Fresh fruit and vegetable producer-marketer Dole Food Company has unveiled a new partnership with value chain sustainability experts PE International which, it says, will significantly improve the way in which it manages, and therefore acts upon, information relating to the social and environmental impact of its global operations.
By working with the consultancy to consolidate a whole raft of data relating to the sustainability of all its commercial activities, Dole said it would be in a better position to calculate key performance indicators, as well as being better equipped to establish, manage and meet related objectives at its various locations worldwide.
PE International, which has its headquarters in the German town of Leinfelden-Echterdingen, near Stuttgart, as well as a network of offices worldwide, is understood to be working with Dole already on the implementation of SoFi, a software platform that transforms sustainability-related data from corporate activities into meaningful performance information.
To that end, Dole revealed it was in the process of bringing together and 'harmonising' key sustainability indicators, including the its carbon footprint – information which will then be consolidated into SoFi and reported on a regular basis.
'SoFi will not only contribute to improving our sustainability reporting. It will also increase the efficiency of managing the company's information related to sustainability and allow us to set and achieve global objectives, instead of focusing on each operation separately,' said Roberto Vega, Dole's director of sustainability.
Michael Betz, chief executive officer at PE International, commented: 'Dole's sustainability programme is well established. With PE's experience in the food and beverage industry we will assist Dole in bringing all the elements together to integrate sustainability as a key component of their day-to-day business - from reporting to enhancing processes and products.'
He added: 'We look forward to working together to achieve Dole's sustainability objectives including lowering energy consumption and carbon emissions, benchmarking operations, and mitigating risks.'
