Page 22 - Food & Drink Magazine March 2021

ENVIRONMENT MATTERS
Clean skies, clear heart
The sustainability road has been a long one for global food and beverage company Danone. The biomass facility coming online at its New Zealand Nutricia plant this year
is the latest milestone. Kim Berry writes.
IN 1973, Danone’s then CEO Antoine Riboud gave a landmark speech on the idea a company can not only fulfil its economic obligations, but also be a force for good in society.
This marked the birth of what Danone calls it ‘dual commitment’, which encompasses the creation of economic value (or returns for shareholders), as well as social value. In 2017, it articulated this even further: One Planet, One Health.
Danone head of corporate affairs Scott Pettet told Food & Drink Business that the company’s philosophy is that you can’t produce healthy food if you don’t have a healthy planet.
To that end, there has been a steady rate of change to meet the expectations of a company that is making such claims. Danone approaches it as four pillars: climate change; water stewardship; regenerative agriculture; and a circular economy for packaging.
“Quantum leaps of change are difficult, while incremental gains over time are realistic and effective,” Pettet says.
The company has demonstrated its commitment with a range of bold ambitions. Goals include being carbon neutral across its full scope by 2050, and reducing water consumption across its production sites by 60 per cent.
Most pressing is its plan to have 100 per cent of packaging recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.
GLOBAL AMBITION WITH LOCAL IMPACT
At its spray drying facility on New Zealand’s South Island, Danone is investing significantly to reduce its carbon emissions, with the end goal being a carbon neutral production facility.
In 2020, the company commenced installation of a $28 million (NZ$30m) biomass boiler
creation of jobs,” Pettet says. Danone’s commitment to
biomass is global, with its Wexford plant in Ireland already carbon neutral, largely due to the impact of the biomass technology.
Such projects are complex and take years to plan and execute, often with hurdles associated with the application of relatively new technologies.
The company has also announced it will move to 100 per cent renewable electricity for all of its New Zealand plants this year.
“ By taking a carbon neutral stance with Karicare we are giving consumers the opportunity to vote for the kind of world they want when they make purchasing decisions.”
22 | Food&Drink business | March 2021 | www.foodanddrinkbusiness.com.au
to provide renewable heat, which comes into operation this year.
“Biomass is not unique as a technology, but in this application it is quite uncommon at the moment with many processors around the world still relying on coal or gas. The boiler will be fuelled by locally sourced wood waste from sustainable forestry operations within 50 kilometres of the plant.
“Keeping it local also ensure a broader economic benefit for the community, including the
“Switching to renewables and using biomass will reduce CO2 emissions by around ninety-five per cent at our Balclutha plant. This equates to CO2 emissions reductions in excess of 20,000 tonnes per year,” Pettet says.
DECARBONISING VS CARBON OFFSETS
The adaptation to more sustainable operations takes time and a range of commitments. Pettet says criticism of companies just using offsets can sometimes