BRAZIL – Food multinational companies, JBS and ADM have made new sustainability commitments as part of efforts aimed at ridding their processes of carbon emissions which have been associated with environmental pollution and climate change.
On its part, JBS, which is the world’s largest processor of fresh beef and pork, has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.
The company says it supports its commitment with an investment of more than US$1 billion over the next decade.
The commitment spans the company’s global operations including Pilgrim’s Pride, as well as its value chain of agricultural produce partners, suppliers and customers.
The meat company further said that it is committing US$100 million by 2030 in R&D projects to strengthen and scale regenerative farming practices, such as carbon sequestration and on-farm emission mitigation technologies.
JBS’ net-zero commitment reportedly marks a first for the global meat and poultry sector and comes amid criticism of the industrial meat economy for its role in driving rainforest destruction.
In order to meet its 2040 target, JBS will develop greenhouse gas emission reduction targets across its global operations and value chains in South America, North America, Europe, the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
The company plans to provide a time-bound roadmap that delivers interim targets, as well as annual progress updates. As part of its journey, JBS aims to reduce its global scope 1 and 2 emission intensity by at least 30% by 2030, against base year 2019.
The Brazil based company has also pledged to eliminate illegal Amazon deforestation from its supply chain – including the suppliers of its suppliers – by 2025 and other Brazilian biomes by 2030.
This builds on its Together for the Amazon programme, which it launched last year.
“Climate change is the great challenge of our time and we must act urgently to combat the negative effects of global warming,” said Gilberto Tomazoni, JBS global CEO.
ADM pledges to remove deforestation from its supply chain by 2030
Meanwhile in the US, Archer Daniel Midland (ADM) has released a Policy to Protect Forests, Biodiversity and Communities.
The policy, which is an update from one in 2015, includes pledges regarding deforestation, conservation of water and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In its new and more bold policy, ADM plans to have full traceability of its direct and indirect sourcing throughout its soy supply in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentinaby 2022.
Additionally, the company aims to completely remove deforestation from its supply chain by 2030. In addition to sustainability goals, ADM looks to address food security through these new policies.
In addition to tackling deforestation, ADM teamed up with Kellogg last year to provide solar panels for farmers in Bolivia, which can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2011, ADM pledged to reduce all greenhouse gas emissions by 15% in 2020. Since the company hit those goals earlier than expected, the company upped its promise to 25% last April, as reported by Feed Navigator.
These updated sustainability goals could boost companies’ reputations among consumers, who are demanding a more transparent, supply chain.
These issues are impacting consumer purchases, with a 2018 study from Label Institute and FMI reporting that seventy-five percent of respondents said they would switch to brands that take the time to provide more in-depth information beyond the label.
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