by the CEO. The departments of the Company are the structural subdivisions of the Company that execute and implement the decisions, orders and other instructions of the Board and the CEO of the Company.
General Manager. Employed in the company since August 26, 2002. Holds 2540 pcs. Company shares. The shareholding of the Company is less than 0.05%.
The position of CFO is currently vacant.
Chief Accountant. Has been working for the company since July 29, 1986. Holds 475,160 pcs. Company shares. The Company's shareholding is 1.14%.
Chief Production Officer. Has been working for the company since August 10, 2020. Has no shares of the Company.
Director of Logistics. Employed in the Company since 01/12/2003. Has no shares of the Company.
The position of Director of the Personnel and Legal Department is currently vacant.
Director of Sales and Marketing. Employed in the Company since October 1, 1998. Has no shares of the Company.
Marketing Manager. Has been working since November 28, 2018. Education: Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Bachelor of Communication. Has no shares of the Company.
Head of Purchasing Department. Has been working in the company since 2017-07-03. Education: higher. Has no shares of the Company.
Audit Committee of the Company – the Company has an Audit Committee consisting of three members. On 19 June, 2023 the Supervisory Board of the Company has elected the following members of the Company's Audit Committee, two of whom are independent: Nijolė Zibalienė (chairwoman), Regina Domarkienė and Sigita Leonavičienė. The main functions of the audit committee are to perform unexpected financial inspections, inventories of material values, to submit proposals on the optimization of processes, to perform other duties assigned by legal acts. This committee also performs the advisory function of the Company's Supervisory Board, and its main task is to increase the efficiency of the work of the Supervisory Board in the field of the Company's financial supervision, to help ensure that impartial and well-considered decisions are made. It should be noted that there are no other committees or bodies established in the Company. No loans were granted to the members of the Audit Committee, no guarantees were issued, no assets were transferred, no premiums, extra fees, bonuses, bonuses and any other benefits were paid, except for the amount paid to the chairwoman of the Audit Committee under the service agreement.
An independent member of the Audit Committee since 2017. Former chairwoman of the Audit Committee. During 2023 the calculated remuneration with taxes is EUR 5,000. Term ended on 06/19/2023.# MANAGEMENT OF SUBSIDIARY ABF „ŠILUTĖS RAMBYNAS“
For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
13
The bodies of ABF Šilutės Rambynas (hereinafter - Šilutės Rambynas) are: (i) the General Meeting of Shareholders; (ii) the Management Board; and (iii) the sole managing body is the head of the company (CEO). There are also administrative staff working under the authority of the manager. The company does not have a supervisory board and an audit committee.
The competence of the General Meeting of Shareholders, the rights and duties of the shareholders are provided by the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, as well as other legal acts and the Articles of Association of the Company. The Articles of Association of Šilutė Rambynas are being amended or separate new provisions are being adopted in accordance with the usual procedure established by legal acts.
The activities of the Board of Šilutė Rambynas, the election and replacement of its members are subject to the same rules as those established by AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, as well as the requirements of the Law on Companies and the Articles of Association of the Company. The members of the Board are not granted any other or special powers than provided by law and the Articles of Association of the Company. The members of the Board of Šilutės Rambynas do not have special functions or authorizations, e.g. certain activities of the company are not assigned, except those that perform the duties arising from the employment contract, if they are employees of the company.
The administration of Šilutė Rambynas consists of the Director General, Chief Production Officer, Technical Director, Transport Manager, Sales Manager, Production Manager, Chief Accountant and other employees. The administration of the company is headed by the CEO. The directors / managers implement the goals and tasks set by the management bodies of the Company, perform the functions according to the competencies assigned to them and manage the subordinate employees.
During the reporting period (2023), no amounts were accrued to the members of the Board of Šilutė Rambynas for their work in the Board. The directors / managers of the administration were paid EUR 224 thousand under their employment contracts. The average amount per administration manager was € 56,936.
During the reporting period, no guarantees or sureties were given to the members of the Board, the General Manager and the Chief Accountant, no property or other property rights were transferred. Board members, company director, chief accountant has no material obligations to the company, just as the company has no obligations to those persons. There were no guarantees and sureties and / or other means of securing obligations to ensure the fulfillment of obligations of other entities (manager, chief accountant) on behalf of the issuer during 2023, the issuer did not grant loans to these entities either.
During 2023 ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB and Šilutės Rambynas, ABF transactions with related parties as provided for in Article 37(2) of the Law on Companies of the Republic of Lithuania, were not concluded. Other transactions between the parties referred to the company's financial statements.
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT
For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
15
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB, acting in compliance with Paragraph 3 of Article 12 of the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on Securities and Paragraph 24.4 of the Listing Rules of NASDAQ Vilnius AB, hereby discloses how the Company complies with the Corporate Governance Code of NASDAQ Vilnius, as well as its specific provisions and recommendations. In the event of non-compliance with this Code or any of its provisions or recommendations, the specific provisions or recommendations which are not complied with and the reasons for such non-compliance must be stated. In addition, other explanatory information provided in this form must be provided.
The Company’s management structure consists of four levels – general meeting of shareholders, supervisory board, management board and manager. In 2023, the supervisory board consisted of three members, whereas the management board consisted of five members; members of the management board are elected and dismissed from office by the supervisory board; the management board has a competence to elect and dismiss from office the manager of the company.
The Company generally complies with the recommendations of the Corporate Governance Code of the companies listed on the NASDAQ VILNIUS, except for the recommended conditions related to the establishment of nomination and remuneration committees and the assignment of certain functions to the competence of these committees (clauses 5.2 and 5.3). The Company has the opinion that the emergence of these bodies would be excessive, disproportionate to the Company's management objectives, increase the Company's administrative costs, and the Company's Board and Supervisory Board are responsible for performing these functions (according to their competence).
| PRINCIPLES / RECOMMENDATIONS | YES / NO / IRELEVANT | COMMENT |
|---|---|---|
| Principle 1: General meeting of shareholders, equitable treatment of shareholders, and shareholders’ rights The corporate governance framework should ensure the equitable treatment of all shareholders. The corporate governance framework should protect the rights of shareholders. | ||
| 1.1. All shareholders should be provided with access to the information and/or documents established in the legal acts on equal terms. All shareholders should be furnished with equal opportunity to participate in the decision-making process where significant corporate matters are discussed. | Yes | The Company publishes the most significant information in public, provides it at general meetings of shareholders, as well as provides other ways of access to it and participation in the company’s governance in the manner and under the procedure laid down in legal acts. |
| 1.2. It is recommended that the company’s capital should consist only of the shares that grant the same rights to voting, ownership, dividend and other rights to all of their holders. | Yes | The Company’s shares currently grant equal rights to all shareholders. |
| 1.3. It is recommended that investors should have access to the information concerning the rights attached to the shares of the new issue or those issued earlier in advance, i.e. before they purchase shares. | Yes | The recommendations are complied according to the procedure laid down in legal acts. |
| 1.4. Exclusive transactions that are particularly important to the company, such as transfer of all or almost all assets of the company which in principle would mean the transfer of the company, should be subject to approval of the general meeting of shareholders. | Yes | According to the procedure laid down in legal acts. |
| 1.5. | ||
| ## For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023 |
Procedures for convening and conducting a general meeting of shareholders should provide shareholders with equal opportunities to participate in the general meeting of shareholders and should not prejudice the rights and interests of shareholders. The chosen venue, date and time of the general meeting of shareholders should not prevent active participation of shareholders at the general meeting. In the notice of the general meeting of shareholders being convened, the company should specify the last day on which the proposed draft decisions should be submitted at the latest.
Yes
According to the procedure laid down in legal acts.
1.6. With a view to ensure the right of shareholders living abroad to access the information, it is recommended, where possible, that documents prepared for the general meeting of shareholders in advance should be announced publicly not only in Lithuanian language but also in English and/or other foreign languages in advance. It is recommended that the minutes of the general meeting of shareholders after the signing thereof and/or adopted decisions should be made available publicly not only in Lithuanian language but also in English and/or other foreign languages. It is
Yes
The recommendation is complied with, rights of shareholders living abroad to access the information and/or familiarise with it are ensured.
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recommended that this information should be placed on the website of the company. Such documents may be published to the extent that their public disclosure is not detrimental to the company or the company’s commercial secrets are not revealed.
1.7. Shareholders who are entitled to vote should be furnished with the opportunity to vote at the general meeting of shareholders both in person and in absentia. Shareholders should not be prevented from voting in writing in advance by completing the general voting ballot.
Yes
Shareholders are furnished with the opportunity to vote both, in advance and in person in general meetings of shareholders.
1.8. With a view to increasing the shareholders’ opportunities to participate effectively at general meetings of shareholders, it is recommended that companies should apply modern technologies on a wider scale and thus provide shareholders with the conditions to participate and vote in general meetings of shareholders via electronic means of communication. In such cases the security of transmitted information must be ensured and it must be possible to identify the participating and voting person.
Yes
The company, after assessing justified, real and reasonable proposals on the application of electronic means of communication in general meetings of shareholders, also after assessing other conditions, including interests of all shareholders, economic costs, technological feasibility and other aspects, would consider this recommendation.
1.9. It is recommended that the notice on the draft decisions of the general meeting of shareholders being convened should specify new candidatures of members of the collegial body, their proposed remuneration and the proposed audit company if these issues are included into the agenda of the general meeting of shareholders. Where it is proposed to elect a new member of the collegial body, it is recommended that the information about his/her educational background, work experience and other managerial positions held (or proposed) should be provided.
Yes
It is complied with in so far as it is reasonable and practicable.
1.10. Members of the company’s collegial management body, heads of the administration1 or other competent persons related to the company who can provide information related to the agenda of the general meeting of shareholders should take part in the general meeting of shareholders. Proposed candidates to member of the collegial body should also participate in the general meeting of shareholders in case the election of new members is included into the agenda of the general meeting of shareholders.
Yes
It is complied with in so far as it is reasonable and practicable.
The supervisory board of the company should ensure representation of the interests of the company and its shareholders, accountability of this body to the shareholders and objective monitoring of the company’s operations and its management bodies as well as constantly provide recommendations to the management bodies of the company. The supervisory board should ensure the integrity and transparency of the company’s financial accounting and control system.
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2.1.1. Members of the supervisory board should act in good faith, with care and responsibility for the benefit and in the interests of the company and its shareholders and represent their interests, having regard to the interests of employees and public welfare.
Yes
The majority of the supervisory board is independent. This enables to ensure their responsible actions with respect to all interest holders.
2.1.2. Where decisions of the supervisory board may have a different effect on the interests of the company’s shareholders, the supervisory board should treat all shareholders impartially and fairly. It should ensure that shareholders are properly informed about the company’s strategy, risk management and control, and resolution of conflicts of interest.
Yes
The majority of the supervisory board is independent. This enables to ensure their responsible actions with respect to all interest holders.
2.1.3. The supervisory board should be impartial in passing decisions that are significant for the company’s operations and strategy. Members of the supervisory board should act and pass decisions without an external influence from the persons who elected them.
Yes
The majority of the supervisory board is independent. This enables to ensure their responsible actions with respect to all interest holders.
2.1.4. Members of the supervisory board should clearly voice their objections in case they believe that a decision of the supervisory board is against the interests of the company. Independent2 members of the supervisory board should:
a) maintain independence of their analysis and decision-making;
b) not seek or accept any unjustified privileges that might compromise their independence
Yes
2.1.5. The supervisory board should oversee that the company’s tax planning strategies are designed and implemented in accordance with the legal acts in order to avoid faulty practice that is not related to the long-term interests of the company and its shareholders, which may give rise to reputational, legal or other risks.
Yes
2.1.6. The company should ensure that the supervisory board is provided with sufficient resources (including financial ones) to discharge their duties, including the right to obtain all the necessary information or to seek independent professional advice from external legal, accounting or other experts on matters pertaining to the competence of the supervisory board and its committees.
Yes
Conditions are established for proper discharge of duties.
The procedure of the formation of the supervisory board should ensure proper resolution of conflicts of interest and effective and fair corporate governance.
2.2.1. The members of the supervisory board elected by the general meeting of shareholders should collectively ensure the diversity of qualifications, professional experience and competences and seek for gender equality. With a view to maintain a proper balance between the qualifications of the members of the supervisory board, it should be ensured that members of the supervisory board, as a whole, should have diverse knowledge, opinions and experience to duly perform their tasks.
