Next steps towards the future

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the key term for this ambitious programme for the future. Zolux has been working on it for some time, but a comprehensive strategic scheme for its implementation was only developed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The company aims to extend and update the programme on an ongoing basis.

"It's right for my pet" is a slogan meaning that the company, which employs over 400 people, will do everything in its power to fully meet the needs of pets and their health requirements in its product development. Zolux regards itself as a partner of all pet owners and intends to provide them with expert advice on all issues relating to their pets via all available communication channels. Moreover, the views of pet owners are to be taken into consideration when developing new products. In France, a panel has already been set up with 350 consumers, who examine the company's new pro­ducts at the development stage and give their opinion. This panel is to be expanded to 1000 participants, and will also be introduced into other countries in stages. The advice from pet owners will then be fed directly into Zolux's development work.
An annual survey of customer satisfaction with the company and its products is also in the pipeline for the future. With regard to product quality, the highest standards are to apply and these are set in close consultation with in-house and external veterinarians. A variety of raw materials are analysed to see what their effects are on pets and the environment before a decision is taken on the best material. Avoidance and recyclability take a top priority when it comes to packaging, while cutting transport distances is another target towards which Zolux is working consistently.

Another important factor in the future scheme relates to work organisation in the company. Zolux has invested heavily in new IT solutions. These range from Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) for optimising areas of daily business to an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system and a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, which facilitates structured, automatic acquisition of all customer contacts and data. There has also been investment in database-supported electronic document management (GED), which is currently being introduced. The deployment of these new digital tools and systems forms the basis for more flexible and efficient working in Zolux and also helps to create a…