Results include installing 742 solar panels and saving 317 tons of CO2 per year. We maximized our warehouse network to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 100,000 pounds per year and achieved zero waste status in six of our seven manufacturing facilities.
MINNEAPOLIS — May 2, 2024 — sun opta (Nasdaq:STKL) (TSX:SOY) is an innovative and sustainable manufacturer driving the future of food. 2023 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report. SunOpta’s annual update outlines the sustainability progress made in his fiscal year 2023 across his four key areas: Products, Planet, People and Governance.
“Since SunOpta’s founding 50 years ago, sustainability has been at the core of what we do as a plant-based food and beverage producer,” said Brian Kocher, CEO of SunOpta. “Now, more than ever, sustainability is at the forefront of our company’s mission and business operations. In my role as CEO, I am committed to building on that tradition and ensuring that the food and beverages people consume, the way they are made, We are committed to advancing initiatives that have a lasting, positive impact on the communities in which we live and work.”
Specifically, SunOpta is working on finding solutions to reduce electricity, gas and water, as well as finding the best environmental solutions for waste management in its manufacturing facilities. The company is also committed to developing innovative packaging solutions and using efficient transportation methods.
Key ESG achievements in 2023 include installing 742 solar panels to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 317 tons per year and maximizing our warehouse network to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 100,000 pounds per year. This includes saving 40.4 billion gallons of water through plant-based production. .1 In addition, SunOpta made progress toward its goal of zero waste to landfill, with six of its seven manufacturing facilities achieving zero waste.2 situation.
Below are highlights from the 2023 report:
o 742 solar panels installed on the roof of our headquarters, estimated to generate up to 447,667 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 317 tons per year
o Opening a new warehouse in Alexandria, Minnesota, which will help reduce CO2 emissions by up to 100,000 pounds per year compared to the current warehouse network
o Donated 3.4 million pounds of food (equivalent to 2.8 million meals) to Feeding America
o Save over 150 tons of CO2 emissions through load mode optimization
o 12.6% reduction in natural gas usage at U.S. and Canadian industrial facilities
o 99.2% of the weight of all packaging sourced by SunOpta is recyclable3
o 40.4 billion gallons of water saved based on plant-based production
o 6 out of 7 facilities achieved zero waste to landfill
o SunOpta’s OatGoldÔ is an oat protein powder certified by the Upcycled Foods Association and was featured as the main ingredient in the first oat protein cereal featured on Seven Sundays.
o 30 private label products registered with the US Non-GMO Project
o Achieved a complaint score of less than 1.6% per million units
o Achieved zero incidents of violations of industry or regulatory labeling and/or marketing regulations
o External food safety audit score of 9.64 (in the “excellent” range)
o 49% of our employees at director level and above are women, making progress towards our goal of 50% female board representation.
o 37.5% of SunOpta board members are women
o Launched leadership development and supervisor development programs
o Appoint a dedicated full-time Sustainability Director to lead ESG efforts
“SunOpta thrives on the challenges and opportunities to meet our environmental, social and governance goals and continuously improve our reporting,” said Stacey Seidel, SunOpta’s Head of ESG. “With our latest materiality assessment and valuable reflection over the past year, we are ready to plan the next steps in our sustainability journey.”
About Sunopta Co., Ltd..
SunOpta (Nasdaq:STKL) (TSX:SOY) is an innovative and sustainable manufacturer driving the future of food. With roots dating back more than 50 years, SunOpta serves as a trusted innovation partner and value-added manufacturer, producing organic plant-based beverages, fruit snacks, energy drinks, soups, and tea products sold in retail stores. driving growth for today’s leading brands. clubs, foodservice and e-commerce channels. In addition to working with top brands, retailers and coffee shops, SunOpta also proudly produces its own brands, including: Already sown ®, dream®and West lifeTM. For more information, please visit: www.sunopta.com and linkedin.
- This figure is based on SunOpta’s estimated global average production of plant-based milk compared to equivalent dairy production based on SunOpta’s annual production of plant-based milk consisting of almond milk, oat, soy, rice and coconut milk. It was determined based on the amount of water saved. 99% of SunOpta’s plant-based milk production. Data are from Poore and Nemecek (2018), with additional calculations by Poore published by the BBC and Roos et al. (2018). The estimated water savings are not directly related to the water usage of SunOpta’s plant-based milk production, but rather refer to the global average water consumption of plant-based milk production.
- SunOpta embraces the definition of zero waste by diverting 90% of waste from landfills.
- Recyclability is based on local government capacity.