Yes
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For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
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2.2.2. Members of the supervisory board should be appointed for a specific term, subject to individual re-election for a new term in office in order to ensure necessary development of professional experience.
Yes
2.2.3. Chair of the supervisory board should be a person whose current or past positions constituted no obstacle to carry out impartial activities. A former manager or management board member of the company should not be immediately appointed as chair of the supervisory board either. Where the company decides to depart from these recommendations, it should provide information on the measures taken to ensure impartiality of the supervision.
Yes
2.2.4. Each member should devote sufficient time and attention to perform his duties as a member of the supervisory board. Each member of the supervisory board should undertake to limit his other professional obligations (particularly the managing positions in other companies) so that they would not interfere with the proper performance of the duties of a member of the supervisory board. Should a member of the supervisory board attend less than a half of the meetings of the supervisory board throughout the financial year of the company, the shareholders of the company should be notified thereof.
Yes
2.2.5. When it is proposed to appoint a member of the supervisory board, it should be announced which members of the supervisory board are deemed to be independent. The supervisory board may decide that, despite the fact that a particular member meets all the criteria of independence, he/she cannot be considered independent due to special personal or company-related circumstances
Yes
2.2.6. The amount of remuneration to members of the supervisory board for their activity and participation in meetings of the supervisory board should be approved by the general meeting of shareholders.# AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
The management board should ensure the implementation of the company’s strategy and good corporate governance with due regard to the interests of its shareholders, employees and other interest groups.
Yes. The management board carries out and implements strategic plans and goals.
Yes. The management board, while performing the functions assigned to it, takes into account the needs of the company, shareholders, employees and other interest groups by striving to achieve sustainable business development.
Yes.
Yes. As far as practicable.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes. All members of the management board are familiarised with and explained their rights and duties.
Yes.
Yes/No. Chair of the management board holds office of the CEO, however he does not vote when voting on decisions that may cause a conflict of interest.
Yes.
Irrelevant.
Yes. The budget of remuneration to independent members is approved by the company’s general meeting of shareholders. No additional remuneration is paid to members of the management board who work at the company on the basis of employment agreements.
Yes.
Yes. Partly carried out.
The rules of procedure of the supervisory board, if it is formed at the company, and of the management board should ensure efficient operation and decision-making of these bodies and promote active cooperation between the company’s management bodies.
Yes.
Yes. A preliminary schedule is approved in which the time, date and agenda of the meeting are set out.Each company is free to decide how often meetings of the collegial bodies should be convened but it is recommended that these meetings should be convened at such intervals that uninterruptable resolution of essential corporate governance issues would be ensured. Meetings of the company’s collegial bodies should be convened at least once per quarter.
4.3. Members of a collegial body should be notified of the meeting being convened in advance so that they would have sufficient time for proper preparation for the issues to be considered at the meeting and a fruitful discussion could be held and appropriate decisions could be adopted. Along with the notice of the meeting being convened all materials relevant to the issues on the agenda of the meeting should be submitted to the members of the collegial body. The agenda of the meeting should not be changed or supplemented during the meeting, unless all members of the collegial body present at the meeting agree with such change or supplement to the agenda, or certain issues that are important to the company require immediate resolution. Yes
Are informed beforehand by e-mail and/or other means of communication.
4.4. In order to coordinate the activities of the company’s collegial bodies and ensure effective decision-making process, the chairs of the company’s collegial supervision and management bodies should mutually agree on the dates and agendas of the meetings and close cooperate in resolving other matters related to corporate governance. Meetings of the company’s supervisory board should be open to members of the management board, particularly in such cases where issues concerning the removal of the management board members, their responsibility or remuneration are discussed. Yes
The committees formed at the company should increase the work efficiency of the supervisory board or, where the supervisory board is not formed, of the management board which performs the supervisory functions by ensuring that decisions are based on due consideration and help organise its work in such a way that the decisions it takes would be free of material conflicts of interest. Committees should exercise independent judgment and integrity when performing their functions and provide the collegial body with recommendations concerning the decisions of the collegial body. However, the final decision should be adopted by the collegial body.
An audit committee has been formed.
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This principle is partly complied with.
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1) to select candidates to fill vacancies in the membership of supervisory and management bodies and the administration and recommend the collegial body to approve them. The nomination committee should evaluate the balance of skills, knowledge and experience in the management body, prepare a description of the functions and capabilities required to assume a particular position and assess the time commitment expected;
2) assess, on a regular basis, the structure, size and composition of the supervisory and management bodies as well as the skills, knowledge and activity of its members, and provide the collegial body with recommendations on how the required changes should be sought;
4) devote the attention necessary to ensure succession planning.
No
Has not been formed. The functions are carried out by the collegial bodies.
The main functions of the remuneration committee should be as follows:
1) submit to the collegial body proposals on the remuneration policy applied to members of the supervisory and management bodies and the heads of the administration for approval. Such policy should include all forms of remuneration, including the fixed-rate remuneration, performance-based remuneration, financial incentive schemes, pension arrangements and termination payments as well as conditions which would allow the company to recover the amounts or suspend the payments by specifying the circumstances under which it would be expedient to do so;
2) submit to the collegial body proposals regarding individual remuneration for members of the collegial bodies and the heads of the administration in order to ensure that they would be consistent with the company’s remuneration policy and the evaluation of the performance of the persons concerned;
3) review, on a regular basis, the remuneration policy and its implementation.
No
Has not been formed. The functions are carried out by the collegial bodies.
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All members of the audit committee are familiarised with peculiarities of activities of the company, excluding information that is treated as confidential.
Conditions for realising the principle are established.
5.4.6. The audit committee should submit to the supervisory board or, where the supervisory board is not formed, to the management board its activity report at least once in every six months, at the time that annual and half-yearly reports are approved. Yes
Principle 6: Prevention and disclosure of conflicts of interest
The corporate governance framework should encourage members of the company’s supervisory and management bodies to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure a transparent and effective mechanism of disclosure of conflicts of interest related to members of the supervisory and management bodies. Any member of the company’s supervisory and management body should avoid a situation where his/her personal interests are or may be in conflict with the company’s interests. In case such a situation did occur, a member of the company’s supervisory or management body should, within a reasonable period of time, notify other members of the same body or the body of the company which elected him/her or the company’s shareholders of such situation of a conflict of interest, indicate the nature of interests and, where possible, their value. Yes
The principle is complied with, each member of the supervisory and management body declares in writing and confirms his interests, as well as undertakes to avoid a conflict of interest.
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Principle 7: Remuneration policy of the company
The remuneration policy and the procedure for review and disclosure of such policy established at the company should prevent potential conflicts of interest and abuse in determining remuneration of members of the collegial bodies and heads of the administration, in addition it should ensure the publicity and transparency of the company’s remuneration policy and its long-term strategy.
7.1. The company should approve and post the remuneration policy on the website of the company; such policy should be reviewed on a regular basis and be consistent with the company’s long-term strategy. Yes
The company has a remuneration policy for the members of the management, the board and the supervisory board, which is made public.
7.2. The remuneration policy should include all forms of remuneration, including the fixed- rate remuneration, performance-based remuneration, financial incentive schemes, pension arrangements and termination payments as well as the conditions specifying the cases where the company can recover the disbursed amounts or suspend the payments. Yes
7.3. With a view to avoid potential conflicts of interest, the remuneration policy should provide that members of the collegial bodies which perform the supervisory functions should not receive remuneration based on the company’s performance. Yes
7.4. The remuneration policy should provide sufficient information on the policy regarding termination payments. Termination payments should not exceed a fixed amount or a fixed number of annual wages and in general should not be higher than the non-variable component of remuneration for two years or the equivalent thereof. Termination payments should not be paid if the contract is terminated due to inadequate performance. Irrelevant
Severance pay is not specified in the Company's Remuneration Policy.
7.5. In the event that the financial incentive scheme is applied at the company, the remuneration policy should contain sufficient information about the retention of shares after the award thereof. Where remuneration is based on the award of shares, shares should not be vested at least for three years after the award thereof. After vesting, members of the collegial bodies and heads of the administration should retain a certain number of shares until the end of their term in office, subject to the need to compensate for any costs related to the acquisition of shares. Irrelevant
The Company does not have a system of remuneration for financial instruments.
7.6. The company should publish information about the implementation of the remuneration policy on its website, with a key focus on the remuneration policy in respect of the collegial bodies and managers in the next and, where relevant, subsequent financial years. It should also contain a review of how the remuneration policy was implemented during the previous financial year. The information of such nature should not include any details having a commercial value. Particular attention should be paid on the major changes in the company’s remuneration policy, compared to the previous financial year. Yes
Information on the implementation of the Company's remuneration policy and the average amounts of remuneration of individual groups of employees are published in the Company's annual report, which is published on the Company's website.
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7.7. It is recommended that the remuneration policy or any major change of the policy should be included on the agenda of the general meeting of shareholders. The schemes under which members and employees of a collegial body receive remuneration in shares or share options should be approved by the general meeting of shareholders. Yes
The company does not apply the mentioned schemes.
Principle 8: Role of stakeholders in corporate governance
The corporate governance framework should recognise the rights of stakeholders entrenched in the laws or mutual agreements and encourage active cooperation between companies and stakeholders in creating the company value, jobs and financial sustainability. In the context of this principle the concept “stakeholders” includes investors, employees, creditors, suppliers, clients, local community and other persons having certain interests in the company concerned.
8.1. The corporate governance framework should ensure that the rights and lawful interests of stakeholders are protected. Yes
The implementation of the recommendation of Principle 8 is ensured by the precise supervision and control of the state institutions that regulate and control the activities of the Company. The Company conducts consultations with employee representatives on the business processes carried out in the Company. Stakeholders may participate in the management of the Company to the extent provided by law.
8.2. The corporate governance framework should create conditions for stakeholders to participate in corporate governance in the manner prescribed by law. Examples of participation by stakeholders in corporate governance include the participation of employees or their representatives in the adoption of decisions that are important for the company, consultations with employees or their representatives on corporate governance and other important matters, participation of employees in the company’s authorised capital, involvement of creditors in corporate governance in the cases of the company’s insolvency, etc. Yes
8.3. Where stakeholders participate in the corporate governance process, they should have access to relevant information. Yes
8.4. Stakeholders should be provided with the possibility of reporting confidentially any illegal or unethical practices to the collegial body performing the supervisory function. Yes
Principle 9: Disclosure of information
The corporate governance framework should ensure the timely and accurate disclosure of all material corporate issues, including the financial situation, operations and governance of the company.
9.1.In accordance with the company’s procedure on confidential information and commercial secrets and the legal acts regulating the processing of personal data, the information publicly disclosed by the company should include but not be limited to the following:
9.1.1.operating and financial results of the company;
9.1.2.objectives and non-financial information of the company;
9.1.3.persons holding a stake in the company or controlling it directly and/or indirectly and/or together with related persons as well as the structure of the group of companies and their relationships by specifying the final beneficiary;
9.1.4.members of the company’s supervisory and management bodies who are deemed independent, the manager of the Yes
Information is published according to the procedure laid down by legal acts; shareholders are provided with an opportunity to become familiar with it also in other ways, excluding the information and data that are treated as confidential.
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company, the shares or votes held by them at the company, participation in corporate governance of other companies, their competence and remuneration;
9.1.5.reports of the existing committees on their composition, number of meetings and attendance of members during the last year as well as the main directions and results of their activities;
9.1.6.potential key risk factors, the company’s risk management and supervision policy;
9.1.7.the company’s transactions with related parties;
9.1.8.main issues related to employees and other stakeholders (for instance, human resource policy, participation of employees in corporate governance, award of the company’s shares or share options as incentives, relationships with creditors, suppliers, local community, etc.);
9.1.9.structure and strategy of corporate governance;
9.1.10.initiatives and measures of social responsibility policy and anti- corruption fight, significant current or planned investment projects.# AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS GOVERNANCE REPORT
For the financial year ending on 31 December 2023
This list is deemed minimum and companies are encouraged not to restrict themselves to the disclosure of information included into this list. This principle of the Code does not exempt companies from their obligation to disclose information as provided for in the applicable legal acts.
