31 May 2023
Puratos is committed to driving the planet forward and leading the way as a sustainable supplier in the bakery, patisserie, and chocolate ingredients industry. We prioritize sustainability, health and well-being, and innovation to deliver exceptional products and solutions to our valued customers. With a clear focus on Our Commitments to You and to Future Generations, we have achieved significant milestones in 2022 and continue to strive for a more sustainable future.
Puratos's Path to Carbon Neutrality
We acknowledge the urgency of taking action to address the current climate crisis. In 2022, we updated our new Better Planet Charter, reinforcing our unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship. As part of this commitment, we aim to achieve water balance by 2030, ensuring responsible water management throughout our operations. Additionally, we set goals to become carbon-neutral by 2025 for the emissions generated by our direct operations, following the globally recognized Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
In pursuit of carbon-neutrality, we have made remarkable strides. Our sites in Vietnam, the Philippines, and Austria have achieved carbon neutrality and obtained the CO2-NEUTRAL certification from Vinçotte according to the PAS 2060 international standard for CO2 neutrality. Furthermore, our Chocolanté 60DAYS product in Vietnam has become our first carbon-neutral chocolate, with a comprehensive approach that encompasses every step of the process, from raw material transportation to manufacturing, waste management, packaging, and customer transportation.
Renewing our site and entity CO2-neutral certifications in Vietnam, Thailand, and Brazil's chocolate factory showcases our ongoing commitment to reducing our carbon footprint. In 2022, we achieved a remarkable 35% reduction in CO2 emissions generated by our direct operations compared to 2016, bringing us closer to our carbon neutrality objective. Currently, 90% of our electricity comes from renewable sources, and we have several initiatives to increase this even further. We’ve installed 57,000m² of solar panels on-site in 22 countries, which is equivalent to 12 football fields. In 2022, we planted 215,000 trees in the Philippines, Vietnam, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Ivory Coast and Uganda.
In 2022, Puratos embarked on an extraordinary mission: to create the first CO2-neutral Belgian chocolate factory. This monumental project sets a new standard for sustainability in the chocolate industry.
Responsible Water Management Journey
In 2022, we also reduced our water consumption per ton produced by 3%, resulting in a significant economy of scale of 57,000m³ per year, equivalent to approximately 23 Olympic size swimming pools. We recognize that responsible water management is essential, that’s why we recently invested €1.8m in seven wastewater treatment projects worldwide, ensuring cutting-edge water treatment in Mexico, the USA, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Regenerative agriculture
We are driven by the transformative potential of regenerative agriculture to shape a sustainable future. Our collaboration with farmers and farming organizations is at the heart of this commitment, as we actively started to support their regenerative farming initiatives. Drawing upon our extensive scientific knowledge and expertise in the agricultural and food industry, we strive to create meaningful value and accelerate the scaling of regenerative agriculture. Together, we can make a profound impact on the environment, fostering biodiversity, restoring the land, reducing evironmental footprint for a better planet today and tomorrow.
Minimizing Waste and Switching to Sustainable Packaging
At Puratos, we understand the importance of sustainable packaging. To minimize our environmental footprint, we have made several investments to make 100% of our packaging materials reusable or recyclable-ready by 2025. With a focus on waste prevention, reducing single-use packaging, reusing materials, and introducing recyclable-ready solutions, we have achieved an impressive milestone. Currently, over 90% of our packaging materials, including primary, secondary, and tertiary packaging, are reusable or recyclable-ready.
Measuring Impact and Driving Change
At Puratos, we make sure that our commitment translates into meaningful impact. This is why we actively measure the impact of our ingredients and products using Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. By evaluating the complete environmental footprint of our and our customers’ offerings, we provide food players and manufacturers with bakery, patisserie and chocolate ingredients and recipes that have been proven to have a lower negative impact on the planet. For example, our plant-based bakery glazing solution, Sunset Glaze, has an environmental impact 2.5 times lower than a regular egg-wash, while our non-dairy topping, Ambiante, has a 2.2 times lower environmental footprint compared to dairy cream. You can learn more our LCA-PEF initiative here.
Puratos's sustainability objectives, Our Commitments to You and to Future Generations, have driven us to achieve remarkable milestones in 2022. From striving for carbon neutrality and water balance to promoting sustainable packaging and measuring environmental impact, we are leading the way in sustainable practices. Our dedication to sustainability, health and well-being, and innovation sets us apart as one of the best companies in the food industry. Together with our customers, suppliers and partners, we are driving the planet forward, shaping a brighter and more sustainable future for generations to come.
Join us on this impactful journey and experience the positive difference Puratos brings to the bakery, patisserie, and chocolate ingredients industry:
