Our commitment to a more sustainable future
DEVIN JSC, as part of the Spadel Group, has always shown a pioneering spirit for the good of the environment. We are aware of the impact our activities have on nature and we are constantly engaged in increasingly ambitious activities to protect the environment.
On the road to zero carbon production, circular economy and natural habitat restoration
Climate
Carbon neutral throughout the life cycle
Packaging
Our commitments to circular economy
Biodiversity
One local biodiversity project
Providing the purest water, healthy for our consumers and respectful of nature
Protection
Platinum certificate by the Alliance for Water Stewardship achieved
Purity
Water purity acknowledgment
awarded by consumers
Content
100% ingredients of natural origin
A strong and sustainable presence in the regions where we operate
Sales
95% distribution in local
and regional markets
Workplace
95% employees from the country
Purchase
95% sustainable supply and 95% of costs to local suppliers
Creating a safe working environment and a permanent print on the local market with local partners
Commitment
Great Place to Work® certification in all countries
Safety
Zero incidents (#LTI)
Partnerships
5% of the profit in favor of local partnerships
On the road to zero carbon production, circular economy and natural habitat restoration
Climate
Carbon neutral throughout the life cycle
Packaging
Our commitments to circular economy
Biodiversity
One local biodiversity project
Providing the purest water, healthy for our consumers and respectful of nature
Protection
Platinum certificate by the Alliance for Water Stewardship achieved
Purity
Water purity acknowledgment
awarded by consumers
Content
100% ingredients of natural origin
A strong and sustainable presence in the regions where we operate
Sales
95% distribution in local
and regional markets
Workplace
95% employees from the country
Purchase
95% sustainable supply and 95% of costs to local suppliers
Creating a safe working environment and a permanent print on the local market with local partners
Commitment
Great Place to Work® certification in all countries
Safety
Zero incidents (#LTI)
Partnerships
5% of the profit in favor of local partnerships
Source of Change
Caring for nature is a major focus for our company in our strategy by 2025.
We share a strong connection with nature. Conscious of the impact of our activities, we are committed to protecting, restoring and reimagining the world around us. With our Source of Change 2025 strategy, together we are creating a future that is green, pure, local and together.
Learn more about our strategy for a sustainable future!
Green
We work for the transition to zero carbon emissions, circular economy and natural habitat restoration.
In 2021, DEVIN JSC became the first Bulgarian water production company to achieve carbon neutrality at both company and product level. DEVIN is a certified carbon neutral company. The water bottling factory in the town of Devin uses 100% green electricity (from renewable sources).
DEVIN JSC is fully aware of the impact of packaging on the environment and strives to play a leading role in the journey towards a positive transformation. Our commitments aim to accelerate our transition to a circular economy.
In 2022, on DEVIN's initiative and in connection with the company's 30th anniversary, we organized the international round table on the topic of Biodiversity - a Strategic Goal for Survival and a Sustainable Future. During the forum, Bulgarian and international experts from the business, non-governmental organizations and institutions shared their vision and experience in the fight against the loss of biodiversity. The three panels of the conference were devoted to the challenges, opportunities and future development of biodiversity both locally and globally. Through this event, we raised the public conversation on the topic, shared practical experience and talked about DEVIN's efforts to protect biodiversity. The forum supported the role of the town of Devin and the region in the protection of biodiversity in our country and in Europe.
Pure
Working with respect for nature, we provide a pure and healthy product from the heart of the Rhodopes.
DEVIN JSC’s water conservation efforts have been recognized by its successful certification in 2021 according to the world's most stringent standard for responsible water stewardship, the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS). Responsible water stewardship means using water that is socially and culturally just, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial, achieved through a process involving stakeholders and action both on the ground and in the catchment basin.
Water passes through the soil and is very vulnerable to all types of pollution resulting from industrial, agricultural or other types of human activity. To ensure the purity of our water, we work to ensure that the entire area around our sources is protected and clean.
Local
We focus on the local level: water from the heart of the Rhodopes for a better future.
By respect for nature, we agree that our water should not travel more than 500 km from our sources. In 2021, more than 99% of our sales were realized within this perimeter.
We are a company that is locally active, hiring people within a 500km radius of our factory or office. In 2021, 100% of our employees were Bulgarian citizens.
In addition to our everyday work with suppliers, 99% of our strategic suppliers joined and were assessed through the Ecovadis platform.
Together
We act together for a better future in harmony with nature.
Our goal is to take care of our employees and to maintain their satisfaction at the workplace. We measure our employee engagement by using the Great Place to Work® Index methodology. Devin received its Great Place to Work® index certification in May 2021.
We have no serious incidents. This is achieved through daily work and leadership example to employees, continuous technical improvements, clear processes and rules for safe work and employee care. Our aspiration is to achieve zero accidents.
The Spadel Group gives 5% of the profit in favor of local partnerships for 2022.