9.2. When disclosing the information specified in paragraph 9.1.1 of recommendation 9.1, it is recommended that the company which is a parent company in respect of other companies should disclose information about the consolidated results of the whole group of companies. Yes See comment on point 9.1 above.
9.3. When disclosing the information specified in paragraph 9.1.4 of recommendation 9.1, it is recommended that the information on the professional experience and qualifications of members of the company’s supervisory and management bodies and the manager of the company as well as potential conflicts of interest which could affect their decisions should be provided. It is further recommended that the remuneration or other income of members of the company’s supervisory and management bodies and the manager of the company should be disclosed, as provided for in greater detail in Principle 7. Yes See comment on point 9.1 above.
9.4. Information should be disclosed in such manner that no shareholders or investors are discriminated in terms of the method of receipt and scope of information. Information should be disclosed to all parties concerned at the same time. Yes See comment on point 9.1 above.
The company’s audit firm selection mechanism should ensure the independence of the report and opinion of the audit firm.
10.1. With a view to obtain an objective opinion on the company’s financial condition and financial results, the company’s annual financial statements and the financial information provided in its annual report should be audited by an independent audit firm. Yes Audit is carried out by an independent company.
10.2. It is recommended that the audit firm would be proposed to the general meeting of shareholders by the supervisory board or, if the supervisory board is not formed at the company, by the management board of the company. Yes An audit company is selected by way of public competition out of several (at least) three proposals.
10.3. In the event that the audit firm has received remuneration from the company for the non-audit services provided, the company should disclose this publicly. This information should also be available to the supervisory board or, if the supervisory board is not formed at the company, by the management board of the company when considering which audit firm should be proposed to the general meeting of shareholders. Yes
The Remuneration Report of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB (hereinafter – the Company) has been prepared for reporting financial year 2023, which coincides with the calendar year. The Remuneration Report (hereinafter – Report) has been prepared in accordance with the Law on Financial Statements of Entities of the Republic of Lithuania, the Remuneration Policy of the Chairman and other members of the Board and the Supervisory Council of the Company ŽEMATIJOS PIENAS, AB (hereinafter – Remuneration Policy) and other legal acts.
On 9 April 2020 the General Meeting of Shareholders approved the Remuneration Policy of the Chairman and other members of the Board and also members of the Supervisory Council of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB. This Remuneration Policy applies to the General Manager and members of the management bodies of the Company insofar as it relates to the payment of monetary remuneration for activities in the management and / or supervisory bodies of the Company.
The Remuneration Report shall include information on remuneration of each member of the management and supervisory bodies, information on other (un)received benefits, other data.
The remuneration accrued to the General Manager (or CEO) of the Company during 2023, which was determined by the Board, and the additional salary not exceeded the amount provided/confirmed for in the Remuneration Policy (Paragraph 4.1 and 4.2. of the Remuneration Policy). General Manager did not receive any remuneration from the companies referred to the group of companies, as defined in the Law on Consolidated Financial Statements of Companies of the Republic of Lithuania. Incentive benefits were paid to the General Manager of the company, as it is provided for in paragraph 4.6 of the Remuneration Policy. The salary for the General Manager was paid in accordance with the procedure, scope and terms provided for in the Employment Contract. The General Manager did not receive any other property benefits during 2023, including the award of shares or other transactions in his favor of and in his interests.
According to the Remuneration Policy approved by the General Meeting of Shareholders of the Company, the permanent and additional remuneration is paid only to independent members of the management bodies and the Supervisory Council, bonuses approved by the General Meeting of Shareholders, - to all members of the management bodies.
According to the Remuneration Policy, the members of the management bodies who do not have an employment or other relationship with the Company and / or its subsidiaries are considered independent members of the management bodies. The Company has 3 (three) independent members of the Supervisory Council. During the reporting period (2023), the Company (Issuer) accrued EUR 36,400 to independent members of the Supervisory Council under activity agreements, on average EUR 12,133 per year for one independent member of the Supervisory Council. Members of Supervisor Council did not receive any payments from subsidiary or other companies that are related to ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, AB.
All members of the Board of the Company are employees of the Company and during 2023 they were not paid any fixed or additional remunerations for their work in the Board of the Company. Their remuneration was received only that was based on the employment. The average monthly salaries by employee groups are presented on page Annual Report.
Remuneration paid to the members of the management bodies and Supervisory Board would be recovered (refunded) in accordance with the procedure established by legal acts, upon certain grounds and conditions. If the General Manager of the Company or any member of the Board or Supervisory Council resigns, expires his membership or is removed from office, no benefits are paid, but remuneration is paid in proportion to the time spent in the office (time of his membership). No bonuses were paid to the member of the Board and / or Supervisory Council of the Company. During the reporting period (2023), no guarantees or sureties were given to the members of the Board, Supervisory Board and the General Manager of the Company. No assets or other property rights were transferred, no other benefits were received from the Company.
Members of the Board and Supervisory Council, General Manager and members of the Audit Committee have no significant material obligations to the Company (Issuer), except that one Member of the Board as of 31-12-2023 has EUR 135,948 of obligations to the Company according to 2 (two) loan agreements, the Company (Issuer) has no obligations to these persons. Guarantees and sureties and / or other measures to secure the fulfilment of the obligations of the General Manager, members of the Board and Supervisory Council were not granted on behalf of the Issuer during 2023. The Issuer did not grant loans except for one board member and Company shares to any of these persons.
The remuneration paid to the General Manager of the Company, members of the Board and the Supervisory Council in 2023 complied with the principles, grounds and conditions approved in the Remuneration Policy. The Report approved by the Board of the Company is submitted to the ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders, which decides whether to approve the Remuneration Report or not. Such (non) approval does not release the Board from the responsibility for the decision taken. The consolidated remuneration report together with the set of financial statements for 2023 was approved at general meeting of shareholders held on 21 April 2023. The Remuneration Report for 2023 is an integral part of the Consolidated Annual Report and is published on the website of the Company www.zpienas.lt/en and www.nasdaqomxbaltic.com in accordance with the procedure established by legal acts.
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SUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP
2
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT
LETTER FROM A CEO
ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE
ENVIRONMENTAL AREA
SOCIAL AREA
ECONOMIC AREASUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP
ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
45
EU TAXONOMY
GRI INDEX
EU TAXONOMY
LETTER FROM OUR CEO
2023 was a dynamic year with a complex geopolitical situation. Fragile global food supply chains had a further direct impact on global food security and affordability.# AB ''ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS'' SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
The uncertainty and heightened risk environment did not go away, but we managed to stay focused and navigated significant damage, striking a balance in line with our strategic commitments and the principles of the United Nations Global Compact, taking into account and engaging with the expectations of all our stakeholders when making key decisions about our business. One of our main objectives continues to be to ensure the production and supply of products that meet the highest quality standards and add value to the consumer. As we did last year, this year we have continued our cooperation with researchers from Lithuanian universities and experts from abroad. This cooperation has enabled us to bring 27 dairy products to the market. Our commitment to environmental, social and governance sustainability objectives enables our employees to work safely, reliably and responsibly. We enter 2024 focused, responsive, and listening to our employees, customers and partners, always welcoming feedback from so that we can continue to succeed.
Managing Director
Robertas Pažemeckas
GRI 2-2
Corporate Social Responsibility (Sustainability) Report (hereinafter referred to as "Sustainability Report") for group of companies (hereinafter referred to as "Group’’), AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, operating in Lithuania at Sedos g. 35, LT-87101 Telšiai (hereinafter referred to as "ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS", the "Company"), and ABF Šilutės Rambynas (hereinafter referred to as the "Group company" or the "subsidiary company"), is presented for the period from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023. The Group submits this report in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standard, 2021 updated version. The content of the report includes the latest information available at the time of publication. This report is a stand-alone document but should be read in conjunction with the Group's Consolidated Annual Report, which is available on the Group’s website. This Sustainability Report was published on 15 March 2024. The Sustainability Report for 2022 also referred to the GRI standard but did not fully comply with it. A materiality assessment was carried out in 2023 and a materiality matrix was established. This step was omitted in the preparation of the 2022 report. The Sustainability Report complies with the requirements of the Social Responsibility Report of the Republic of Lithuania and the European Commission's Guidelines for Non-Financial Reporting, and is issued annually. Activities and achievements described cover environmental, social and governance (ESG) areas. The Sustainability Report is classified as a non-financial corporate report and is therefore reviewed and audited by an independent auditor together with the consolidated set of financial statements and the annual report. All information related to the audit of the accounts is available on the website. If you have any questions about the content of this Sustainability Report or the Group's activities, please contact [email protected].
GRI 2-1 | GRI 2-2 | GRI 2-3 | GRI 2-4 | GRI 2-5
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS, together with its subsidiary, is engaged in the production and marketing of milk products. Its products include cheese and cheese products, pre-packaged cheese, processed cheese and processed spreadable cheese, cream, buttermilk mixtures, milk fat, pasteurized cream, dried milk products, and fresh milk products. The company sells its products under the brand names 'Džiugas', 'Germantas', 'Žemaitijos', 'Magija', 'Pik-Nik', 'Rambyno', 'Dobilas', 'Gaja' and 'TICHĖ'.
GRI 2-1 | GRI 2-2 | GRI 2-6 | GRI 2-9
The Group of companies consists of AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS (code: 180240752, address: Sedos g. 35, Telšiai) and its subsidiary ABF Šilutės Rambynas (code: 277141670, address: Klaipėdos g. 3, Šilutė), and branches: Vilnius branch (code: 123809154, address: Algirdo g. 40/13, Vilnius, Kaunas branch (code: 134853981, address: Europos pr. 36, Kaunas), Telšiai branch (code: 110893017, address: Sedos g. 35, Telšiai), Panevėžys branch (code: 148133399, address: J. Janonio g. 9, Panevežys). The Company's branches shall perform the functions of selling goods (dairy products) within the defined territory of the branch's activity and shall perform other actions or carry out the Company's orders. The Company has not established any representative offices.
AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS is a Lithuanian company with a long tradition of milk processing, cherishing classical recipes and technologies of dairy production, promoting the revival and consumption of heritage and cultural products reflecting centuries of history. The Company is a private legal entity with economic, financial, organizational and legal autonomy, and is guided in its activities by the laws of the Republic of Lithuania, Government Decrees and other applicable normative acts of the Republic of Lithuania.
The main activities of ABF Šilutės Rambynas are the production and sale of fermented cheeses and cheese products, the production and sale of unripened cheeses, and the production and sale of pasteurized cream and pasteurized whey. It also provides rental, transport, warehousing, milk collection point services and other services.
The companies in the Group engage in economic and commercial activities for their own benefit and for the benefit of their shareholders. The objectives of the business are to organize and carry out the activities set out in the articles of association with a view to generating income and profits, and to satisfy the shareholders' proprietary interests and the interests of the employees.
GRI 2-22 | GRI 2-23 | GRI 2-24
The Group’s sustainability principles and commitments are defined based on its activities and interaction with nature, people and the economy. The Group understands its corporate responsibility in a broader context, and aims to contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adhere to the European Green Deal and the Paris Agreement on climate change, and support and act in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Global Compact on human rights, workers' rights, environmental protection and the prevention of corruption. Identifying and managing the Group's impacts and associated risks is critical to the long-term success of the business. Thus, the Group is committed to sustainable and responsible business principles in its day- to-day operations. In 2024, the Group plans to prepare and adopt a Sustainability Policy to further enhance relevant practices within its group companies. The Group’s management reviewed the Group’s sustainability strategy and reconfirmed that in 2024 the Group will continue to actively pursue sustainability efforts. The Group's objective is to sell its products directly to the strategic foreign markets under its own brands and to provide the customer with a choice of healthy and organic food products.
GRI 2-22 | GRI 2-23 | GRI 2-24
Creating unique and tasty products, anticipating the future needs of consumers today. Representing a culture of Žemaitija to the world.
To be considerate to the environment and appealing to employees and society.
Effective time and workflow management, delivering on promises and commitments, direct communication, integrity, willingness to learn and develop, and a desire to do more and better every day.
