Baking & Snack - October 2021 - 26

SUSTAINABILITY
and it accounts for 70% of fresh water use and 90% of
all land use.
" The agriculture sector needs to be a leader, " Ms.
Kelly said. " It needs to step up and demonstrate that it
sees its negative contribution and is on board to set targets,
reach those targets and be held accountable. The
agri-food sector more than any other sector has such
a widespread outreach in terms of the overall health,
wealth and well-being of people globally, so it really
does need to be the leader in terms of what types of innovations,
technologies and the multi-stakeholder approach
it brings to the table. "
It's important though for companies
to identify for their own enterprises
where they can make the greatest
impact.
Conagra Brands, for example,
assesses its sustainability impact
every year to prioritize where the
company can really move the
needle. Topics such as packaging
and sustainable sourcing are high
on the list.
" We map that against consumer
they really
behaviors and what
want from us, " Ms. Hantel said.
" And we look at how can we intheir
sert
sustainability
to meet
behavior. "
On the sustainable sourcing
front, Conagra Brands is a member
of US Farmers and Ranchers
in Action (USFRA), a coalition of
farmers, ranchers and food and
agriculture stakeholders creating
sustainable food systems. Conagra
is a co-developer and endorser of
the USFRA's Decade of Ag Vision,
Sustainable
packaging is a
big priority for
consumers when
it comes to food
products.
Campbell Snacks
which outlines an agricultural system that is resilient,
restorative, economically viable and climate-smart. The
plan aims to achieve that vision by restoring the environment
through regenerative agriculture, investing in
the next generation of agriculture systems, and strengthening
the United States' social and economic framework
through agriculture.
" It's an exciting cross-industry movement to tackle
climate change and soil health very broadly with great
partners, " Ms. Hantel said.
Conagra contributes to this vision with its Birds Eye
Good Agricultural Practices Program. These include
supporting soil health through crop rotation, cover
crops and minimizing tillage; reducing water consumption;
reducing fertilizer application; filtering water run26
Baking & Snack October 2021 / www.bakingbusiness.com
off and preserving ecosystem biodiversity, and supporting
healthy pollinator populations by providing farmers
access to bee habitat data.
Campbell Snacks has also identified its supply chain
as the place where it can make the biggest impact on climate,
with a focus on agricultural ingredients and the
packaging used to make its products.
" Last year, we announced our commitment to set a
science-based target and have been working to baseline
our scope 3 emissions; these are the emissions from
activities in our supply chain, " Mr. Vindiola explained.
" We will be setting new emissions reduction goals in our
operations and our supply chain in 2022 that are in line
with the latest climate science. "
Campbell Snacks just made the commitment that
100% of its packaging will be recyclable or industrially
compostable by 2030, and it will also increase its use of
post-consumer recycled content in its PET bottles, with
a target of 25%.
As the nation's second largest baking company,
Flowers Foods has determined it can make the most significant
progress in its operational footprint.
" We can make progress through technological upgrades
in real-time metering, reducing energy and water
consumption and allowing us to react quicker, " Ms.
Marsh said.
The company uses partnerships with the US
Department of Energy's Energy Star and Better Plants
programs to facilitate meeting its goals. In fact, the company's
facility in Lynchburg, Va., was recognized this
year by the US Department of Energy with a 2021 Better
Project Award. The Department of Energy awarded it to
Flowers for successfully converting the facility into an
energy-efficient, organic bakery.
Upgrades Flowers made include a high-efficiency
oven and heat recovery system, a new refrigeration
system that saves on water and energy, an energyefficient
air compressor, and the installation of LED
lights throughout the facility. These upgrades and more
are expected to reduce annual energy by 22% and water
consumption by 64%.
While Grupo Bimbo's sustainability plan encompasses
environmental, human, nutrition and community
benefits, its impact on the environment encompasses
its entire value chain. From the sourcing
of raw ingredients to a sustainable bakery plant to
cleaner distribution and low-impact packaging, the
company looks for any opportunity to improve its environmental
footprint in a way that is a value-add to
its business.
In 2020, Grupo Bimbo was able to report that 90% of
its packaging is recyclable, 53 of its plants have accomplished
zero waste to landfill, a 9% reduction in emis
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