The Supervisory Board has two committees, the Audit and Compliance Committee (ACC) and the Human Resources Committee (HRC).

The mission statement serves as a living statement that can be translated into goals and objectives at each level and for each business within the Group.

"COFRA is a global family-owned and -led business, creating sustainable economic value for its owners and exciting career opportunities for its employees through a dynamic portfolio of investments in retail, real estate, financial services and corporate investments, with the unique ability to attract, retain, develop and promote exceptional talent both from within and outside the family."

In accordance with the principle of fair and honest dealings, COFRA Group complies with both the letter and the spirit of local and international laws. We endorse the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, and the principles contained in the UN Global Compact.

The COFRA Group Business Principles apply to all COFRA Group companies.

Business integrity

Our reputation for high standards of business integrity is one of our most important assets. COFRA Group’s business is founded on the trust of its employees, business partners, customers and society at large.

Human rights / labour standards

We respect local laws and cultural identities without prejudice to the overriding global principles proclaimed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We believe that these global standards apply to all our commercial activities.

In accordance with the core international human rights conventions, we recognise that states have the prime duty to protect their citizens from human rights abuses.
At the same time, we acknowledge our specific responsibilities to respect the human rights of those with whom we come into direct and indirect contact in the course of our business, particularly employees, customers and communities.

Environmental sustainability

We promote high standards of environmental responsibility, with a view to achieving long-term sustainability. We seek to increase the economic value generated by our businesses, while reducing our ecological footprint. We strive to minimise our ecological footprint by making efficient use of energy and by increasing the share of renewable energy sources in our overall energy consumption. We strive for sustainable use of water. We seek to reduce waste and to consider options for recycling.

We consider the direct and indirect environmental impact of our business activities and the lifecycle of our products, from the cultivation and production of raw materials upstream to the support for sustainable consumption initiatives downstream.

We support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges, supported by technical risk assessments where appropriate.

Business partners

The COFRA Group works with a wide range of business partners, including suppliers, contractors, joint venture partners, and companies in which we invest. We are committed to the principles of fairness and honesty in all our dealings with partners.

In choosing our partners, we seek to identify and engage with companies that provide high-quality and competitive services and whose values are compatible with our own. In all cases, we will use our influence to ensure high ethical standards, with particular regard for business integrity, respect for human rights and environmental sustainability.

Seeking guidance and reporting problems

We see it as our duty to take appropriate measures to identify and remedy situations that conflict with these COFRA Group Business Principles. By encouraging a culture of openness and accountability within the COFRA Group, we believe that we can help prevent such situations occurring.

COFRA's opportunities

COFRA Holding is and intends to remain a family-owned and -managed group of companies. Through investing in people, COFRA achieves two major objectives: growth through performance and long-term health through balanced strategic investments.

Your opportunities

Occasionally COFRA Holding offers opportunities for professional and senior management employees with excellent track records in the areas of Finance and General Management. If you want to be considered for such a position you should have relevant education and experience.

For opportunities with one of our businesses, or direct contact with them, please visit their websites.

The COFRA Group is committed to generating value for its stakeholders on social, environmental and economic dimensions. The economic success is the reward of continuous value creation for the customer whilst contributing to the positive development of society. The coming decades are expected to be dominated by the overarching challenge of increasing scarcity of resources due to economic development and a strongly growing population. More than ever, value creation that will consider issues of sustainability is likely to contribute to long-term business success.

Corporate responsibility helps our companies to look beyond short-term financial performance and consider the social and environmental risks and opportunities that will influence the markets they operate in.

It is COFRA's vision that corporate responsibility be proactively embedded throughout the organisation in a transparent, principle-based manner.

Corporate Responsibility in the Businesses

With its "Code of Conduct for the Supply of Merchandise" in place since the early 1990s, the establishment of the SOCAM supplier audit organisation in 1996, and the "Acting Responsibly" report since 2004, C&A Europe has been a leading force in Corporate Responsibility. Redevco published its first Corporate Responsibility Report in 2009.

As mentioned in our business principles, COFRA Group abides by the principles of the UN Global Compact including reporting on corporate responsibility activities on an annual basis. Both C&A and Redevco issue GRI-rated sustainability reports. These reports together with further information on the companies' corporate responsibility activities are publicly available via their respective websites.

	Corporate Responsibility at C&A Europe and Sustentabilidade at C&A Brazil
	Corporate Responsibility at Redevco

Argidius Foundation (Switzerland):

Founded in 1957, this foundation works to catalyse economic growth in West Africa, Central America and Eastern Europe by supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and improving the business environment. Supported activities include business incubators, business plan competitions, loan guarantee funds, and SME mentorship. Serious about impact, the foundation has pioneered the use of a measurement tool - the return on total investment - to help its partners measure their impact and efficiency better.

C&A Foundation (Switzerland):

C&A Foundation was established in 2011 to continue the charitable work previously led by the C&A Initiative for Social Development (CISD). The foundation contributes to the local charitable giving in the 19 European countries in which C&A has a retail presence and supports larger initiatives that aim to improve the social, economic and environmental conditions across the cotton and apparel value chain in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Additionally, the foundation supports a number of local charitable initiatives in China with a particular focus on children and victims of natural disasters.

Instituto C&A (Brazil):

For over 20 years, Instituto C&A has invested in early education initiatives, as well as projects that help children and adolescents gain the skills and values to become full-fledged citizens. It also promotes the development of civil society educational institutions. Instituto C&A's activities focus on the cities in which C&A operates in Brazil and actively involve C&A employees. In 2011, over 6,000 C&A employees volunteered their time across 104 charitable projects.

Fundación C&A (Mexico):

Created in 1999, this foundation is committed to helping youth (12-21 years old) develop the skills needed to live full and dignified lives. Specifically, the foundation supports non-formal education initiatives, including extracurricular activities incorporating arts, sports, and vocational training. In line with its focus on education, Fundación C&A also works to build the capacity of Mexican non-governmental organisations through its FORMAS programme, which offers coaching and training across the country. The foundation works in 10 Mexican states and provides over 50 grants each year to charitable organisations.

COFRA Foundation (Switzerland):

Established in 2006, COFRA Foundation aims to increase employee engagement in philanthropic activities by supporting charitable initiatives through a matching grant programme and encouraging employee volunteerism. The foundation also makes a number of charitable grants on the recommendations of the staff of Bregal and Entrepreneurs Fund.

Good Energies Foundation (Switzerland):

With its mission to alleviate poverty by mitigating climate change, this foundation focuses specifically on incubating innovative, market-driven and financially sustainable reforestation models throughout the world, such as Tapergie in Indonesia.

Stichting Redevco (Netherlands):

Established in 2011, this foundation continues the philanthropic activities of Redevco, particularly in the areas of cultural heritage, environmental sustainability and improving the lives of the less privileged in society, helping them be better able to access the resources they need to lead dignified lives.