Supporting and ensuring sustainable development when it comes to environment, people, and society. Responsibility to achieve a better quality of life for all. Resilience, cost savings, talent attraction and retention, Customer attraction and satisfaction, brand and reputation, innovation, and productivity.# SUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP
The Group strives to implement sustainability by applying the recommendations of international sustainability standards and best practices. Our activities encompass social, environmental, and economic responsibility along the sustainable value chain, from raw milk suppliers to waste managers and beyond. Board members closely monitor sustainability matters and are involved in strategic sustainability management. They receive information on the execution of the strategy, the development of sustainability issues, the projects planned and underway, and the progress made by the initiatives. The Boards of Žemaitijos pienas AB and Šilutės rambynas ABF are collegial management bodies representing the Board's shareholders in the period of time between their meetings and taking decisions on the most important issues related to the Company's business activities.
The Board of Directors of the Group shall consider and approve:
Members of the Management Board shall be elected by the Supervisory Board for a period not exceeding four years. They shall serve for an unlimited number of terms. There are no special rules governing the election or replacement of the members of the Group company's Management Board. It is governed by the provisions of the Companies Act and the Articles of Association of the Company. The election of members is based on the best interests of the Group and its shareholders. The activities of the Board shall be managed by a Chairman who shall be elected by the Board from among its members. The Chairman of the Board shall be the Chief Executive Officer. The Group also has a Supervisory Board to prevent conflicts of interest. The Groups' sustainability matters and the preparation of the Sustainability Report are handled by a Sustainability Working Group, delegated and approved by the Chief Executive Officer. The Sustainability Group consists of specialists from different related business areas. They deepen their knowledge in the specific fields of sustainability through various seminars and training courses related to their areas of work. The Sustainability Working Group coordinates and monitors the progress towards the sustainability goals. Such monitoring reports are then presented to the highest governance body during each quarterly meeting. In critical situations, urgent matters are reported immediately to those responsible. In order to further enhance its commitment to sustainability efforts, the Group plans to develop a Sustainability Policy that will define clear principles for the management of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) parts and sets guidelines to be followed by top management and all other responsible persons. For more information on the Group's organizational structure and governance, please refer to the Annual Report.
GRI 2-9 | GRI 2-10 | GRI 2-11 | GRI 2-12 | GRI 2-13 | GRI 2-14 | GRI 2-15 | GRI 2-16 | GRI 2-17 | GRI 2-18
At the end of 2023, the Company became the first dairy producer in Lithuania to bring fresh dairy products to the market in "pure pack" packaging with an integrated stopper. This innovation has significantly improved the efficiency and sustainability of product packaging. Opportunities to reduce the amount of plastic in the packaging of products without compromising the safety and quality of the product itself have been assessed and implemented. Actions launched in mid-2023 led to a reduction in 2,500 kilograms of plastic. During 2023, the Company moved away from using corrugated containers for internal production needs (e.g. transport between production departments) and switched to returnable containers. This move resulted in an additional saving of 10,884 kg of corrugated cardboard. Investments were made in EURO 6 trucks and hybrid vehicles, contributing to the reduction of GHG emissions. The Company's hard cheese "DŽIUGAS" has participated in competitions and international projects. It has been awarded and recognised with top marks for taste and quality, approaching its 100th award. The longest cheese string in the history of ABF Šilutės Rambynas was produced. The cheese string was an incredible 699.56 metres long, weighed 91.2 kg and required more than 970 litres of milk.
GRI 2-25 | GRI 2-26 | GRI 2-29
Successful dialogue with relevant stakeholders inside and outside our sector is crucial for inclusive and sustainable business growth. The Group considers its stakeholders to be those that are relevant and/or significantly impacted by the Group’s activities, as well as individuals or organizations that have a significant influence on the Group’s businesses. Without stakeholder feedback, some valuable insights and opportunities might be missed. Thus, the Group engages with stakeholders as often as possible: through customer and partner meetings, employee and customer satisfaction surveys, as well as Group’s events, career fairs, audits and social media.
For any potentially negative impacts to be effectively remediated, a survey form is in place for both internal and external stakeholders. This channel is used to submit and receive information regarding concerns and / or to report potential violations. Reports received are dealt with by the responsible persons in accordance with internal procedures, ensuring confidentiality. For each report or complaint received, measures are taken to remedy the negative impact as soon as possible. The effectiveness of the measures taken are also assessed by the Group at a later stage.
In 2023, the Group carried out its first materiality assessment of sustainability topics according to GRI guidelines. The purpose of this assessment was to review matters that are material for the Group in environmental, social, and economic areas. The material topics identified are disclosed in detail in this Sustainability Report. In 2024, the Group plans to carry out a double materiality assessment in accordance with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards and will update the list of material topics accordingly.
Main steps for 2023 materiality assessment:
CONTENT
The materiality matrix presents and prioritizes the Group's key sustainability topics. All topics in the matrix are material to the Group’s sustainability and are described in this report, however the most important topics are those that are of high relevance to stakeholders (vertical axis) and/or reflect a very significant impact on the environment, society, and our performance (horizontal axis). Due to their high relevance to the implementation of the strategy, the nine high-impact, stakeholder-relevant themes at the centre of the matrix are also included in the matrix.
| Moderate importance | Moderate | Important | Very important | Very high | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMPORTANCE TO STAKEHOLDERS | |||||
| Diversity, equality and inclusion | X | ||||
| Energy and GHG management | X | ||||
| Product safety and quality | X | ||||
| Waste management (incl. packaging) | X | ||||
| Water and effluent management | X | ||||
| Occupational Health and Safety (incl. Human rights) | X | ||||
| Risk management | X | ||||
| Employee training | X | ||||
| Anti-corruption | X | ||||
| Biodiversity | X | ||||
| IMPACT ON SOCIETY, ENVIRONMENT AND BUSINESS RESULTS |
The principles for the management of all material sustainability topics are described in accordance with GRI 3-3 in the relevant chapters of this report, arranged by each of the specific topics themselves.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT
The Group is well aware that its activities can cause significant damage to the environment if not handled responsibly, and that only an integrated use of economic, legal, technical, and biological measures can guarantee the rational use of natural resources, both now and in the future. Environmental impact is therefore controlled in accordance with agreed monitoring programs. As the Group expands or upgrades its facilities and technological processes, an environmental impact assessment is carried out to ensure that the expansion does not exceed permissible environmental standards. As a socially responsible company concerned about the environment and its preservation, the Group invests in energy saving, improvement of its business management processes, and makes every effort to allocate resources to other related activities. The Group's environmental matters are considered and reviewed each year during a strategy review. During this review, opportunities in each of the relevant topics are assessed and investments are planned or adjusted.
In 2022, the Group engaged independent auditors to conduct an energy audit of its processes and facilities. The findings of this audit were used by the Group to identify the need for new projects and to reduce the use of energy resources. Large companies are required to undergo energy audits every four years, and the Group anticipates conducting another audit of this nature in 2026. By 2025, the Group intends to invest more than €10 million in renewable electricity generation facilities that will enable it to reduce the use of grid electricity, thus contributing to the creation of a sustainable energy infrastructure and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Group’s objective is to source more than 70% of its electricity needs from renewable energy generation facilities. During 2023, the Group obtained all necessary permits (including a construction permit) from the relevant authorities for the construction of wind power plants.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT
Energy consumption TJ
| 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy use from non-renewable sources: | ||
| Petrol | 0,154 | 0,404 |
| Diesel | 121,742 | 114,557 |
| LPG | 49,579 | 57,758 |
| Natural gas | 53,725 | 42,188 |
| Energy use from renewable sources: | ||
| Wood | 213,581 | 201,412 |
| Energy, heating, cooling and steam consumption: | ||
| Electricity | 107,544 | 107,053 |
| Central heating | 0,318 | 0,319 |
| Cooling | 0 | 0 |
| Steam | 0 | 0 |
| Total: | 546,643 | 523,691 |
GRI 302-1 Notes: Energy consumption data are provided by internal metering tools. Total energy consumption is calculated according to the GRI 302-1 indicator formula.
Distribution of the Group's energy consumption in 2023, %
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT
The Group welcomes the European Union's Green Deal policy initiative, which aims to support the EU's green transformation, with the ultimate goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Additionally, due to the use of industry specific dairy processing equipment, the Group’s falls under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Permit (IPPCP) mechanism, which means that air emissions are strictly regulated. GHG emission reductions are addressed at Board level in meetings. Matters addressed include planned investments, budget, environmental impact assessment and the review of project progress. In order to better assess the Group's current situation and its prospects for competitive success, the Group has started to develop an environmental plan (Environmental Policy) which will set out the objectives and targets for managing benefits and impacts. We monitor emissions of our operations and aim to eliminate or significantly reduce not only GHG emissions, but also others such as sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and nitrogen oxides. Emissions monitoring is carried out in accordance with the environmental monitoring programs of operators approved by the responsible authorities. In 2023, the Group was subject to scheduled and unscheduled inspections by inspectors of the Department of Environmental Protection, during which one violation was detected at one of the Group's milk collection points (related to management of wastewater). The Group has taken appropriate action to remedy this violation.
Energy intensity is calculated on the basis of the Group's data for the financial year 2023. During 2023, the Group's activities consumed 523,691 TJ (terajoules) of energy. Consumption in 2022 was 546,643 TJ.
Energy intensity metrics
| 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| TJ / ‘000 Eur revenue | 0,00202 | 0,001884 |
| TJ / 1 employee | 0,37263 | 0,375138 |
| TJ / tonne FPCM milk | 0,001252 | 0,001228 |
| TJ / tonne of cheese | 0,04139 | 0,046402 |
| Revenue, ‘000 Eur | 263 394 | 278 004 |
| No. of employees | 1 427 | 1 396 |
| FPCM milk, ‘000. tonnes | 437 | 426 |
| Cheese, tonnes | 12 847,8 | 11 286,0 |
Note: The energy intensity index is calculated according to the GRI 302 Energy methodology.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT
| 2022 | 2023* | 2023** | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emissions intensity, tonnes CO2e | |||
| Per 1 employee | 17,10 | 20,73 | 411,13 |
| Per 1M Eur of revenue | 92,91 | 104,11 | 2 064,5 |
| Per tonne of FPCM milk | 0,056 | 0,068 | 1,35 |
GRI 305-1 | GRI 305-2 | GRI 305-3 | GRI 305-4 Emissions Notes:
| Emissions category | Emissions, tonnes CO2e | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2023 | ||
| Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions | 15 382 | 15 062 | |
| Indirect (Scope 2) emissions (market-based) | 9 022 | 13 880 | |
| Other indirect (Scope 3) emissions | - | 544 997 | |
| Total* | - | 573 939 | |
| Other emissions (outside of Scopes) | |||
| Biogenic CO2 | 40 501 | 38 612 | |
| Indirect (Scope 2) emissions (location-based) | 7 116 | 7 084 |
GRI 303-1 | GRI 303-2 | GRI 303-5
By saving water and limiting wastewater, the Group can reduce its operating costs. This includes lower water supply and thus lower wastewater management costs which translates to overall better use of resources. The Group conducts its water extraction operations in full compliance with statutory regulations. All existing water points are registered, water resources have been examined, approved and documented in the Land Registry. In order to manage the extracted resources efficiently, the Group conducts appropriate accounting and control procedures, reports, and pays taxes accordingly. Although there is no shortage of water in Lithuania, the Group strives to minimize any significant negative impact on the environment in its operations. The Group uses fresh water in Telšiai for its operations, and the water required for its production needs is extracted from its own boreholes at the water point. Additionally, some water is supplied by the centralized district water system (grid water), which accounts for less than 1% of the total annual water consumption. TICHĖ mineral water from own borehole is bottled using advanced production technology and equipment compliant with EU standards and national Food Quality and Safety Management System both of which ensures the highest quality of mineral water. Šilutės Rambynas consumes a relatively large amount of water. In order to conserve water resources as much as possible, modern technologies are being introduced to conserve water in production. During whey processing, after concentrating the whey, the remaining whey water is purified by a membrane system to ensure the water is then suitable for washing the equipment. A project to modernize the dewatering baths is planned: the equipment acquired will allow the production process to reduce the need for manual labor, improving working conditions, and ensure a consistently high product quality.