OUR ACTIONS
DEVIN Spring is the first Bulgarian water brand that makes extra efforts to monitor the quality of the environment near its source, in that, with the help of bees. Since 2019, the Company work in a partnership with the BeeOdiversity international organization. Four times a year, BeeOdiversity analyzes samples of the pollen that the bees collect in a radius of 1,5 km around the spring. The pollen is tested for the presence of more than 500 different types of pesticides and heavy metals, levels of biodiversity and environmental quality. The monitoring data for the four periods of 2022 show that in the spring & summer season when the bees are more active, more than 85.7% to 95% of the pollen collected comes from wild plant species. All test to date show complete absence of pesticides and heavy metals in the bee pollen. These results certify that the nature in the area of the DEVIN spring is extremely pure, with no contamination by human presence. In 2023, DEVIN Spring received its second BeeOdiversity Gold Medal – distinction awarded awarded for consistently high performance during the year for wildlife conservation.
Conservation and restoration of nature and biodiversity is deeply embedded in DEVIN's DNA. We are committed to being 100% biodiversity positive according to the Biodiversity Footprint methodology by 2050. The goal is to have a 10% positive footprint by 2025. Based on this methodology, we select and implement projects that are meaningful and impactful.
Forests are one of the great treasures of the Rhodopes region, and their protection is an important part of caring for biodiversity and the purity of nature. At DEVIN JSC, we are active in supporting forests, and together with the Devin forestry department, we have developed a three-year program for the restoration of burned forests in the Sechemeka area above the town. The project is worth BGN 12,000 and after its completion, 1 hectare of the area will be cleaned and reforested.
In order for a tree to take root, it is not enough to simply plant it, it must be cared for and transplanted. The period for stabilization of newly planted trees is three years, therefore our project has a 3-year scope.
Since 2020, we have been providing DEVIN Spring free of charge to cover the daily drinking water needs of the children and families who visit the For Our Children Foundation or stay on its premises, including the necessary quantities for the needs of its team. Supplies are arranged once a quarter.
It was as early as 2019 when our employees participated in the charity Christmas campaign in support of the Foundation. Every year they campaign again and again and donate the collected funds. Along with those voluntary gestures, we as a company support For Our Children regularly, through our natural products. In addition to regular supplies of DEVIN Spring, we have supported and will continue to support the Foundation by providing free water for various of its events - charity, sports, etc.
With For Our Children, we share the belief that a strong start for children and the care for them are a top priority for society, and hence for business causes. We are among the companies that actively defend the position that the sustainable development of a society goes through the unreserved support of early childhood development. As a company, we always strive to set an example of high social empathy, and this inspires our employees to work for noble causes.
In 2022, we launched our support for the implementation of the Enter the Green Circle initiative for the large-scale introduction of eco-education under the Eco Schools Program in Bulgaria. This is the largest initiative to introduce eco-education in Bulgarian schools, which is supported by the Ministry of Environment and Water and the Ministry of Education and Science. The project is long-term and aims to form a new type of culture in relation to nature among young people. Our main goal is to build the largest network of eco schools in the Balkans and to prepare the future generation of Bulgaria as active citizens who take public responsibility for environmental protection.
“Enter the Green Circle” project is under the auspices of the International Foundation for Environmental Education, whose representative in our country is the Bulgarian Blue Flag movement. The worldwide Eco Schools network covers more than 59 thousand schools in 75 countries and engages more than 1.4 million teachers and 20 million students. Eco Schools is the largest global program for sustainable education. It starts in the classroom and, through its methodology and activities, covers society as well, engaging not only young people, but also teachers, families, friends, institutions and the business.
As the largest investor and employer in the Municipality of Devin, for 30 years now, DEVIN JSC has been a driver of economic and social progress in the town and region of Smolyan.
- We provide jobs to over 223 residents from the town of Devin and nearby settlements. We also stimulate indirect employment in the region by hiring dozens of firms and companies to perform various activities or services within the factory to maintain the infrastructure and along the supply chain.
- Together with the Municipality of Devin, we implement numerous projects for the improvement and maintenance of the town's infrastructure. We continue to assist the local water supply company in the prevention and cleaning of the pipeline that supplies the town with drinking water, acting according to the deadlines set by law.
- Together with the management of the A. S. Popov Professional High School of Electrical Engineering in the town of Devin, we created the Specialty of Automation of Continuous Production, which gives the opportunity for the professional realization of the students in the region and the obtaining of secondary education with the third degree of professional qualification. Every year we give scholarships to students, provide an opportunity to practice and start work immediately after graduation from secondary education. In addition to building young personnel for the local economy, this initiative helps them stay in their hometowns and become successful.
- We financially support the children's center in the town and the local football club. Since the opportunities for various activities and sports in smaller settlements in Bulgaria are limited, we give the children and youth of the town of Devin a chance for full-fledged physical activity - for better health and in the name of team and community spirit.
- Traditionally, DEVIN JSC supports the annual celebration of the town of Devin.
