Baking&Snack - October 2011 - 96

SUSTAINABILITY Q&A

ANDREW TYBUS In nine countries around the world, Kraft Foods operates 26 plants that have hit zero waste-tolandfill status. The Northfield, IL-based company’s strategy has been simple, according to Andrew Tybus, associate principal engineer, sustainability lead-snacks growth, Kraft Foods: to generate less waste and find new uses for the waste it produces. “We know that solid waste generated from manufacturing accounts for more than 99% of our total waste. Yet, we’re able to recycle or reuse about 90% of our manufacturing waste,” noted Mr. Tybus, who is based in East Hanover, NJ, where the company’s snack business operates. “In some cases, we’re using manufacturing byproducts as energy sources. And we’ve done quite well in several other areas, too. For the legacy Kraft Foods business, since 2005, incoming water is down 30%. Net waste is down 42%. Packaging is down 100,000 metric tonnes (200 million lb), and 96 million km (60 million road miles) have been removed from our transportation/ distribution network.” Kraft Foods’ global snack business produces a wide variety of cookies, crackers, bars and nuts. To achieve its goal to reduce energy usage, the company launched several initiatives such as an extensive program of oven optimization, including repairs and tuning efforts. This activity had the added benefit of not only improving product quality but also yielding improved consistency, which in turned helped reduce product waste, according to Mr. Tybus. “We know employees want to work for companies that respect and preserve the world around them,” he said. “Everyone is realizing we can minimize the impact on the environment, help society and increase revenue and profit all at the same time. At Kraft Foods, we’re changing our behavior and business practices, and as a result we’re changing the culture. We’re making formal changes from the top down, and we’re fostering empowerment at the grassroots level.”

Kraft Foods’ sustainability program has paid off big time, but the company now wants to take the next leap forward.
DAN MALOVANY How is Kraft working with its supply chain to ensure they are in compliance with your company’s sustainability initiatives? ANDREW TYBUS Kraft Foods recently expanded our sustainability goals after making significant progress against our focus areas. The company’s new goals — now including the Cadbury and LU businesses acquired since 2007 — build upon previous success around energy, carbon dioxide, water, waste and packaging reductions. It’s also a matter of building upon our successes to date. Previously, we were more focused on what we had the most control over — those activities in our plants and within our four walls. Since then, we’ve been learning, improving and looking beyond our four walls for opportunities. Our new goals will help us do more. For the 2010-15 timeframe, Kraft Foods has added transportation and agricultural commodities to what it will be measuring. For example, our increased focus on sustainable agriculture will further boost our scale to help accelerate long-range development in more communities and for more commodities than ever before. For the past five years, we’ve been more focused internally with our own sustainability goals, initiatives and Environmental Performance Indicators (EPIs). This may change in the future. One of the reasons we participated in the first Biscuit & Cracker Manufacturers’ Association’s sustainability conference [earlier this year] was to reach out to other bakers, including co-manufacturers, to show how seriously we are taking this important subject. What tools do you share with your suppliers or customers? To date, our work has been more about doing the hard work within our plants and letting our partners know

BAKING & SNACK / October 2011

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Baking&Snack - October 2011

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