The Group complies with the requirements of the Law on Drinking Water of the Republic of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Hygienic Standard HN 24:2023 "Safety and Quality Requirements for Drinking Water" approved by the Order of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Lithuania No. V-455 of 23 July 2003 (wording of the Order No. V-141 of 31 January 2023), their amendments, and other legal acts. The Group ensures the quality of drinking water supply and wastewater management services in compliance with the Quality Requirements for Public Drinking Water Supply and Wastewater Management Services approved by Order No D1-639 of the Minister of the Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 29 December 2006 (Order No D1-15 of 13 January 2023, as amended from time to time); procedure “PR-32 Drinking Water Supply and Maintenance. Wastewater disposal”. Also, conducts programmatic supervision of drinking water in accordance with Control Scheme CH, M30. In accordance to a contractual agreement with a local wastewater treatment provider, at the facility at Sedos str. 35, Telšiai, the Group is allowed to discharge wastewater with the following pollution concentrations: BOD7 - daily average concentration of pollutants 1100 mgO2/l; suspended solids - daily average concentration of pollutants 350 mg/l; total nitrogen - daily average concentration of pollutants 100 mg/l; total phosphorus - daily average concentration of pollutants 20 mg/l.
| Type | Quantity in megaliters (ML) | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Underground water | 1037,530 | 1109, 26 | 1065,010 | |
| Grid supplied water | 99,400 | 90,897 | 82,094 | |
| Total: | 1136,93 | 1200,045 | 1147,104 |
Water consumption
Note: Water consumption accounting is carried out according to internal procedures. The Company does not consume water in areas of water scarcity.
The amount of water drawn from the city water supply in 2023 was 0.036 % for AB Žemaitijos pienas and 44.3 % for AB Šilutės Rambynas. The total amount of water abstracted by the group from the district grid was 7.16%.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS
The Company uses the following water boreholes in its food production process:
* 3 fresh water boreholes
* 1 mineral water borehole "Tiche" for the production of mineral water (Mažeikių g.4, Telšiai);
* 3 fresh water inlets from the city water supply of UAB "Telšių vandenys" - backup in case of need in the food production process;
* 1 fresh water inlet (Mažeikių g.4, Telšiai) from the city water supply to UAB "Telšių vandenys" - backup in case of need in the process of mineral water production.
* 2 fresh water inlets from the city water supply of UAB "Telšių vandenys" - fire-fighting inlets;
Improving water boreholes involves the following processes: removal of hydrogen sulphide by aeration, removal of iron, manganese, ammonium and mechanical impurities in filters, flushing of filters, final disinfection of the treated water with chlorine dioxide. The treated water is supplied/used for steam production, hot water production, process equipment needs, domestic use, replenishment of the refrigeration circulating water system). The Group’s current wastewater management partner is UAB "Telšių vandenys". Wastewater from milk processing must be properly managed to prevent water pollution. The wastewater treatment shall separate and dispose of particularly polluting wastewater for biogas production. Monitoring of borehole water is carried out by Vilniaus Hidrogeologija; In accordance with the IPPCP, “Nepriklausoma tyrimų laboratorija” monitors production and rainwater effluents; regular communication is maintained with Telšių vandenys UAB regarding water and wastewater quality matters. Contaminated wastewater is transported for biogas production. Every year the Group draws up investment and operational plans, as well as an energy conservation action plan; sets wastewater pollution targets (lower than contractual targets with the wastewater manager or the IPPCP); sets targets to reduce water/wastewater use per unit of product produced; cooperates with public authorities in adapting to prevailing political and legal frameworks.
Šilutės Rambynas AB-F
"Šilutės Rambynas" uses two sources of drinking water. Water is drawn from the district water grid for the main cheese-making processes and for washing the surfaces of the equipment in contact with foodstuffs. Drinking water extracted from its own operational borehole is used for technological processes, tanker washing, and the domestic needs of employees.
| Effluents | Unit | 2022 | 2023 | Change, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wastewater transferred for wastewater treatment | ||||
| Domestic and industrial wastewater | m³ | 1 288 440 | 1 258 012 | -2,36 |
| Animal by-products - ABP | ||||
| Transferred for biogas production | t | 12 390 | 13 217 | +6,67 |
| Transferred to economic operators | t | 15 005 | 13 207 | -11,98% |
A substantial quantity of by-products are generated during the dairy processing process, such as milk and whey residues in tanks and pipelines, as well as residues in mixing plants. As part of the circular economy principles for reducing waste and pollution and restoring & renewing natural systems, the Group sends the by-products to a biogas plant, where by-products are mainly converted into organic fertilizers and biogas, and then into electricity and heat. Some of the animal by-products are handed over to local farmers to be used as a feed for livestock. Today, the Group considers this use of animal by-products to be the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly, which is why a continuous cooperation with biogas plants and local farmers is envisaged for the future. In order to ensure the quality and reliability of the domestic and industrial wastewater treatment, the wastewater is transferred to a licensed wastewater management company. Surface wastewater is discharged separately to a surface water treatment-filtration outfall. At Šilutės Rambynas, the company carries out an in-house treatment of contaminated industrial wastewater that is later discharged into the district sewerage network. Wastewater storage and mixing tanks are installed, which prevent instant contamination and allow for quality control of the wastewater discharged into the treatment plant owned by UAB Šilutės vandenys.
Notes: Accounting of wastewater generation is carried out in accordance with approved internal procedures, in units of m³ (cubic metres) and t (tonnes).
Waste and packaging management is an integral part of the Group’s environmental sustainability management.# SUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP
The Group's operations generate a significant amount of waste and, in line with other EU Member States, the Group is committed to the Green Deal principles to reduce the use of natural resources. The use of recyclable containers is being increased, and recyclable containers have been developed separately for internal use and have been successfully adapted and integrated into the recovery process. Products are supplied to customers in returnable containers where possible. The aim is to replace the multi-component plastics labelled "7 Other" with single-component plastics that are easier to recycle, while maintaining the same shelf-life. Tests are being carried out with the aim of reducing the amount of packing/packaging material for internal use. Packaging made from recycled rPET is being tested, both in bottles and in heat shrink. For the correct identification and segregation of packaging waste in the individual units, the Group has developed a procedure "Waste Management PR-31”, which has been approved by the CEO. As a dairy producer, the Group faces a constant challenge to select the right packaging to balance maintaining the integrity of the product with minimizing the environmental impact. Or plastic and paper packaging, where the plastic is free from ink contamination and can be easily separated from the cardboard Replacing non- recyclable packaging with single-component plastic packaging Possibility of generating less waste Searching for ways to reduce cost associated with waste management Regular packaging review Design, materiality, weight
In order to develop efficient waste management of packaging, the Group fulfills tasks set out by the Ministry of the Environment of the Republic of Lithuania for the management of packaging and packaging waste. All collected and sorted waste is transferred to a licensed packaging waste management facility. The waste generated by product packaging (including packaging for transporting products) is sorted into recyclable (PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP) and non-recyclable (OTHER, C/PAP, etc.) materials. In line with sustainable waste management procedures, the Group's internal sorting and separating procedures are being reviewed and adjusted in order to maximize the proportion of recyclable plastics, cardboard, and other types of waste to be recycled. The management of negative impacts depends on both the Group and third-party waste management facilities in the waste management chain. Waste and product packaging matters are generally reviewed annually, unless a need for new EU legislation arises. The Group’s waste management processes are subject to inspections and assessments by regulatory authorities and audits by the Group’s team of approved auditors, which assess the state of practices in place and their compliance with the regulatory procedures. The Groups’ own procedure "Waste Management PR-31” is fully audited once a year and periodic limited-scale audits are carried out at individual processing units. The Group is committed to applying circular economy principles in all areas of its operations to the extent that’s possible. The Group shall, wherever possible, select only the waste handlers who are registered in the State Registry of Waste Handlers, ensuring that waste management is carried out to the highest standards. The cooperation contracts with these waste managers are reviewed annually, assessing the quality of the services provided and evaluating the waste managers using a 100- point scoring system. The Group also places great emphasis on waste sorting and control. The waste generated is carefully managed, including sorting and weighing, both at the point of generation and at the point of storage. These measures enable the Group to manage waste efficiently, reducing its environmental impact and ensuring sustainable waste management.
| Weight, t | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2023 | |
| Recyclable waste | ||
| Paper | 267,0 | 247,0 |
| Plastic packaging | 48,9 | 71,0 |
| Wood packaging | 67,0 | 42,5 |
| PET packaging | 1,0 | 3,4 |
| Glass packaging | 1,8 | 3,0 |
| Metals | 97,2 | 0 |
| Dairy industry waste | 0 | 5587,0 |
| Non-recyclable waste | ||
| Other waste | 307,3 | 186,4 |
| Multi-component packaging | 107,2 | 109,8 |
| Total | 897,5 | 6250,2 |
Note: Data based on product logistic tables and data from GPAIS. GRI 306-2 | GRI 306-3 Waste generated in operations
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
| Weight, t | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2023 | |
| PET and other plastic packaging | 57,4 | 49,7 |
| Glass and glass packaging | 2,4 | 3,8 |
| Paper and cardboard packaging | 239,1 | 242,9 |
| Paper products | 17,6 | 20,3 |
| Wood packaging | 70,1 | 31,8 |
| Dairy processing waste | 0 | 5587,0 |
| Other waste | 501,3 | 270,5 |
| Total | 888,0 | 6205,8 |
| Dangerous waste diverted from disposal | 78,6 | 113,5 |
| of which is directed to recycling (offsite) | 4,6 | 4,0 |
| Non-dangerous waste diverted from disposal | 809,4 | 6092,3 |
| of which is directed to recycling (offsite) | 386,7 | 5935,3 |
| Total directed to recycling (offsite): | 391,2 | 5939,3 |
Notes: data is collected in accordance with legal requirements in the Unified Product, Packaging and Waste Accounting Information System (GPAIS). GRI 306-4 Waste diverted from disposal
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
Employee wellbeing is the key to business success. To create and maintain a sustainable workplace and ensure employee wellbeing, we focus our efforts on the following key areas:
We use a variety of tools to monitor employee well-being:
With more than 1,300 employees, we have a strong responsibility towards our employees and the people who work for us in our value chain. Our people are vital to our success, so we strive to create a workplace for everyone who wants one.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
LETTER FROM A CEO
ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE
ENVIRONMENTAL AREA
SOCIAL AREA
ECONOMIC AREAS
USTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP
ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
EU TAXONOMY
WASTE MANAGEMENT (INCL. PACKAGING)
23
GRI 306-2 | GRI 306-3 Waste generated in operations
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT
LETTER FROM A CEO
ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE
ENVIRONMENTAL AREA
SOCIAL AREA
ECONOMIC AREAS
USTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP
ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
EU TAXONOMY
GRI 306-4 Waste diverted from disposal
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT
LETTER FROM A CEO
ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE
ENVIRONMENTAL AREA
SOCIAL AREA
ECONOMIC AREAS
USTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP
ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
EU TAXONOMY
WASTE MANAGEMENT (INCL. PACKAGING)
25
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT
LETTER FROM A CEO
ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE
ENVIRONMENTAL AREA
SOCIAL AREA
ECONOMIC AREAS
USTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP
ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
EU TAXONOMY
SOCIAL AREA
27
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023# SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
We are committed to the material well-being of our employees, which is why we not only pay a competitive salary that is in line with legal requirements and labor market conditions, but also ensures that employees who achieve their goals receive an adequate material welfare package. To ensure that employees consistently perform at their best, the Group encourages all employees to ensure that their pay is linked to their performance as much as possible. Employees are given opportunities to earn additional income:
* By completing additional tasks.
* By doing extra work.
* By applying for vacancies.
Additional benefits that may be granted to employees:
* On the occasion of a first marriage.
* On the death of a family member.
* In case of financial hardship, a loan is granted.
* Funding for studies.
* Children of employees (16+ years old) could be employed during summer time for fixed remuneration.
* Incentive payments for the award of a bachelor's or master's degree.
* For staff work anniversaries and jubilees.
Other benefits are also provided, such as leisure activities (health hikes with the participation of employees' family members), the possibility for employees to come to work by bicycle or scooter, for which the CGroup has a dedicated storage area where loading of these vehicles can also be arranged, and two days of paid leave to go to a medical institution.
