Group highlights advancements toward reaching 2030 Sustainability Goals by releasing its new sustainability report
Fresh Del Monte Produce has released its 2021 Sustainability Report, highlighting milestones and the progress it has made towards a number of sustainability goals.
According to the company, it is reporting for the first time in alignment with the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB) within Agricultural Products for the food and beverage industry, and in reference to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), including mapping to the sector standard for Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Fishing.
”As the company shifts toward becoming an agritech business, Fresh Del Monte has implemented notable technology solutions and innovative practices across its organisation to become more efficient and sustainable, shaping the future of agriculture,” the company stated.
The group said it had made progress toward its goal of reducing food waste by 50 per cent by 2030, with 95 per cent of its food waste diverted from landfill and its overall food waste reduced by 13 per cent last year.
”Significant strides” have also been made since the company’s targets were approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, including the reduction of Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 22 per cent compared with its 2019 baseline, only 5.5 percentage points shy of its 2030 goal.
“Our strengths lie in creating sustainability programmes with a holistic approach to conserve the full ecosystem, which is vital for both the success of our business and the planet,” said Hans Sauter, chief sustainability office, senior vice-president, R&D and agricultural services.
“As our efforts continue to evolve, we are proud of the transformative steps taken, including our commitment to the Science Based Target initiative, to continue making a positive impact on our society, communities and the environment,” he noted. ”A lot remains to be done, and that is why we are partnering with other organisations and calling on our vendors and customers to join us in transforming our food system.”
Del Monte has also shared its sustainability advancements at the biggest sustainability events in the world including the World Biodiversity Summit, which occurred alongside the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP26 and New York City Climate Week in 2021 and 2022.
Additionally, the company won the Environmental Initiatives category in the 2021 SEAL (Sustainability, Environmental Achievement & Leadership) Business Sustainability Awards for its approach to farming while conserving biodiversity.
”Looking toward the future, Fresh Del Monte will continue its journey to create sustainability programmes to conserve biodiversity, reduce its impact on climate change, and partner with communities around the world to achieve A Brighter World Tomorrow,” the company added.
