Based on a risk assessment, Salud Foodgroup Europe has determined that the greatest environmental impact within our supply chain is made in the following areas:
We believe that organisations play a key role in reducing global CO2 emissions and building a resilient economy without CO2 emissions.
We are currently mapping the carbon footprint of our headquarters in Oosterhout to find out the exact extent of our emissions. The next step is to annually map the carbon footprint of our entire supply chain. This will allow us to take concrete steps every year to reduce our CO2 emissions and make our operations more sustainable.
By 2025, we aim to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions throughout our supply chain by 25%.
The production of food requires many raw materials. These are lost when food is lost and wasted. The energy put into growing, packaging, transporting and refrigerating the food is also wasted. By investing in producing, harvesting, handling and distributing our products more efficiently, we help reduce food loss and waste.
By 2025, we aim to reduce food loss and waste within all our operations by 25%.
Around the world, water is a subject of growing concern. Demand for water is increasing within communities, industry and agriculture, while at the same time, persistent drought caused by climate change is causing increasing water shortages. This exacerbates problems in many regions. And that endangers not only people and businesses, but also the natural ecosystems that are so dependent on the same water resources.
Farm water management optimisation
To do our bit for water management, we are working with the Sustainability Initiative Fruit and Vegetables (SIFAV). Founded in the Netherlands, this initiative's mission is to achieve 100% sustainable trade of fruit and vegetables from Africa, Asia and South America.
To support SIFAV partners like Salud Foodgroup Europe and its suppliers, a basket of approved water standards was developed. This was done in collaboration with Good Stuff International (GSI), an expert water sustainability consulting firm. The basket of approved water standards aims to optimise water management on farms in high water risk regions.
By 2025, at least 70% of our volume purchased from high water risk regions will come from verified farms.
In addition, we want to be even more involved and work with our producers and partners to jointly make a positive contribution to sustainability at the river basin level in water management projects.
Climate change disrupts ecosystems and causes a decline in biodiversity. Without sufficient biodiversity, ecosystems cannot function properly. And without biodiversity, life on earth is not possible. A sustainable future requires a healthy planet.
'From farmer to fork' strategy
All EU countries have committed to be climate neutral by 2050. The strategy by which the EU intends to achieve this goal is the European Green Deal. The 'from farm to fork' strategy is an initiative of the European Commission within this Green Deal. This strategy aims to produce healthier food, ensure food security and a fair income for farmers, and reduce the carbon footprint. Sustainable and healthy food production is necessary to achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal.
The European Biodiversity Strategy (EBS) is a key pillar of the European Green Deal. Salud Foodgroup Europe contributes to this, among other ways, through the Bee-odiversity project.
In the coming years, we want to be even more involved and work with our producers and sustainable initiatives such as SIFAV and Earthworm Foundation to make our supply chain more regenerative, resilient and sustainable.
At Salud Foodgroup Europe, we are always looking for product packaging that has the least environmental impact. For the most sustainable overall solution, our aim is to strike a balance between more effective packaging and less food waste.
For this, we adhere to the European Packaging Directive. One of the measures under this directive is that packaging should meet the essential requirements aimed at making packaging sustainable as early as the design stage. These include requirements for the manufacture and composition of packaging, recyclability and recovery of packaging materials.
Single Use Plastics Directive
Laws and regulations are constantly changing. As a result of new policies (such as the transition to a circular economy for packaging), existing laws are constantly being updated and new ones added. One example is the Single Use Plastics Directive that came into effect in 2021 to combat single-use plastics. Salud Foodgroup Europe's packaging coordinator keeps a close eye on the changing laws and regulations.
Extended producer responsibility
As an importer and producer, we have an important role and responsibility in waste management. In the Netherlands, an extended producer responsibility (EPR) exists for this purpose. This means that importers and producers who first market a product in the Netherlands are responsible for the product throughout its life cycle, including waste management. As a producer, we are responsible for:
- ensuring the appropriate availability of a collection system for all used Salud Foodgroup Europe packaging;
- providing information to waste holders on waste prevention measures, collection systems, reuse facilities and litter prevention;
- having the financial and organisational resources to fulfil the EPR.
Our ambition is to comply with the extended producer responsibility that has been in effect since 1 January 2023. In addition, we plan to increase collaboration with packaging producers and suppliers on the development and improvement of recyclable primary and secondary plastic packaging. This applies to all our product groups, including appetisers and avocado, guacamole and tortilla products.
Our activities affect people, society and the environment. For this, we accept our social and societal responsibility. An ecologically sustainable approach is always our starting point. Through our activities, we want to contribute to the welfare of local communities in Mexico and Peru and make a positive social and environmental impact on the world of today and tomorrow.
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