The Social Responsibility label is a Swiss label for products and services made by people with impairments, and for companies that offer inclusive workplaces. Sanbera received it in 2024 from VEBO, a Swiss cooperative that integrates people with health impairments into work and completes the final packaging steps of every Sanbera product. The label makes social commitment visible; it is not an environmental or health label, and it does not say anything about what a product does in the body.
Key facts: Sanbera and the Social Responsibility label
- The label covers products and services made or provided by people with an impairment, and companies that offer inclusive jobs.
- To use it, a company must meet defined quality criteria, checked through an application process.
- VEBO is a Swiss cooperative with production, residential, day-care and vocational integration services, based in the canton of Solothurn.
- VEBO completes the final steps of Sanbera's packaging in Switzerland; the supplements themselves are produced with the manufacturer Dixa in St. Gallen.
- Sanbera's other verifiable commitments: a fixed contribution to the Biovision Foundation with every product sold, and a fully vegan range registered with the Vegan Society.
What is the Social Responsibility label?
The Social Responsibility label (SR label) expresses social commitment and corporate responsibility. According to the organisation behind it, it applies to products and services that are made or provided by people with an impairment, and it also recognises companies that offer inclusive workplaces. Its aim is to make that social added value visible to buyers.
A company cannot simply print the label. It must meet defined quality criteria, and an application process checks whether all conditions are met before a product may carry it. Many companies from different industries hold the label. Its guiding idea is that everyone should be able to contribute their time and skills to meaningful work and receive recognition, pay, confidence and independence in return.
Who is VEBO?
VEBO is a Swiss cooperative that specialises in the professional and social integration of people with health impairments. It runs production workshops, residential and day-care facilities, catering and vocational integration services, including apprenticeships, job coaching and training, at several locations in the canton of Solothurn, among them Oensingen, Olten, Solothurn, Grenchen and Breitenbach. Its production work includes food packaging alongside many other services.
Why does Sanbera work with VEBO?
Sanbera wanted part of its production to support its local community in Switzerland. VEBO therefore completes the final steps of the packaging process for Sanbera's glass jars and paper boxes. This partnership is the reason Sanbera received the Social Responsibility label.
Sonia Schläpfer, partner at Sanbera, spoke at the certification ceremony:
“It is a great honor to receive the Social Responsibility label from VEBO. This recognition represents our commitment to ethical practices and our meaningful partnership with VEBO. Together, we are driving a vision of inclusivity and social responsibility, of which we are incredibly proud.”
You can read more about Sonia and founder Tina Erni in Tina Erni and the story of Sanbera.
What social responsibility means at Sanbera
Social responsibility claims are easy to make and hard to check. These are the commitments Sanbera can name, with the partner behind each:
| Commitment | What it involves | Partner |
|---|---|---|
| Inclusive work | Final packaging steps carried out by people supported by VEBO | VEBO; Social Responsibility label |
| Ecological programmes | A fixed amount from every product sold | Biovision Foundation, founded in 1998 by World Food Prize laureate Hans Rudolf Herren |
| Vegan range | No animal ingredients or by-products, no animal testing by Sanbera or its contractors | Vegan Trademark of the Vegan Society |
| Swiss production | Formulated and produced in Switzerland | Dixa, St. Gallen |
How these choices fit into a wider view of sustainability, and where their limits are, is explained in what makes a supplement sustainable. What makes the formulas vegan is covered in vegan supplements from Sanbera.
How to recognise health products with social responsibility
If you want your purchases to support inclusive work, look for evidence rather than general statements:
- A named label with published criteria, such as the Social Responsibility label, rather than an unexplained "ethical" badge.
- A named partner: which organisation does the work, and which part of the process does it cover?
- Specific contributions: a fixed amount per product to a named foundation says more than "we give back".
- Separate claims kept separate: a social label says nothing about environmental impact or product quality, and a vegan label says nothing about working conditions.
The same applies to Sanbera. The Social Responsibility label tells you about the packaging partnership with VEBO; the composition of the formulas, such as Daily Essential Women and Daily Essential Men, is described on the product pages, and the thinking behind them in the science behind Sanbera.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Social Responsibility label?
The Social Responsibility label is a Swiss label that makes social commitment visible. It applies to products and services made or provided by people with an impairment, and to companies that offer inclusive workplaces. Companies must meet defined quality criteria, checked through an application, before a product may carry the label. It is a social label, not an environmental or health label.
Why does Sanbera carry the Social Responsibility label?
Sanbera received the label from VEBO in 2024 because VEBO completes the final steps of the packaging of every Sanbera product in Switzerland. VEBO is a Swiss cooperative that integrates people with health impairments into work. The label recognises this partnership and the inclusive work it supports; it does not describe the content of the supplements.
What is VEBO?
VEBO is a Swiss cooperative in the canton of Solothurn that specialises in the professional and social integration of people with health impairments. It runs production workshops, residential and day-care facilities, catering and vocational integration services such as training and job coaching. For Sanbera, VEBO completes the final packaging steps of the glass jars and paper boxes.
How can I find health products made with social responsibility?
Look for a named label with published criteria, such as the Social Responsibility label, a named partner organisation and a clear description of which part of the process it covers. Specific contributions, such as a fixed amount per product to a named foundation, are more meaningful than general promises. Remember that a social label does not describe environmental impact or product quality.
What else does Sanbera support?
With every product sold, Sanbera gives a fixed amount to the ecological programmes of the Swiss Biovision Foundation, founded in 1998 by World Food Prize laureate Hans Rudolf Herren. The whole range is vegan and registered with the Vegan Society's Vegan Trademark, and the supplements are produced in Switzerland with the manufacturer Dixa in St. Gallen.
Sources
- Social Responsibility label: socialresponsibility.ch
- VEBO Genossenschaft: vebo.ch
- Biovision Foundation for ecological development: biovision.ch
- The Vegan Society: The Vegan Trademark
This article is for general information and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.