Our Philosophy

Our entire emphasis is towards the development of a world-wide group of businesses which by their very nature require their managements to take a long view. Many companies in the group are more than 100 years old and have acquired particular skills, traditions and ethos. We see ourselves more as custodians or trustees rather than owners, that is, we do not see these assets as objects or commodities or bits of paper that can be traded, but rather, as living entities from which, if properly managed, we might earn an attractive return on our investment. We also consider it our prime responsibility to ensure the continuity, development and progressive growth of these individual enterprises.

Sustainable & Balanced Business Portfolio

Camellia Plc is an international group employing over 73,000 people, with activities in agriculture and horticulture, banking and financial services, food storage and distribution, and engineering. Given our long-term investment strategy, sustainability is fundamental to our core values. We also seek to develop a balanced portfolio of businesses to manage economic and agricultural cycles in support of sustainable growth.

Responsible Business

Operating in diverse cultural, commercial and regulatory environments we are exposed to a correspondingly wide range of social, environmental and ethical issues. In all of our businesses we aim to ensure that these issues are well-managed and we attach importance to their continuous improvement.

We recognise we are custodians of the assets we manage and have a responsibility to manage these in a sustainable fashion. We are therefore committed to identifying the environmental impacts of all our activities and managing these responsibly.

Many of our businesses, especially in the agricultural and horticultural sector, play a major role in the life of the local communities in which they operate. Our businesses may be the dominant employer in some communities and we make significant contributions to the provision of housing, health and educational facilities.