Members of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) have slashed their CO2 emissions by 17% since 1990 as part of an ambitious plan to reduce their environmental impact. The reduction means the industry has been releasing an average of 58,000 tonnes less CO2 per year since 1990 - the equivalent of taking 22,000 cars off UK roads each year.
This data is released today by FDF in a new report showing how the UK's biggest manufacturing sector is making a real difference to the environment in five key areas (1). The 17% reduction in CO2 emissions has been achieved on the back of efforts by member companies to improve energy efficiencies in their factories, boost productivity and make greater use of renewable sources of energy (2).
The results show that FDF members are on target to meet their commitment to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% by 2010, compared with 1990. As well as reducing their CO2 emissions, FDF is today announcing that its members have:
- prevented over half a million tonnes of food waste being created
- recycled or recovered 82% of the food and packaging waste created in factories;
- doubled their participation in the Courtauld Commitment on packaging
- launched the Federation House Commitment, under which 237 food and drink manufacturing sites across the UK are working to improve water efficiency
- launched the Checklist and Clause for Greener Food Transport, which is being used by 47 member companies with combined turnover of £17bn to achieve fewer and friendlier food miles.
Fiona Dawson, Chair of FDF's Sustainability and Competitiveness Steering Group and Managing Director of Mars UK Snackfood, said:"Our report demonstrates that our members are committed to making a real difference to the environment. Our achievements to date are impressive and provide a strong foundation on which we will build as we look to meet the ambitions we set ourselves in 2007. The reduction in CO2 emissions is an incredible achievement and sets us well on the way to reaching our target or cutting emissions by 20% by 2010. As with other sectors we are currently experiencing challenging economic times. However, our members remain determined to meet the commitments contained in FDF's Five-fold Environmental Ambition."
Rt. Hon Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said:"This is an impressive example of what businesses can do to improve their environmental performance by working together. We need to see more of this."
For more information, please contact Christine Welberry/ Keren McCarron/ Rebecca Wilhelm on 020 7420 7131/32/40.
Notes to Editors1.
In October 2007, FDF launched its Five-fold Environmental Ambition. This set out a bold plan for member companies to reduce their environmental impact by:
- Achieving a 20% absolute reduction in CO2 emissions by 2010 compared to 1990 and to show leadership nationally and internationally by aspiring to a 30% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2020.
- Sending zero food and packaging waste to landfill from 2015.
- Making a significant contribution to WRAP's work to achieve an absolute reduction in the level of packaging reaching households by 2010 compared to 2006 and providing more advice to consumers on how best to recycle or otherwise recover used packaging.
- Achieving significant reductions in water use to help reduce stress on the nation's water supplies and contribute to an industry-wide absolute target to reduce water use by 20% by 2020 compared to 2007.
- Embedding environmental standards in their transport practices, including contracts with hauliers as they fall for renewal, to achieve fewer and friendlier food transport miles and contribute to an absolute target for the food chain to reduce its environmental and social impacts by 20% by 2012 compared to 2002.
1. Examples of how companies have been reducing their CO2 emissions can be viewed in the 2008 Progress Report which can be viewed at: http://www.fdf.org.uk/environment_progress_report.aspx
2. The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is the voice of the food and drink manufacturing industry - the UK's largest manufacturing sector. For more information about FDF and the industry we represent visit: www.fdf.org.uk
Supportive Quotes from Stakeholders "Protecting the environment and developing sustainable transport systems, especially where distribution is concerned, are of particular importance for us at the Department for Transport. We are very supportive of the policies being developed and pursued by FDF members such as the Greener Food Transport initiative." Jim Fitzpatrick MP, Department for Transport
"The Carbon Trust welcomes the real efforts FDF is making towards understanding greenhouse gas issues in the food sector and congratulates it on helping its member to make significant reductions in their carbon emissions. We support FDF members' commitment to attain an industry-wide target to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% by 2010 and will continue to work collaboratively with the sector to deliver the tools it needs to reach these targets - such as the PAS 2050 and our work on food and drink refrigeration emissions." Tom Delay, CEO, Carbon Trust
"The Federation House Commitment has an important role to play in helping to improve water efficiency in the food and drink industry and we are delighted to see the progress that FDF members and others have made to date. There is still a long way to go to reaching the 2020 target but Envirowise is committed to working with the industry to help them achieve their water reduction goals. The Federation House Commitment annual report will present an overview of progress one year on from the commitment and will provide a sound foundation on which to build." Dr Adrian Cole, Programme Manager, Envirowise
"FareShare welcomes and supports FDF's Five-fold Environmental Ambition and particularly their commitment to preventing food waste, which is at the top of the waste hierarchy. The use of surplus food by FareShare not only avoids waste but helps many vulnerable people who would otherwise go hungry. FareShare therefore applauds FDF's efforts to prevent food waste and is proud to have it as a strategic partner." Tony Lowe, CEO, FareShare
"WRAP is delighted with the growing number of FDF members who have signed up to the Courtauld Commitment. With their support we will continue to see less packaging being used on everyday products on our supermarket shelves, as well as identifying ways of reducing the amount of food that consumers throw away. This will be beneficial to the environment and also help save money." Liz Goodwin, Chief Executive, WRAP
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