The Group does not discriminate and does not differentiate on the basis of gender, age, race, creed, or any other aspect in the context of promotion opportunities or remuneration. We strive to ensure diversity in the workplace based on mutual respect and trust, promoting equal opportunities and allowing colleagues to reach their full potential. These aspirations are enshrined in relevant procedures and policies:
* The Equal Opportunities Policy and its implementing procedures
* The Policy on Prevention of Violence and Harassment
* Human Rights Policy
* Code of Ethics
* Standard of Procedures - Personnel Procedure (ISO) PR-03
During 2023, all these documents were reviewed and updated. The Group shall at all times strive to respect and protect human rights as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations and shall do so in accordance with the conventions relating to human rights.
In accordance with the Labor Code of the Republic of Lithuania, the Group has an elected Labor Council which performs clearly defined social partnership functions. The Works Council represents the rights and interests of employees by participating in information, consultation, and other procedures which involve employees and their representatives in the employer's decision-making.
Žemaitijos pienas has a Labor Council with 11 members. It also has an elected Chairperson of the Labor Council and a Secretary of the Labor Council. A new Labor Council was elected on 14 April 2022 for a three-year term. During the year 2023, 3 meetings of the Labor Council were held.
The Group does not have any collective agreements with its employees, but the possibility of concluding them in the future is not excluded.
During 2023, there were no cases of discrimination and human rights violations in the Group.
Šilutės Rambynas is temporarily recruiting young, inexperienced employees who are able to integrate well into the day-to-day operations and adapt to the processes at hand. They are eager to get to know the specifics of the work and to learn from the experienced ones. During 2023, 3 young staff members (17-18 years old) were recruited on a temporary summer basis. Šilutės Rambynas also recruits trainees. During the reporting period, 19 students had internships with the Company.
| Category | Total number | Permanent employees | Temporary employees | Full-time employees | Part-time employees | Non-guaranteed hours employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Total number, of which: | 1288 | 1215 | 73 | 1199 | 89 | 0 |
| By gender: | ||||||
| Women | 584 | 550 | 34 | 519 | 65 | 0 |
| Men | 704 | 665 | 39 | 680 | 24 | 0 |
| By company: | ||||||
| Žemaitijos pienas | 1288 | 1215 | 73 | 1199 | 89 | 0 |
| Šilutės rambynas | 157 | 157 | 0 | 157 | 0 | 0 |
Notes: The number of staff actually employed on 31 December 2023 is given. The number of employees (total) is given for the end of the reporting period; the number of redundancies and hires is given for the whole reporting period. The figures presented are headcount figures. The number of staff has varied only slightly between reporting periods and during the reporting period. There are no staff members who are not employees of the organization during the reporting period and none during the reporting period.
| Employee turnover | Total number per category | Number of new employees | Rate, % | Number of employees who left the Group | Rate, % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | |||||
| By gender: | |||||
| Women | 584 | 99 | 16.95 % | 62 | 10.62 % |
| Men | 704 | 180 | 25.57 % | 124 | 17.61 % |
| By age group: | |||||
| under 30 years old | 156 | 110 | 70.51 % | 66 | 42.31 % |
| 30-50 years old | 654 | 135 | 20.64 % | 101 | 15.44 % |
| more than 50 years old | 478 | 34 | 7.11 % | 19 | 3.97 % |
| By company: | |||||
| Žemaitijos pienas | 1288 | 279 | 21.66% | 186 | 14.44 % |
| Šilutės rambynas | 157 | 43 | 27,39 % | 32 | 20,38 % |
Notes: *The rate is calculated as follows: the number of new staff in a given category divided by the total number of staff in that category. For example, the number of female recruits among all female employees.
| All employees | Board | Top management | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS | Šilutės Rambynas | ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS | |
| 2023 Total number, of which: | 1288 | 157 | 5 |
| By gender: | |||
| Women | 584 | 77 | 2 |
| Men | 704 | 80 | 3 |
| By age group: | |||
| under 30 years old | 156 | 14 | 0 |
| 30-50 years old | 654 | 59 | 3 |
| more than 50 years old | 478 | 84 | 2 |
| 2023 | |
|---|---|
| Annual total compensation ratio | |
| Annual total compensation for the organization’s highest-paid individual to the median annual total compensation for all employees (excluding the highest-paid individual) | 3:1 |
| Percentage increase in annual total compensation for the organization’s highest-paid individual to the median percentage increase in annual total compensation for all employees (excluding the highest-paid individual) | 2.03 |
| Percentage increase in median annual remuneration for all employees | 2.39 |
Notes: the data for gender and age distribution does not include the data for Šilutė Rambynas. Šilutė Rambynas plans to start measuring and reporting data for next year's report.
| Employees | 2023, hrs |
|---|---|
| By gender: | |
| Women | 2,83 |
| Men | 2,69 |
| By employee category: | |
| Management | 9,60 |
| Specialists | 6,59 |
| Workers | 1,69 |
The Group's priority remains and will continue to be skills development. All employees of the Group have the opportunity to improve their knowledge and skills in person or remotely through internal and external training, courses, seminars, conferences or exhibitions. The Group invests in staff development and competence development in various areas to increase staff motivation and to enable them to do their job even better. The management of this topic is defined in the Procedure "Personnel Management" PR-03.
In 2023, 1,476 employees participated in internal and 605 in external training at Group level. In 2022, 1,712 staff participated in internal training and 849 in external training.
In 2023, the ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS participated in:
* Youth Forum "Challenge. Youth Challenge "Active Summer".
* Presentations of the project "Career Education in STEAM".
* Opportunities exhibition "Telšiai - For Youth. Discover, Explore, Learn".
* VGTU Career Days.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS also runs adaptation programs for new employees and employees changing positions.
To be implemented in 2023: EU "Apprenticeship Project" - on-the-job training.# SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
LETTER FROM A CEO
ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE
ENVIRONMENTAL AREA
SOCIAL AREA
ECONOMIC AREASUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP
ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
EU TAXONOMY
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH
Mentor and Mentee Project - Mentors train new recruits and those wishing to change roles, e.g. a production worker is trained for an operator position; a technician who has moved to another department is trained by a Mentor to work in a new position etc. A total of 3885.26 hours of training will be provided in 2023. The contract for the EU Structural Funds co-funded project 09.4.3-ESFA- K-827-04-0028 "Improving the skills of employees in the workplace" was signed at the end of 2020, with the aim of ensuring that employees are continuously upskilled, are professionally mobile and able to move quickly to other activities. The project aimed to provide on-the-job training for employees. The project will run from 2020 to 16 June 2023. 160 employees were trained in the production and transport departments. In the near future, the Group plans to carry out a digitization project of its internal training in order to further encourage and involve employees in the learning process. GRI 404-1 | 404-2
Executive Reserve Programme - a multi-module training programme for managerial candidates.
The Group has established an Occupational Safety and Health Service, consisting of occupational safety and health specialists, to implement occupational safety and health measures. Each year, these specialists participate in various training courses, seminars and conferences to improve their qualifications. The Group also has an Occupational Health and Safety Policy. All the Group's structural units and departments have designated employees trained in occupational health and safety or departmental employees who are responsible for the safety, health, and fire safety of the employees in the department. They carry out:
* Continuous risk assessments,
* Control of breaches,
* Employee briefings,
* And other functions to ensure the health and safety of employees.
The Group provides the following health and safety training:
* Induction and fire safety training for all employees.
* Occupational safety training for specialist professions (locksmiths, production workers, etc.).
* Occupational safety training for higher risk jobs (forklift work, telfer work, well work, etc.)
All new employees are trained in occupational health and safety, fire safety, first aid and preventive measures before starting work. Before being employed, workers must undergo a health check-up and hygiene training for working with foodstuffs at the health facility.
Hazard identification, risk assessment, and incident investigation
Designated staff are responsible for occupational health and safety within the units. All incidents shall be investigated and recorded in accordance with the Regulations on the Investigation and Recording of Accidents at Work approved by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. Work-related hazards are identified by the Group's Occupational Safety and Health Service during regular and periodic inspections of the units, as well as by means of video surveillance cameras installed in the workplaces to monitor occupational safety violations. Hazards identified shall be recorded in the Group's network and sent to the head of the unit with the measures to eliminate the hazard and the time limit for implementation of the measure specified. The Group hires an external company authorized to carry out the work to assess occupational risks in all workplaces, and to carry out the assessment and propose measures to prevent or reduce the risks. The results of the occupational risk assessment are used to improve workplaces, select personal protective equipment and develop safety legislation. The Group's rules of procedure state that every worker must immediately report work-related hazards and dangerous situations to the head of the unit or to the occupational safety and health service. The Group's workplace rules state that an employee has the right to refuse to work when there is a risk of injury or danger to his health. Anonymous messages are provided in the form of message boxes into which workers can drop anonymous written messages. The Group ant its companies has adopted a procedure for recording and investigating incidents. All employees are made aware of the obligation to report incidents to the Head of Unit during briefings and training. All incidents occuring are investigated, the causes are recorded and measures are planned to prevent similar incidents.
GRI 403-1 | GRI 403-2 | GRI 403-5
| 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|
| Žemaitijos pienas | Šilutės rambynas | |
| Number of fatalities as a result of work-related injury | 1 (traffic accident) | 0 |
| Rate of fatalities as a result of work-related injury | 0,4 | 0 |
| Number of high- consequence work-related injuries (excluding fatalities) | 0 | 0 |
| Rate of high-consequence work-related injuries (excluding fatalities) | 0 | 0 |
| Number of recordable work- related injuries | 2 | 0 |
| Rate of recordable work- related injuries | 0,8 | 0 |
| The main types of work- related injury | Traffic accident (fatal) and minor injuries | Fracture, contusion of limb |
| Total number of hours worked per year by all employees together | 2522520 | 332309 |
GRI 403-9
Notes: Rates are based on 1 000 000 hours worked. The company does not employ non-employees.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS projects and awards in 2023
Every year brings new experiences and challenges that encourage us to move forward and spread the message of ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS products to the world. Last year was a year for projects and awards, of results achieved, and appreciation received from consumers of the products we supply. ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS products have been appreciated and noticed not only in the Lithuanian market, but also worldwide. In 2023, the Company's pride and joy, cheese "Džiugas", won 4 international awards, highlighting the impeccable taste and quality of this cheese. ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS is delighted that Džiugas' many achievements are moving full steam ahead towards the 100th milestone of value and importance to the Company. "Džiugas has been awarded three medals in the UK. "The Great Taste 2023 award, which recognizes two maturities of Džiugas cheese - 12 months and 36 months in 180 grams. Also a 36-month matured Džiugas cheese in a 180 gram pack was awarded a gold medal at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards 2023. "Džiugas has also been recognized in Poland, where ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS products were recognized and appreciated at the Good Cheese Awards. Džiugas 12- month aged cheese, packaged in cheese pieces, was awarded a silver medal for its genuine taste and quality.
Pik-Nik CHAMPIONSHIP "PASIPLĖŠOM"
One of Pik-Nik's favourite traditions is the cheese sausage ripping championship held in the Baltic States, Hungary, and Spain. In 2023, this event brought people together and, in the form of a game, allowed them to get to know and love cheese sticks. It is also important to mention the exceptional Pik-Nik National Tattoo Campaign organized in the Baltic States, Hungary, Spain, and Croatia. The interest and involvement in the campaign was felt in all these countries. The children's audience was the most engaged in the color tattoo game, while Pik-Nik attracted new consumers and broadened brand awareness. France, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Germany, Poland and other countries participating remotely. The event included judging and tasting of 12-month, 18-month, 24-month, 36-month and 36-month old products. "Maturity of Džiugas cheeses. Not only guests, but also the Company's employees were able to enjoy the range of flavors of these cheeses. This year, the Pik-Nik brand was also added to the Company's award shelf. In the United Kingdom, this product line was awarded two prize positions, winning silver and bronze medals at the International Cheese and Dairy Awards 2023 for the Pik-Nik Original 80 gram pack of cheese sticks. It is important for ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS to share the history, tradition and exceptional taste of Džiugas cheese in the planning of the annual Džiugiadienė. In 2023, on the first Friday in May, the 21st Džiugiadienis took place in Telšiai, with guests from mmm
MAGIC - for MAGICAL moments
The milk chocolate line Magija's cottage cheese has also been internationally recognized for its quality in Poland. The biscuit-flavored curd cheese was awarded a gold medal at the Good Cheese Awards, while the caramel and peanut curd cheese received two awards. The gold medal was awarded for the winning position of the children's treat and secured a win at the Innovative Product 2023 Awards. It is important to note that the Magija brand has organized an exclusive national campaign in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia in 2023. The purchase of 3 Magija cheesecakes was entered into a game where the main prize was an unforgettable trip to Disneyland theme park. The company is delighted with the excellent results and the high level of consumer engagement.# ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
38 The quality of our products is of the utmost importance to us, so we control every step of the production chain, from the supply of raw materials to the delivery of the product to the consumer. The Group is guided by a Quality and Food Safety Policy approved by the Board of Directors. Aims and objectives of the Food and Safety Policy include:
Žemaitijos pienas continues to be assessed against international standards for food safety and quality management. During 2023, 8 assessments were carried out at ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS and 4 at Šilutės rambynas. The conclusions of which confirm that both companies comply with the requirements of international food safety standards.
