Driving the explicit intention of cutting food waste from being sent to landfill by 75%, Smithfield Foods has committed to a laundry list of resource conservation and waste reduction initiatives within its operations.
The short term goal of this is to halve its overall food losses by 2030 and achieve zero-waste-to-landfill certification at the majority of its facilities in the coming three years.
"Our new food loss and waste goal underscores our longstanding commitment to produce wholesome, safe and affordable food in a responsible way,” says Stewart Leeth, chief sustainability officer for Smithfield Foods.
Poised to meet waste targets
"For years, Smithfield has spearheaded impactful programs to proactively minimize waste and reduce carbon emissions. Simultaneously, we've taken meaningful action to fight food insecurity in our communities," explains Leeth.
Smithfield joins the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions list by implementing this food loss and waste target.
The list recognizes private businesses and organizations to publicly commit to reducing food waste.
Champions include Amazon, Aramark, Campbell Soup Company, Hilton, Kroger, PepsiCo, Unilever, Walmart, Walt Disney World Resort, Wegmans Food Markets and many others.
Sustainability front and center
Smithfield has upheld sustainability standards for roughly two decades during which time it has agreed to achieve carbon neutrality in its US operations and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% this decade.
Additionally, the company has accepted an invitation to the 10x20x30 initiative which brings together ten of the world's largest food retailers and providers to engage a further 20 suppliers to halve food loss and waste by 2030.
Each of these food retailers and suppliers have committed to the "Target-Measure-Act" approach to set a target of reducing food waste in their own operations by 50%, measure and publish their food loss inventories and take action to reduce their waste.
The company is also a member of the Farm Powered Strategic Alliance, an initiative by Vanguard Renewables, Unilever, Starbucks and Dairy Farmers of America that aims to eliminate food waste and repurpose what cannot be eliminated into renewable energy via farm-based anaerobic digesters.
Food industry efforts to go carbon negative
Many food businesses and organizations have committed to becoming carbon negative in the coming years. This is in line with Innova Market Insights Top Ten Trend for 2022, Shared Planet which underscores how the health of the planet is now more important to consumers than personal health.
Among those boosting commitments are FoodDrinkEurope, whose Brussels offices have been awarded carbon neutral status.
Innocent has partnered with GEA to build a facility where it can produce smoothies and juices using carbon-neutral process technology.
ADM has achieved net carbon neutral status at its US mills using a combination of energy efficiencies, purchasing renewable energy certificates and sequestering carbon dioxide at its commercial carbon capture and storage facility.
Blue Bottle Coffee, a global network of cafes in the US and Asia, has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2024.
