Potato supplier Greenvale AP has stepped up its efforts in reducing its carbon footprint and increasing its environmental responsibility, citing the “greening” of agriculture as a significant target.
Greenvale's largest site, at Floods Ferry in Cambridgeshire, last year reduced its emissions by 110 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, a 3.8 per cent reduction on the previous year, and expects more savings in 2009.
Greenvale was one of the first companies to sign up to The Prince's May Day Network in 2007. The initiative encourages industry and agriculture in the UK to become more environment-friendly, and the company now has monthly Green Team meetings to discuss this.
Greenvale has also joined the Food & Drink Federation's Federation House Commitment (FHC) to help it quantify and reduce the amount of water it uses. The FHC aims to get the UK food and drink industry to reduce its average water consumption by 20 per cent during the next 10 years.
Greenvale is currently looking at two large-scale renewable energy projects for its processing operations in Berwickshire and Cambridgeshire. The development of the two wind turbines would fulfil all Greenvale’s energy requirements at these sites and provide an opportunity to supply excess 'green' energy back to the National Grid.
Paul Tyson, environmental manager at Greenvale AP, attended a food industry workshop at the department of energy and climate change (DECC) on the government's forthcoming Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC). Tyson is tasked with delivering Greenvale's feedback about the proposed legislation, helping in advance to make it work more effectively, instead of simply accepting it when it arrives.
He said: "Greenvale has eagerly joined initiatives such as the May Day Network and the Federation House Commitment. We want to share our knowledge and increase the peer pressure on the food and agriculture industry to change habits and work for a better world.
“Greenvale is trying to show it can do this while still being a successful and growing business."
The company is also conducting work in pre-empting the proposed Carbon Reduction Commitment, working towards ISO 14001 accreditation by developing a bespoke environmental management system and taking various other sustainability measures.
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