Tetra Pak Leads the Way to Help Hot Fashion Go Cool Carbon Neutral

NEW YORK, Feb. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- As the fashion world turns its attention to the Tents at Bryant Park, this year marks the first time that Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York City will be a completely carbon neutral event.  

In an initiative underwritten by leading carton packaging manufacturer Tetra Pak, and supported by Tetra Pak's customer and natural beverage supplier O.N.E.™ Natural Experience, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will be using a combination of emission reduction activities and carbon offsets to ensure its emissions are reduced to net zero. The carbon offsets will be purchased from a long-term forestry management project at The Big River/Salmon Creeks Forests in Mendocino, CA, as well as sustainable sourcing of local natural gas at two dairy farms in Idaho.

Tetra Pak, O.N.E., IMG Fashion (the company producing Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week) and The CarbonNeutral Company announced the initiative at a press conference in New York.  The CarbonNeutral Company performed the assessment and data measurements, and granted permission to display the CarbonNeutral® mark – signifying that Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week's carbon reduction program has been implemented in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol.

"Tetra Pak is committed to business practices that protect resources for future generations and the future of our business," said Carla Fantoni, vice president of communication and environment for Tetra Pak Inc., U.S. and Canada. "We bring that commitment to everything we do, including our partnership and involvement with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. We believe that climate change is a global responsibility and we hope that by making such an iconic and influential event carbon neutral, others will follow suit and help protect our resources for the future."

Joining Tetra Pak in celebrating the initiative, Rodrigo Veloso, founder & CEO of O.N.E. said, "We are thrilled to be back at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week as the official beverage sponsor. As a company deeply committed to the environment, we commend Tetra Pak for championing this important carbon initiative and fully support their efforts at this trend-setting event."  

As a result of the initiative, nearly 1,000 tons of carbon emissions will be offset, helping Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week take responsibility for its carbon footprint by supporting the adoption of low carbon technology elsewhere which will help the world reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Fern Mallis, senior vice president of IMG Fashion, noted that the initiative is a historic first for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. "We are delighted and proud to work with Tetra Pak and O.N.E. on environmentally responsible initiatives that help set an example in the fashion industry and beyond."  

Tetra Pak and IMG Fashion partnered with leading provider of carbon reduction solutions, The CarbonNeutral Company, to measure and certify the project. The awarded certification signifies that CO2 emissions produced by Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week have been measured and reduced to net zero. The reductions can be both 'internal' (e.g. a change to a process that will cut emissions) and 'external' (commonly known as 'carbon offsets).  

Neil Braun, CEO of The CarbonNeutral Company, congratulated Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and Tetra Pak on the initiative, saying, "Tetra Pak and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week are demonstrating their leadership by taking responsibility for the carbon emissions at the New York event. It is a strong signal to all involved that carbon reduction is not only an increasingly important business objective but is also very much in fashion."

"I want to commend the decision by the organizers of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week to go carbon-neutral," said Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, in support of this initiative. "Twice a year, the entire world looks to the Tents in Bryant Park to set the trends for the coming season. What could be more trend-setting than having the City's fashion community reduce its carbon footprint through the purchase of carbon offset credits?"

The carbon neutral initiative marks the second season that both Tetra Pak and O.N.E., the official beverage sponsor of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, have helped create a more environmentally responsible footprint. In 2009, Tetra Pak facilitated on-site recycling at the event and will fulfill a similar recycling commitment in 2010. This is also the second season that O.N.E. will offer water in Tetra Pak cartons –  mainly made from paper, a renewable resource –  to all guests attending shows, backstage and inside the tents throughout the week.  

About Tetra Pak

Tetra Pak is the world's leading food processing and packaging solutions company. Working closely with our customers and suppliers, we provide safe, innovative and environmentally sound products that each day meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people around world. With over 20,000 employees and operations in more than 150 countries, we believe responsible industry leadership and a sustainable approach to business. Our motto, "PROTECTS WHAT'S GOOD,"™ reflects our vision to make food safe and available, everywhere. More information about Tetra Pak is available at www.tetrapakusa.com.

About O.N.E. – ONE Natural Experience

One Natural Experience (O.N.E.™) is the premier, all-natural beverage company established in 2005 by Rodrigo Veloso—a visionary instrumental in creating a whole new category of beverage in the U.S.  O.N.E.™ ready-to-drink products are alternatives to artificial sports/ energy drinks, sodas and enhanced waters, fortifying adults and children alike with unparallel effectiveness. Their award winning and #1 selling coconut water is fast-becoming recognized as America's healthiest drink for providing enhanced hydration, essential nutrition and all five essential electrolytes (calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous and sodium). O.N.E.™ drinks are packaged in environmentally friendly Tetra Pak cartons underscoring the company's deep commitment to the Earth and sustainability of the Amazon Rainforest.  O.N.E.™ supports several nonprofit organizations—most importantly healthy Child Healthy World (www.healthychild.org) and BrazilFoundation (www.brazilfoundation.org).O.N.E.™ is available in over 14,000 retail outlets including Whole Foods, Publix, Kroger Stores, Cost Plus World Markets and on Amazon.com.

About The CarbonNeutral Company

The CarbonNeutral Company (www.carbonneutral.com) is a world leading provider of carbon reduction solutions.  It works with over 300 major businesses and thousands of small and medium sized companies in 32 countries to develop offset inclusive carbon reduction programmes. Since 1997, it has purchased carbon credits from over 200 projects across six continents. CarbonNeutral® is the registered trademark of The CarbonNeutral Company and is a global standard to certify that businesses have measured and reduced their CO2 emissions to net zero for their company, products, operations or services.  Permission to display the CarbonNeutral® mark is only given to clients whose carbon reduction program is implemented in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol. The Protocol assures quality of offset projects, carbon footprint assessments and communication and is regularly reviewed by an Independent Advisory Group.  The company's 'audit trail' includes an annual independent verification of CarbonNeutral programs – from contracts with carbon offset partners through to contracts with clients and everything in between.

SOURCE Tetra Pak