The environment we live in is very important not only for our health and the planet but also for our future generations. Dr Oetker firmly believes that it is everyone's responsibility to protect the world we live in, and this responsibility starts with itself. With World Environment Day around the corner, the Dr Oetker Company, a European Legacy in Pleasure Food since 1891, has adopted measures in India to preserve the country's ecology through Group's Global Sustainability Charter.
Dr Oetker's Global Sustainability Charter is focused on three dimensions –Food, World, and Community. As a result, numerous projects focused on supporting the consumer's need for a healthier and more sustainable lifestyle, achieving climate neutrality, and ensuring employee expectations regarding their employer's environmental and social obligations are met are underway globally and in India.
Commenting on the Sustainability Charter, Oliver Mirza, chief executive officer and managing director, Dr Oetker Indian Subcontinent, said, "As a socially responsible organization, the Dr Oetker Company recognizes its responsibility towards people and the planet. By rolling out the Dr Oetker Sustainability Charter, we keep our consumers' need for a conscious lifestyle in mind, work towards ensuring fair and sustainable conditions along the supply chain, and minimizing our ecological footprint. All this, while we, at Dr Oetker, continue to produce high-quality pleasure food for sustainable moments of enjoyment, and offer the consumers more and more relevant solutions around the product ranges."
For Dr Oetker building a food processing plant that requires huge quantities of water in the dry state of Rajasthan was unthinkable (or, better irresponsible), it said. Therefore, right from the outset, the construction team was briefed on the importance of undertaking water and energy conservation measures. Below are some of the measures taken at the Dr Oetker plant in Kaharani, Rajasthan, in commitment towards Sustainability and environmental conservation.
Acting responsibly is simply what one does, every day in every way. The sprawling plant across 14 acres with a manufacturing capacity of over 50000 tons ensures a zero-discharge production. All effluents produced during the manufacturing process are treated and reused within the factory premises. In addition, the focus has been on harvesting rainwater, and the plant annually harvests over 100000 tons. To reduce water consumption, over 50kl of water per day is saved simply by adopting air-cooled chillers and ensuring condensate recovery. Furthermore, the plant has actively put in measures to conserve energy and adopt natural gas where possible.
"We used glass extensively – with huge windows and skylights allowing natural light and reducing the dependence on LED lighting. Usage of glass was a challenge during the storms in the vast openness of Kaharani and once the skylight even flew off during construction. However, this measure alone has saved 100kwh of electricity daily. We also use double glazed windows throughout the plant not only in compliance with NBC guidelines but keeping in mind the need to conserve energy with air-conditioning. For the same reason we have insulated the entire factory with a thick insulation layer. In addition, natural gas is used rather than diesel to run our boiler and bake lines. Every small step counts, "says Mirza.
The usage of LED lights in the facility reduced energy consumption by over 15%. Furthermore, the insulation mentioned above of the entire building and double-glazed glass has reduced energy consumption by 25%.
Besides water, effluent, and energy measures, Dr Oetker has been committed to reducing plastic waste with a pledge to process 1020 metric tons of plastic waste by 2021. Creating a core team that's focused on this has helped. As a result, 2.16 metric tons of plastic usage and one metric ton of paper usage have been reduced due to optimizing packaging material to minimize waste.
Another team focuses on creating innovative products that offer our consumers indulgent food experiences while catering to healthier and sustainable lifestyles. For example, Monosodium Glutamate, usually used as a flavor enhancer, has been eliminated from the entire product range.
Promoting diversity, zero discrimination, and a living wage for the people is yet another way the company supports the community.
The Dr Oetker Sustainability Charter is also a reflection of social developments that aim to put climate protection, animal welfare, and diversity at the center of their activities. At the same time, Dr Oetker's actions reflect the increasing health awareness of consumers, for whom conscious and sustainable nutrition is becoming more and more important. The company takes this into account with its sustainability goals.