Our governance is based on a fundamental principle of mutual trust: the Union InVivo does not exist for itself, but for and through its members. In other words, the strategic direction defined by the Board of Directors has to give concrete expression to the needs of members, in order to fulfil their expectations and best represent their interests. The involvement of elected cooperative members in our decision-making bodies ensures that InVivo's action, by being co‑constructed with them, is always aligned with the interests of its members. Therefore, they are invited to take part in decision-making processes, either through direct involvement in the work of the various governance bodies – for example, the seven vice-chairmen around me, the Union Bureau and the cooperative member partners who sit on the Board – or by participating in the regular meetings proposed to cooperative members, such as the Regional meetings and my visits to cooperatives. These meetings are an opportunity for us to gain practical insights so that we can inform others, inform ourselves, explain our strategy and answer members' questions. We thus prefer a more cross-functional and participatory approach to dialogue.
We have also set up a series of cross-functional business monitoring committees, which aim to support and inform the Board's decision-making, taking into account the economic situation and problems of each business line. These committees include members of the Board of Directors and external experts. One of them, the Member Relations Monitoring Committee, is responsible for ensuring that information is properly transmitted from cooperatives to governance and vice versa.
InVivo's historic mission is to add value to the cereals and wine supply chains, from production to processing and marketing. In carrying out its mission, the group follows a strict code of conduct which is dictated by its status as a société à mission (French legal framework whereby businesses pursue a set social and environmental purpose with specific sustainability goals). This is why InVivo offers cooperative member partners and their farmers a set of innovative tools and solutions to support the agri-food transition. We take pride in ensuring the sustainable growth of the group and its activities, both to support the French Farm and ensure the fair distribution of value to the cooperatives, as well as fair remuneration for their farmers. Because the group's performance depends on its ability to invest, adapt to situations – including in times of crisis – and generate value.
We aim to consolidate our position as a major player in agriculture and agri-food in Europe. This ambition can be achieved if each business pursues its strategic objectives and gains ground on the French, European and even international markets. Our aim is therefore to strengthen our position at every stage of the food chain by building sustainable, value‑creating supply chains from farmer to consumer, taking advantage of ethical, high‑performance agriculture. As far as governance is concerned, the guiding principle remains unchanged: InVivo's actions will always be guided by and for its member cooperatives.
The group's mission, as defined in the "2030 by InVivo" strategic plan, is the result of a collaborative process which started in 2022. The #DaringTogether programme, set up after the acquisition of the Soufflet Group, addressed a twofold problem: integrating employees into the new entity; and updating the strategic plan to include the issues inherent in Soufflet's activities. Asked to respond to a survey, employees and cooperatives were able to share their vision for the future of the group.
In October 2020, InVivo was granted the status of société à mission. Its purpose statement, devised and co-constructed with all its stakeholders, is to foster the agricultural and food production transition to a resilient agrosystem by designing innovative, responsible solutions and products [...] that benefit farmers and consumers.
