Fresh Del Monte Produce has announced that it has joined the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which aims to drive ambitious climate change action in the private sector by enabling companies to set science-based emissions reduction targets. The company joins SBTi as the first global marketer of fruits and vegetables to commit to reducing its carbon footprint to assist with limiting global warming to well below 2 °C. This commitment further showcases Fresh Del Monte Produce’s sharpened focus to operating sustainably and implementing sound, science-based practices throughout its global operations; further leading the way within the produce industry.
“We continue to see an increase in the impact of climate change on our lives through unusually active hurricane seasons and deadly wildfires,” said Hans Sauter, Chief Sustainability Officer, Fresh Del Monte. “This year, we joined the Science Based Targets initiative in order to create a more sustainable and equitable future, not just for our company but for the world. Climate action is our top priority and I’m honored to work for a company that is unafraid to make these commitments.”
Fresh Del Monte will work with SBTi to develop its target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. While this is a new partnership, setting ambitious climate goals has been a part of the company’s ethos for quite some time. In 2015, the largest banana growing operation was certified as Carbon Neutral by SCS Global Services. Since then, Fresh Del Monte has continued to build on this program. Today, all bananas grown by Fresh Del Monte in Costa Rica along with 74% of all pineapples grown by the company that are sold in North America and Europe, are sourced from Carbon Neutral farms.
“We believe that achieving the bold challenges outlined in the Paris Agreement five years ago requires not only the cooperation of governments, and NGOs, but also of corporations. We will not limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius unless the private and public sector start working together and making serious commitments like these. We aspire to lead by example and hope others in our industry will do the same,” explained Hans Sauter, our Chief Sustainability Officer.
As climate action is an ongoing key component of Fresh Del Monte’s sustainability strategy, the company has also released an update to its 2018-2019 Corporate Sustainability Report. The report includes the development and launch of the Environmental Action Tool and database to track company-wide greenhouse gas emissions for the first time in the company’s history. It also recently made significant investments in six fuel-efficient vessels, two of which launched this year and are anticipated to result in a 10% reduction in Scope 1 CO2e emissions from vessel shipping by 2025.
As one of the world’s leading produce companies, Fresh Del Monte continues to tackle the challenge of climate change in agriculture head on. The company continues to lead the industry forward with its transparency, accountability and transformative action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions that will help ensure the well-being and future of the planet.
About Fresh Del Monte Produce
Fresh Del Monte is one of the world’s leading vertically integrated producers, marketers and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, as well as a leading producer and distributor of prepared food in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Fresh Del Monte markets its products worldwide under the DEL MONTE brand (under license from Del Monte Foods, Inc.), a symbol of product innovation, quality, freshness and reliability for over 125 years. The Company also markets its products under the MANN brand and other related trademarks. Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. is not affiliated with certain other Del Monte companies around the world, including Del Monte Foods, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Del Monte Pacific Limited, Del Monte Canada, or Del Monte Asia Pte. Ltd
