Bucharest, 4 October 2022 - Secom® Healthcare Group, the leading authority on the dietary supplements market in Romania, publishes its first sustainability report, which presents a comprehensive and transparent analysis of the activity carried out between January 2020 and December 2021, from the perspective of the social, economic and environmental impact, as well as the objectives set for the following period, in order to ensure the company’s sustainable growth.

"We chose to initiate this process voluntarily, even though we are not subject to the non-financial reporting legislation, because we believe that we all, individuals or companies, regardless of the size of our business, have a responsibility to create a better world for the future generations," says Lucia Costea, co-founder and CEO of Secom® Healthcare Group.

The report was developed in accordance with international Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards, together with The CSR Agency's team of consultants, and is the result of a complex analysis, which involved consulting with over 1340 external and internal stakeholders and taking an in-depth x-ray of the company's activities in 2020 and 2021. The main conclusions of the analysis are:

Responsible choices for a sustainable economy

• In 2021, Secom® Healthcare generated net sales of 172 million lei (EUR ~35 million), +10% compared to 2020, continuing the steady double-digit evolution of the last 18 years
• The company invested 2.8 million lei between 2013-2021 in the development of its own network of 13 Secom physical stores in 11 cities across the country
• It contributed 44.4 million lei to the state budget in 2020 and 2021
• In 2021, 94.3% of Secom® collaborating suppliers were local suppliers, accounting for 35.1% of the expenditures, because, out of a desire to offer consumers the best supplements globally, the company chose to import much of its portfolio from international producers.
• The producers from whom Secom® imports its supplements hold high industry certifications and invest substantially in research and development. The share of expenditure with international producers was 64.9% in 2021.

Responsible choices for a healthy society

• All Secom® producers are internationally certified according to ISO, GMP, NSF standards, which testify the quality, efficiency and safety of the products
• The company has carried out five observational studies over the last five years with renowned medical institutions in Romania, proving the effectiveness of the five products analyzed
• Secom® has invested 1.86 million lei over the last seven years in education projects to encourage the informed consumption of supplements and a healthy lifestyle
• 42 Secom® consultants provided over 38,000 free consultancy hours to the consumers who visited Secom® stores in 2020 and 2021.

Responsible choices for team development

• The Secom® team included 179 people in 2021, up 10.5% compared to 2020
• In 2021, the company paid 23.8 million lei for the team’s salaries, up + 26.5% compared to 2020
• 55% of Secom® management positions filled by women in 2021
• Secom® allocated 858,000 lei for team development trainings in 2020 and 2021 and provided 1170 hours of wellbeing and support workshops during the pandemic (on topics related to nutrition, psycho-emotional balance, financial education)
• The company allocated a flexible benefits budget of 400 lei /month/team member in 2021, in addition to other special benefits: performance bonus, medical subscription - including for the family, life and accident insurance, discounts on portfolio products, psychotherapy sessions, financial incentives for colleagues who have contributed to recruiting a colleague to the team, loyalty bonus, etc.

Responsible choices for the community

• In 2020 and 2021, Secom® provided financial support, as well as support in the form of products and/or voluntary actions to 42 organizations: 27 NGOs, 13 hospitals, one educational establishment and one sports federation
• The total budget for investments with a community impact was 481,235 lei in 2020 and 2021
• In 2021, following consultations with the stakeholders, Secom® defined a community investment strategy with 3 pillars directly linked to 3 Sustainable Development Goals: health and wellbeing, quality education, responsible production and consumption
• In 2021, Secom® started an internal social engagement program, Together in the Service of Good, where the team submitted 34 social projects, out of which 7 were selected to be supported by the company in 2022.

Responsible choices for a clean environment

• 100% out of the packaging quantity of the products placed on the market by Secom® was recovered in both 2020 and 2021, although the legal obligation is 55%
• The energy consumption intensity in relation to turnover decreased by 39% in 2021 compared to 2020
• The packaging for 31.25% of all supplements in the Secom® portfolio is made from 97% post-consumer recycled plastic
• All Andalou Naturals cosmetics in the portfolio are certified Cruelty-Free and Fair Trade
• TEALIA® teas are certified "Ozone Friendly", a certification that confirms compliance with the highest environmental standards.

These are just some of the highlights that describe Secom®'s performance towards sustainable development; more details can be found in the sustainability report 2020&2021 .   

"At Secom®, we are on a mission to help people live a balanced, healthy life through high quality, innovative and reliable products and services. In order to continue to influence more and more lives, we want to grow as responsibly as possible. This first report is another important step in this direction. We are aware that we still have a long way to go, that it will not be an easy road, but we are convinced that the benefits generated by the measures we committed to will create value for all our stakeholders and for Secom®. We promise that this will not be a one-off exercise, but that we will continue to review and monitor our sustainability performance so that we can make the best decisions for both the company and those around us," added Lucia Costea, co-founder and CEO of Secom® Healthcare Group.

The publication of the first sustainability report reinforces Secom® Healthcare Group'scommitment  to remain a transparent and open organization, a trusted partner for all the stakeholders, an active contributor to the local economy and an engaged member of the community. All these promises are backed up by tangible actions:  offering high quality products capable of supporting a healthy lifestyle; promoting them in a responsible and ethical way - including by continuing educational initiatives that encourage a responsible consumption of dietary supplements; following transparent and honest practices in dealing with the business partners and the professional environment. Last but not least, Secom® aims to maintain a constructive working environment that supports the professional development of the people in the team; to take measures to reduce the impact on the environment by using recycled materials in the packaging of its Good Routine® brand products and to have a strong involvement in projects with an impact on the society.

Secom® Healthcare Group's sustainability strategy  focuses on 5 priority areas: Ethics for Business Performance, Quality for Health, Team Development, Community Involvement, Efficiency for the Environment, for which the company has concrete short, medium and long term goals, which are reflected in the sustainability report 2020 & 2021   - pages 112-121.

About Secom Healthcare Group

Secom® Healthcare Group is the leading authority in integrative medicine solutions, which has built a solid reputation in the Romanian market for importing and marketing premium health and beauty products with globally researched, certified and patented ingredients.

The group consists of 3 divisions: Secom® - the business-to-business division that manages the import portfolio, Secom® Retail - the business-to-consumer division that coordinates Secom's chain of 16 physical stores and the secom.ro e-shop and Good Routine® - its own brand of dietary supplements.

Secom® Healthcare Group currently has a team of 200 people and its own exclusive portfolio of over 400 premium products in three categories: dietary supplements, teas and natural cosmetics, made by renowned international producers.

More details on www.secom-healthcare.com.