Šilutės Rambynas pays great attention to ensuring the quality and safety of its products. Šilutė Rambynas operates under the following integrated food safety and quality management systems:
GRI 416-1 | 416-2
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023 CONTENT LETTER FROM A CEO ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE ENVIRONMENTAL AREA SOCIAL AREA ECONOMIC AREA SUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT EU TAXONOMY
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The Group has set the following food safety and quality targets for 2024- 2025:
During the reporting period, 100% of the company's product and service categories were tested for health and safety impacts. There were no non-conformities related to the health and safety impacts of products and services during 2023.
40 The Group's risk management strategy is implemented through the organization's operating principles, values and business philosophy, consistent with a Risk Management Framework, including integrated internal policies, procedures, and practices. The general logic of the functioning of internal control is presented in the Risk Management Framework Map. The proper functioning of internal control is achieved through:
It separates business decision-making and operational functions from controlling functions; sets limits and controls on decision-making powers; and defines collegial decision-making in business processes.
Increasing level of detail in risk management system
Org. strategy
Risk management strategy
Risk management policies
Limits on material risks
General guidelines by area of activity
Detailed guidelines (approval procedures, procedures, orders, action plans)
Risks
Goals
Internal control systems
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023 CONTENT LETTER FROM A CEO ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE ENVIRONMENTAL AREA SOCIAL AREA ECONOMIC AREA SUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT EU TAXONOMY
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In order to ensure the sustainability of the business due to the increasing commitment of companies to and understanding of the benefits of stricter regulation, the Group needs to take into account the environmental, social, and economic (ESG) factors that affect the entire value chain, both in the short and long term. Anything that challenges the smooth functioning of supply and demand for goods and services can pose a risk to value and supply chain management. In order to manage potential risks, the Group commits and obliges its suppliers and partners to actively pursue a social responsibility policy in terms of environment, transparency, and employees before signing contracts with suppliers. This clause is included in all (100%) contracts signed with suppliers.
Risk assessment and management refers to the process of identifying, assessing, and controlling any threats to the Group's capital and earnings. Some degree of risk is always present in any operating system and is important in determining sustainability risk management for all businesses, organizations, and governments. By proactively identifying and managing the risks that affect our supply chains, production, operations, and other functions, we can build effective systems to ensure business sustainability. Below is a model for assessing sustainability and disclosing risks.
GRI 414-1 | GRI 308-1
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023 CONTENT LETTER FROM A CEO ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE ENVIRONMENTAL AREA SOCIAL AREA ECONOMIC AREA SUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT EU TAXONOMY
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Early identification of risks is essential for effective risk management. Industries with longer supply chains tend to face higher risks, which may arise from occupational health and safety incidents, shortages of natural resources, or technical failures leading to shortages of raw material supply. Risks can manifest themselves in a variety of ways, ranging from those that are market-related to those that affect the operations of our Group companies. Effective risk management is becoming increasingly important, and we therefore present a number of risk sub-systems that we need to take into account in our day-to-day operations.
As a dairy farmer, an uninterrupted supply of raw milk is crucial for us. When identifying supply chain risks, we need to look not only at the suppliers of raw milk, but also at the suppliers of other raw materials that supply the materials needed to produce and market our products.
To prioritize active and engaged employees, we need to identify and manage occupational health and safety risks that can threaten the sustainability of the business, including workplace environment, air quality, or other workplace hazards.
Employee risk refers to the consequences of the actions of our Company's employees when they deviate from the approved internal regulatory documents and may damage the business reputation through fraud or other illegal activities.
When the quality of products or services does not meet the Company's stated quality objectives and customer expectations, we are exposed to quality risk. From production equipment to transportation, products can be exposed to a range of quality risks at all stages of their life cycle.
Risks related to technology include hardware or software failures, data risks, hardware attacks and non-compliance with data management or others. Technological risks are affecting equipment and processes associated with many business systems.
Security risks include physical risks, such as theft of documents or intrusion into private domains, and cyber-security threats related to data. A cyber-attack can lead to loss of information and economic costs, with the risk of reputational damage or loss of sales and customers.
Energy risks expose us to risks including increases in the price of energy resources, energy supply triggers, regulatory changes affecting energy consumption, and customer demands to reduce our carbon footprint.
Economic risk refers to the risk that macroeconomic conditions, such as inflation, changes in interest rates, exchange rate fluctuations or economic sanctions pose to the Group.
We may be liable if our activities cause damage or injury to third parties, whether to people, property, or business.
The Group operates in accordance with a Code of Ethics approved in 2018. This Code sets out standards of conduct for all employees, regardless of position, scope of employment, etc. The Group has appropriate internal processes in place to mitigate the risk of corruption and bribery.
An Equal Opportunities Policy for the Group was approved in 2018. The Company's Competition Compliance Policy was approved in 2021 in order to achieve high standards of competition law compliance and ethical behaviour towards its competitors.
In our management's assessment, the measures put in place are effective.
The Group seeks to minimize the risk of legal non-compliance and to ensure that the Group's operations comply with legal requirements and standards. To this end, the Group's lawyers are involved in the decision- making process and in the drafting and coordination of various policies, procedures, and contracts.
The Group's commitment is to calculate, declare, and pay taxes correctly and in good faith, in accordance with the applicable laws of the Republic of Lithuania. The Department of Finance is the overseeing body for fair payment of taxes.
The Group’s Management team is tasked with preparation and fair presentation of the Group's consolidated financial statements in accordance with EU Adopted International Financial Reporting Standards. This includes overseeing and implementing the necessary and adequate internal control measures which ensure that the Group's consolidated financial statements are prepared in a manner that is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the Group and consolidated financial statements, management is required to make an assessment of the Company's and the Group's ability to continue as an ongoing concern and to disclose, as necessary, matters relating to ongoing concern, and the application of the relevant basis of accounting, unless management intends to liquidate the Company and the Group or to cease operations, or unless management has no realistic alternative but to do so.
During the reporting period, the Group did not impose any fines or non- monetary sanctions for material non-compliance with laws and regulations.
The Company is a member of the Lithuanian Dairy Farms Association and the Lithuanian Food Exporters Association.
The Group has a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and makes significant efforts to prevent it in all its activities. The Code of Conduct obliges employees to avoid situations that could lead to conflicts of interest. The Group's policy in this respect strictly prohibits the acceptance of gifts, invitations to meetings, cultural or other events, that could lead to a mutual obligation of the parties.
Efforts are continuously made to ensure the widest or largest possible range of suppliers. In addition to price, quality and reliability of the supplier are important criteria in the Group's evaluation methodology when purchasing goods and selecting a supplier. Suppliers are audited before the purchase of goods and only afterwards a decision is taken on the purchase of goods or services.
The Group purchases goods and services in accordance with the principles of equality, non-discrimination, mutual recognition, proportionality, and transparency.
GRI 2-25 | GRI 2-27 | GRI 2-28 | GRI 205-3
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT
One of the Group's guiding principles is to develop fair and transparent cooperative relationships with suppliers, customers, and other entities. However, the Group's policy prohibits its employees from offering gifts to customers, suppliers, partners, or other persons that would help to maintain cooperation. This rule does not apply to gifts of extremely low value, such as holiday cards or greeting cards.
There were no confirmed incidents of corruption during the reporting period.
The Group has a strong competition law culture. In order to ensure effective compliance with competition rules, it has adopted a Competition Law Compliance Policy. The main objective of this policy is to provide guidance to all employees from all Group companies on the basic principles of competition law and to enable them to comply with them. The policy aims to enhance the integration of competition rules across the Group, to set out rules of conduct in dealing with competitors, customers, and suppliers, and to provide guidelines for assessing such conduct.
The Group takes the protection of personal data seriously and therefore strives to ensure the protection of personal data rights processing by all means. Data subjects are the users of the products, partners, and other persons who entrust us with their personal information, with the Group being responsible for justifying this trust.
GRI 2-25
In this Privacy Policy, the Group:
When processing the personal data of data subjects, the Group complies with the Law on Legal Protection of Personal Data of the Republic of Lithuania, the Law on Electronic Communications of the Republic of Lithuania, and other directly applicable legal acts regulating the protection of personal data, as well as with the instructions of the competent authorities.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT
The European Union (EU) taxonomy (Taxonomy Regulation, 2020/852, and related delegated acts) is a system for classifying economic activities in order to guide private investment towards environmentally sustainable activities that contribute to the environmental objectives of the European Green Deal.
The taxonomy defines the following environmental objectives:
The taxonomy sets out criteria based on scientific evidence to assess the sustainability of activities. Business activities that are included in the taxonomy and meet its criteria can be classified as sustainable and attract green investments.
Taxonomy-eligible economic activity is defined as an activity described in the relevant delegated acts of the Taxonomy Regulation, i.e. it is included in the Taxonomy. Companies that have identified that their economic activity's revenue (Turnover), capital expenditure (CapEx) and/or operating expenses (OpEx) are related to the activities described in the delegated acts are required to carry out an analysis and disclose the extent to which their activities meet the criteria of the taxonomy in relation to these indicators.
Taxonomy-aligned activity is one that meets the criteria of the technical screening of the taxonomy, i.e. contributes significantly to at least one of the six environmental objectives, causes no significant harm to the other five, and complies with the minimum safeguards.# EU TAXONOMY OVERVIEW OF THE EU TAXONOMY ASSESSMENT
In this report, in accordance with the provisions of the Taxonomy Regulation and the related delegated acts, we provide the main performance indicators of the group of companies (AB ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS together with its subsidiary) and information on the compliance of taxonomy-eligible activities with the criteria.
The Group carries out taxonomy-eligible activities and/or invests in taxonomy-eligible measures that can contribute to the objectives of climate change mitigation, adaptation and the transition to a circular economy. The Group does not carry out activities that may contribute to other environmental objectives of the taxonomy. The assessment of the compliance of the Group's activities with the criteria of the taxonomy has revealed that the Group has not prepared the climate change risk and vulnerability assessment, i.e. it does not meet one of the criteria for not causing significant harm. It is therefore concluded that the group's companies do not currently carry out activities that are sustainable in terms of the taxonomy (meeting the criteria). It is important to underline that the Group fulfils the minimum safeguards condition: it has implemented the recommended measures for socially responsible and ethical business as set out in the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and complies with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
The main activities of the group - production and marketing of dairy products - are currently not included in the taxonomy and are therefore not subject to the taxonomy criteria. The fact that an activity is not included in the taxonomy does not mean that it cannot be carried out in an environmentally sustainable manner.
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT LETTER FROM A CEO ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE ENVIRONMENTAL AREA SOCIAL AREA ECONOMIC AREASUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUPABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT EU TAXONOMY OVERVIEW OF THE EU TAXONOMY ASSESSMENT
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Group companies derive income from other additional activities that are included in the taxonomy. Some of the revenues generated by the Company and its subsidiary in 2023 are consistent with these activities defined in the taxonomy:
The share of revenue from taxonomy-eligible activities is calculated by dividing the revenue from products and services related to taxonomy- eligible activities by the total revenue of the group. Only 1.89% of the group's revenue is attributable to taxonomy-eligible activities (see Table 1).
Some of the group’s additions to long-term assets through 2023 correspond to the following activities as defined in the taxonomy:
Capital expenditure for taxonomy-eligible activities is calculated as the investment related to the activities defined in the taxonomy divided by the total capital expenditure. In total, 59.18% of the Group's capital expenditure is attributable to taxonomy-eligible activities (see Table 2).