We are proud that for the fourth decade we have been supporting the development of the town - in the fields of infrastructure, healthcare, education and the urban environment, as well as for the protection of biodiversity in the region.
RECOGNITION OF OUR WORK
The many honors, awards and certificates we win testify to our determination and purpose – and encourage us to go even further to protect, improve and reimagine the world around us.
CERTIFICATES
Great Place to Work®
A Great Place to Work - the highest international award for a work environment based on values, trust and performance
B Corp™
Recognition of companies meeting the highest social and environmental standards and making a long-term commitment to positive impact on society
Alliance for Water Stewardship
Alliance for Water Stewardship - standard for responsible management of the world's water resources
Great Place to Work®
A Great Place to Work - the highest international award for a work environment based on values, trust and performance
B Corp™
Recognition of companies meeting the highest social and environmental standards and making a long-term commitment to positive impact on society
Alliance for Water Stewardship
Alliance for Water Stewardship - standard for responsible management of the world's water resources
AWARDS
2020 – Green Idea and Green Initiative categories – two awards for the project unique to Bulgaria, in which bees monitor the biodiversity and the environment around the protected water catchment area, which the spring water of the DEVIN brand is extracted from. The project is implemented in partnership with the European Association BeeOdiversity.
2021 – Food Industry, Service Sector, Trade and Agriculture category – 1st place for the Company’s overall sustainability policy.
2021 – Green Idea Category – 1st place for the Collect Separately campaign and sign, which we put on all our products and through which we remind consumers about the separate collection of packaging after consumption.
2021 – Green Innovation Category – 1st place for achieved carbon neutrality at both company and product level.
2022 – Green Project Category – 1st place for the 30 years of DEVIN – Trust in Every Drop initiative, under which 30 public fountains with spring and mineral water throughout Bulgaria were renovated.
2022 – Leader in Green Initiatives Category – 1st place for B Corp certification.
2023 – Green Event Category – 1st place for raising the public conversation and the efforts that DEVIN makes for the preservation of biodiversity, as well as for the round table held in the town of Devin on the topic of Biodiversity – a Strategic Goal for Survival and a Sustainable Future.
OTHER AWARDS
In 2020, the company won an award in the Best New Product – Beverages category at the PROGRESSIVE AWARDS competition. The award was for DEVIN On The Go’s innovative and ergonomic packaging. With the launch of DEVIN On The Go, the company has become among the pioneers in Bulgaria who launch water with an asymmetric packaging design. Apart from the asymmetry, which is due to the distinctive grip in the middle, the bottle has a comfortable grip, the relief over the entire area has been reduced to a minimum with the aim of a maximally simple design on a lighter preform compared to competing brands.
In October 2022, at a solemn ceremony, the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria awarded DEVIN JSC with a special award – Publicly Significant Campaigns Aimed at Municipalities for the 30 years of DEVIN – Trust in Every Drop initiative, under which 30 public fountains with spring and mineral water throughout Bulgaria were renovated.
In 2021, a GFK consumer survey of FMCG companies found Devin to be the No. 1 company:
- as a hydration expert;
- in terms of consumer confidence;
- in sustainable policies and corporate responsibility.
Manifesto
Borislava Nalbantova
“Today, as we already count our fourth decade, we confirm our goal – to connect people and nature for a healthiest life - today and in the future.
We also confirm our vision to be the trusted choice for people looking for healthy and natural solutions for every single moment of the day. Thanks to our products and active operations, we every day remind that Earth is the only home we have and we have to conserve it.
As a socially responsible company and market leader in Bulgaria, DEVIN JSC sets the standard for its industry in terms of sustainable production and responsible marketing of products. Considering that our products originate from an ecologically clean area with a wonderful environment, we are fully aware of our role in protecting this precious natural resource. In our daily work, we follow the highest standards of quality and production control with care for water resources and the health of our consumers. We strive to reduce our business footprint and be environmentally friendly in every aspect of our operations.
One hundred years later, the words of the founder of Spadel Group, part of which DEVIN JSC is, reflect our Company’s DNA: “When people protect nature, nature protects people”.”
Marc de Bois
Towards a company with a positive impact
“During its 30-year history, DEVIN JSC has been an invariable innovator and a recognized motive power for the development of the mineral and spring water sector in Bulgaria.
For decades now, the Company has been maintaining high quality of its products for decades, working with care for its employees, the local community and nature in the town of Devin, as well as safety and health benefits for consumers. So it is logical to arrive at the moment when in 2017, Devin became the property of Spadel, a European family group with a century-old history that combines traditions and care for nature with the latest innovations in mineral waters. For DEVIN, this is a strong impulse to develop even more ambitiously and successfully.
At Spadel, our goal is no longer just to protect the environment around us, but to take it one step further by restoring and renewing it. As a B Corp certified company, we would like to be a business with a positive impact and we hope others will join us along the way. Today, citizens expect companies like Spadel to set an example. Everyone must do their part if we are to preserve nature for future generations.”
Sustainability Report