SME+: A label that highlights responsible companies like ours

For over 120 years, we have passionately worked with this golden treasure from the hive that we love so much: honey. We are committed to respecting the work of bees, of those who support these little workers every day – our beekeepers – and of those who then make it accessible to everyone – our employees.

For us, being responsible for the environment in which we operate is not an option. We want the best for both our teams and our customers. We know how much "eating well" is becoming a luxury, which is why our priority is to provide quality products that respect both people and nature.

Today, we are proud to have proudly carried the SME+ label for 3 years now. This label embodies our concrete commitments to sustainable development, social ethics, and transparency. It rewards our desire to always produce better, by valuing the work of our partners and limiting our environmental impact. For us, every action counts in building a fairer and more responsible food system.

1. Focus on the SME+ label

The SME+ (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises + responsible) label was created in 2014 by the FEEF (Federation of French Companies and Entrepreneurs). Its objective is to promote French distribution companies that are committed to a socially responsible approach. This includes both environmental preservation and the recognition of human labor.

As its name suggests, the SME+ label is specifically aimed at small and medium-sized structures, thereby allowing smaller companies, strongly rooted in their territory or emerging, to be recognized, encouraged, and to gain more visibility.

This label is awarded for a period of one year following an audit covering 6 themes:

• Governance and ethics

• Territorial footprint

• Employment footprint

• Environmental management and preservation

• Fair practices along the value chain

• Consideration of customer and consumer expectations

2. Why did we choose SME+?

With the desire to have a positive impact locally and on a larger scale, we decided to commit to the SME+ initiative to highlight our successes and set more ambitious goals year after year.

Today, consumers no longer stop at the brand; they need transparency, distinctive signs that genuinely prove product quality. They need to discover the company's behind-the-scenes, thus revealing the stages of the production chain, the working conditions of employees, the contribution to local life, the management of resources used, and much more.

For us, SME+ is much more than a label; it highlights every success and effort made

• for the environment (waste reduction, optimized resources, maximum recycling)

• for our employees (optimization of working conditions, continuous learning)

• for our customers (product quality and transparency)

• for our territory (local employment, partnerships with regional producers, involvement in local associations, product donations)
  
  

With over 10 years of existence, the SME+ label has gained a very strong symbolism in the minds of consumers. It is now proudly showcased by 255 French companies. It is a guarantee of quality and commitment that reflects shared values: respect for people, transparency, and environmental responsibility.

3. Visible commitment at all levels of the company

The SME+ label is not just a simple sticker. Behind it lies a whole process involving all employees, from honey harvesting to bottling. This mobilizes all teams through measurable, concrete, and continuously monitored indicators.

APIDIS is committed, and it's proven →

Territory: a local company serving its environment

• Supports local initiatives: hosting schools in our art gallery or visits to our honey house.

• Involvement in local associations to boost the region.

• Participation in meaningful events such as the Rotary Runs, a race to help sick children.

• Support for local tourism by organizing exhibitions in our art gallery.

Environment: producing better

• 26% reduction in our waste in 2024 compared to 2023.

• Significant 79% reduction in our water consumption.

• 6% reduction in electricity consumption.

• Collaboration with packaging providers located less than 30km away.

Social: a company that takes care of its teams

• Implementation of a 4.5-day work week.

• Prevention of occupational risks and continuous improvement of working conditions.

• Strengthened social dialogue and involvement of employees in the CSR strategy.

• Promotion of training with the hosting of interns and apprentices.

Ethics: transparency at all levels

• IFS certification guaranteeing product safety and hygiene (score obtained in 2025: 98%).

• Systematic analysis of honey in our laboratory.
  
  

4. A dynamic of continuous progress

The strength of the SME+ label is that it is not static. It is part of a logic of continuous progress. We re-evaluate our practices every year and set new objectives. It is a real lever for internal transformation, pushing us to improve and innovate.

6. Conclusion: more than a label, a state of mind

The SME+ label is not an end but a certification pushing us to always give our best. It reflects who we are: a human-sized, independent company, rooted in its territory, which believes in quality, commitment, and transparency.

For us, yes, economic growth can rhyme with responsibility, yes, performance and respect for the environment can go hand in hand. As a consumer, by choosing an SME+ labeled brand, you are also choosing a better world by supporting committed companies with strong values.

The SME+ label encourages us to go even further, to live up to the trust you place in us.