Westfalia's color of green: from avocados to carbon neutrality

Westfalia Fruit Group, a leading multinational supplier of avocados, has achieved the One Carbon World Carbon Neutral International Standard for 15 of its businesses for 2020.

As part of this project, Westfalia Fruit calculated its footprint for 2020 with the support of one carbon world. Westfalia Fruit in Peru, Westfalia Colombia, Westfalia Fruit Marketing in South Africa, and Westfalia Fruit BV in the Netherlands have also achieved carbon neutrality status for their scope 1 & 2 emissions as well as certification under the one carbon world carbon neutral international standard, a carbon footprint verification organization and a recognized resource partner in the UN's climate neutral now initiative.

"As part of our ongoing commitment to the environment we work towards the wellbeing of the planet and are focused on climate change mitigation. We are proud to receive this certification which is a step on the road to our long-term target to be 'lifetime carbon neutral' by 2049," said Johnathan Sutton group safety & environment executive at Westfalia Fruit International.

"We are guardians of the environments and communities in which we operate, and the company aim is to ensure our environmental commitments become an integral part of our day-to-day activities. We seek ways to continually improve environmental performance and operate responsibly, by focusing on priorities such as reducing waste and making reductions in our carbon emissions," he continued.

In 2021 Westfalia Fruit made significant progress towards its sustainability targets: reducing the company's carbon footprint per kilogram of fruit by 5%, waste to landfill by almost 9%, liquid fuel used by 26%, and electricity usage by 4%. At the same time, it increased recycled waste by 28%, water use efficiency by 14%, and own electricity generation by 50%.

For example, the company has pioneered a low-flow drip irrigation technique that saves a significant volume of the water used to grow the crop, while also increasing the output and economic value of the fruit. It is estimated that the approach will bring an overall 50% efficiency boost in farms where it is implemented.

For Westfalia Fruit's GHG emissions that cannot currently be avoided, the company compensated with emissions reductions (carbon credits) certified by VERRA, through afforestation projects in South America that are converting degraded grasslands into forest plantations.

Westfalia Fruit UK also achieved a carbon-neutral certification under carbon trust, an independent certification body for carbon footprints with an internationally recognized carbon-neutral standard.