Part of the Group's operating costs according to the taxonomy through 2023 correspond to the following activities defined in the taxonomy:
The taxonomy's definition of OpEx differs from the definition normally used in financial accounting and covers a much smaller proportion of expenses. Applying the taxonomy definition, we have included the costs of renting and maintaining assets in the denominator of OpEx. In total, 56.37% of the Group's operating expenses are classified as taxonomy- eligible activities (see Table 3).
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
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Table 1. Revenue according to taxonomy in 2023
| Economic activity | NACE code(s) | Absolute revenue 2023 (thousand Eur) | Proportion of revenue, 2023 (%) | Taxonomy-aligned proportion of revenue, 2023 (%) | Taxonomy-aligned proportion of revenue, 2022 (%) | Category (enabling) | Category (transitional) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Taxonomy-eligible activity: | |||||||
| A.1. Environmentally sustainable activities (Taxonomy-aligned) | |||||||
| Revenue of environmentally sustainable activities (Taxonomy- aligned) (A.1) | 0 | 0% | - | - | - | - | |
| A.2. Taxonomy-eligible but not environmentally sustainable activities (not Taxonomy-aligned activities) | |||||||
| Acquisition and ownership of buildings | L68 | 372 | 0.14% | - | - | Y | N |
| Freight transport services by road | H49.41, H53.10, H53.20, N77.12 | 3 572 | 1.28% | - | - | Y | N |
| Collection and transport of non-hazardous and hazardous waste | E38.11, E38.12, F42.9 | 1 315 | 0.47% | - | - | Y | N |
| Total: A.1 + A.2 | 5 259 | 1.89% | |||||
| B. Taxonomy-non-eligible activities | |||||||
| Revenue of taxonomy-non- eligible activities (B) | 272 745 | 98.11% | |||||
| TOTAL: A + B | 278 004 | 100% |
Note: The table includes columns for "Substantial contribution criteria", "Do no significant harm criteria", "Climate change mitigation", "Climate change adaptation", "Water and marine resources", "Circular economy", "Pollution", "Biodiversity and ecosystems", "Minimum safeguards", and then repeated columns for "Taxonomy-aligned proportion of revenue, 2023" and "Taxonomy-aligned proportion of revenue, 2022", and "Category (enabling)" and "Category (transitional)". The Y/N indicators under these criteria are omitted for brevity in this Markdown representation.
OVERVIEW OF THE EU TAXONOMY ASSESSMENT
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT LETTER FROM A CEO ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE ENVIRONMENTAL AREA SOCIAL AREA ECONOMIC AREASUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUPABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT EU TAXONOMY
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Table 2. Capital expenditure (CapEx) according to taxonomy in 2023
| Economic activity | NACE code(s) | Absolute Taxonomy CapEx in 2023 (thousand Eur) | Proportion of CapEx, 2023 (%) | Taxonomy-aligned proportion of CapEx, 2023 (%) | Taxonomy-aligned proportion of CapEx, 2022 (%) | Category (enabling) | Category (transitional) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Taxonomy-eligible activity: | |||||||
| A.1. Environmentally sustainable activities (Taxonomy-aligned) | |||||||
| CapEx of environmentally sustainable activities (Taxonomy-aligned) (A.1) | 0 | 0% | - | - | - | - | |
| A.2. Taxonomy-eligible but not environmentally sustainable activities (not Taxonomy-aligned activities) | |||||||
| Acquisition and ownership of buildings | L68 | 120 | 0.89% | - | - | Y | N |
| Transport by motorbikes, passenger cars and light commercial vehicles | H49.32, H49.39, N77.11 | 101 | 0.75% | - | - | Y | N |
| Freight transport services by road | H49.41, H53.10, H53.20, N77.12 | 522 | 3.87% | - | - | Y | N |
| Installation, maintenance and repair of renewable energy technologies | F42, F43, M71, C16, C17, C22, C23, C25, C27, C28 | 5 922 | 43.93% | - | - | Y | N |
| Infrastructure enabling road transport and public transport | F42.11, F42.13, M71.12, M71.20 | 1 313 | 9.74% | - | - | Y | N |
| Total: A.1 + A.2 | 7 978 | 59.18% | |||||
| B. Taxonomy-non-eligible activities | |||||||
| CapEx of taxonomy- non-eligible activities (B) | 5 504 | 40.83% | |||||
| TOTAL: A + B | 13 482 | 100% |
Note: The table includes columns for "Substantial contribution criteria", "Do no significant harm criteria", "Climate change mitigation", "Climate change adaptation", "Water and marine resources", "Circular economy", "Pollution", "Biodiversity and ecosystems", "Minimum safeguards", and then repeated columns for "Taxonomy-aligned proportion of CapEx, 2023" and "Taxonomy-aligned proportion of CapEx, 2022", and "Category (enabling)" and "Category (transitional)". The Y/N indicators under these criteria are omitted for brevity in this Markdown representation.
OVERVIEW OF THE EU TAXONOMY ASSESSMENT
ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS AB | SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (SUSTAINABILITY) REPORT | 2023
CONTENT LETTER FROM A CEO ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE ENVIRONMENTAL AREA SOCIAL AREA ECONOMIC AREASUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUPABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT EU TAXONOMY
49
Table 3. Operating expenditure (OpEx) according to taxonomy in 2023
| Economic activity | NACE code(s) | Absolute operating expenditure in 2023 (thousand Eur) | Percentage of operating expenditure, 2023 (%) | Taxonomy-aligned percentage of operating expenditure, 2023 (%) | Taxonomy-aligned percentage of operating expenditure, 2022 (%) | Category (enabling) | Category (transitional) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Taxonomy-eligible activity: | |||||||
| A.1. Environmentally sustainable activities (Taxonomy-aligned) | |||||||
| OpEx of environmentally sustainable activities (Taxonomy-aligned) (A.1) | 0 | 0% | - | - | - | - | |
| A.2. Taxonomy-eligible but not environmentally sustainable activities (not Taxonomy-aligned activities) | |||||||
| Acquisition and ownership of buildings | L68 | 154 | 5.55% | - | - | Y | N |
| Transport by motorbikes, passenger cars and light commercial vehicles | H49.32, H49.39, N77.11 | 38 | 1.36% | - | - | Y | N |
| Freight transport services by road | H49.41, H53.10, H53.20, N77.12 | 1 314 | 47.25% | - | - | Y | N |
| Production of heat/cool from bioenergy | D35.30 | 59 | 2.11% | - | - | Y | N |
| Total: A.1 + A.2 | 1 565 | 56.37% | |||||
| B. | Taxonomy-non-eligible activities |
LETTER FROM A CEO
ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE
ENVIRONMENTAL AREA
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ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
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GRI INDEX
50
Statement of use
AB „ŽEMAITIJOS PIENAS“ group of companies have reported in accordance with the GRI Standards for the period from 1 January to 31 December 2023.
GRI 1 used
GRI 1: Foundation 2021
Applicable GRI Sector Standards
Not applicable
GRI 2: General Disclosures 2021
| Disclosure | Location |
|---|---|
| 1. The organisation and its reporting practices | |
| 2-1 Organizational details | 4, 5 p. |
| 2-2 Entities included in the organization’s sustainability reporting | 3, 4, 5 p. |
| 2-3 Reporting period, frequency and contact point | 4 p. |
| 2-4 Restatements of information | 4 p. |
| 2-5 External assurance | 4 p. |
| 2. Activities and workers | |
| 2-6 Activities, value chain and other business relationships | 5 p. |
| 2-7 Employees | 30 p. |
| 2-8 Workers who are not employees | 30 p. |
| 3. Governance | |
| 2-9 Governance structure and composition | 9 p. |
| 2-10 Nomination and selection of the highest governance body | 9 p. |
| 2-11 Chair of the highest governance body | 9 p. |
| 2-12 Role of the highest governance body in overseeing the management of impacts | 9 p. |
| 2-13 Delegation of responsibility for managing impacts | 9 p. |
| Disclosure | Location |
|---|---|
| 2-14 Role of the highest governance body in sustainability reporting | 9 p. |
| 2-15 Conflicts of interest | 9 p. |
| 2-16 Communication of critical concerns | 9 p. |
| 2-17 Collective knowledge of the highest governance body | 9 p. |
| 2-18 Evaluation of the performance of the highest governance body | 9 p. |
| 2-19 Remuneration policies | 31 p. |
| 2-20 Process to determine remuneration | 31 p. |
| 2-21 Annual total compensation ratio | 31 p. |
| 4. Strategy, policies and practices | |
| 2-22 Statement on sustainable development strategy | 3, 7, 8 p. |
| 2-23 Policy commitments | 7, 8, 29 p. |
| 2-24 Embedding policy commitments | 7, 8 p. |
| 2-25 Processes to remediate negative impacts | 11, 43, 44 p. |
| 2-26 Mechanisms for seeking advice and raising concerns | 11 p. |
| 2-27 Compliance with laws and regulations | 43 p. |
| 2-28 Membership associations | 43 p. |
| 5. Stakeholder engagement | |
| 2-29 Approach to stakeholder engagement | 11 p. |
| 2-30 Collective bargaining agreements | 29 p. |
| Risk management | 40 p. |
| 1GRI 3: Key Sustainability Themes 2021 | |
| 3-1 Process to determine material topics | 12 p. |
| 3-2 List of material topics | 13 p. |
LETTER FROM A CEO
ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE
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ECONOMIC AREASUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP
ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
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| Disclosure | Location |
|---|---|
| 3-3 Management of material topics | 13 p. |
| Economic topics | |
| GRI 414: Supplier Social Assessment 2016 | |
| 414-1 New suppliers that were screened using social criteria | 41 p. |
| GRI 205: Anti-corruption 2016 | |
| 205-3 Confirmed incidents of corruption and actions taken | 43 p. |
| Environmental topics | |
| GRI 302: Energy 2016 | |
| 302-1 Energy consumption within the organisation | 15, 16 p. |
| 302-3 Energy intensity | 17 p. |
| GRI 303: Water and Effluents 2018 | |
| 303-1 Interactions with water as a shared resource | 19 p. |
| 303-2 Management of water discharge related impacts | 19 p. |
| 303-5 Water consumption | 19 p. |
| GRI 305: Emissions 2016 | |
| 305-1 Direct (Scope 1) GHG emissions | 18 p. |
| 305-2 Energy indirect (Scope 2) GHG emissions | 18 p. |
| 305-3 Other indirect (Scope 3) GHG emissions | |
| 305-4 GHG emissions intensity | 18 p. |
| GRI 306: Waste 2020 | |
| 306-2 Management of significant waste-related impacts | 23 p. |
| 306-3 Waste generated | 23 p. |
| 306-4 Waste diverted from disposal | 24 p. |
| Disclosure | Location |
| GRI 308: Supplier Environmental Assessment 2016 | |
| 308-1 New suppliers that were screened using environmental criteria | 41 p. |
| Social topics | |
| GRI 401: Employment 2016 | |
| 401-1 New employee hires and employee turnover | 30 p. |
| GRI 403: Occupational health and safety 2018 | |
| 403-1 Occupational health and safety management system | 33 p. |
| 403-2 Hazard identification, risk assessment, and incident investigation | 33 p. |
| 403-5 Worker training on occupational health and safety | 33 p. |
| 403-9 Work-related injuries | 34 p. |
| GRI 404: Training and Education 2016 | |
| 404-1 Average hours of training per year per employee | 32 p. |
| 404-2 Programs for upgrading employee skills and transition assistance programs | 32 p. |
| GRI 405: Diversity and Equal Opportunity 2016 | |
| 405-1 Diversity of governance bodies and employees | 31 p. |
| GRI 406: Non-discrimination 2016 | |
| 406-1 Incidents of discrimination and corrective actions taken | 29 p. |
| GRI 416: Customer Health and Safety 2016 | |
| 416-1 Assessment of the health and safety impacts of product and service categories | 38 p. |
| 416-2 Incidents of non-compliance concerning the health and safety impacts of products and services | 38 p. |
LETTER FROM A CEO
ACTIVITIES AND STRUCTURE
ENVIRONMENTAL AREA
SOCIAL AREA
ECONOMIC AREASUSTAINABILITY AT THE GROUP
ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
EU TAXONOMY
Taxonomy-non-eligible activities OpEx of taxonomy-non- eligible activities (B)
1 | 216 | 43.63%
TOTAL: A + B
2 | 782 | 100%
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