Fyffes Launches First-Ever Sustainability Report and Commits to Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Achieving a Science-Based Target in line with 1.5˚ Celsius scenario by 2025

DUBLIN, July 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fyffes first-ever sustainability report has been published today and includes 13 ambitious targets to fulfil Fyffes sustainability strategy, aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Included in these targets is the intention to set ourselves apart in the tropical fresh produce sector by achieving the Science-Based Target of 1.5˚ Celsius scenario¹ by 2025, representing a 25% reduction in CO2 eq./kg of fruit for Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions respectively and a portion of Fyffes Scope 3 GHG emissions².  

Fyffes sustainability strategy has four focus areas:

Stewardship for the Planet;
Healthy Food for Healthy Lives;
Enriching People's Lives; and 
Responsible Business Principles.

The focus areas and targets are aligned to eight UN Sustainable Development Goals: 2 Zero Hunger, 4 Quality Education, 5 Gender Equality, 6 Clean Water and Sanitation, 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, 12 Responsible Consumption and Production and 13 Climate Action. In addition, in line with UN SDG 17 Partnership for the Goals, Fyffes plans to work with partner organisations to achieve its targets.

Speaking about Fyffes sustainability report, Fyffes Chief Executive Officer, Helge Sparsoe said: "I joined Fyffes in 2020 during one of the most challenging times in our company's proud 130-year history. I have been impressed by the resilience demonstrated by our people who have continued to come to work every day to harvest, pack, transport and ripen our fruit so that it can be enjoyed all over the world. I would particularly like to call out the six targets that relate to our people and our growers. Our business is our people and taking care of our people, ensuring their wellbeing and safety is our priority."

Julie Cournoyer, Global Director of Sustainability, is responsible for Fyffes Sustainability Strategy and had this to say: "I am proud to present our first sustainability report, which highlights the progress and efforts made since we announced our Global Sustainability Strategy in 2018. I would like to emphasize the tremendous efforts of the Global Sustainability Steering Committee and countless others across the company who have collaborated to deliver our sustainability strategy. Recent global events have brought into clear focus the increasing need for companies to contribute to a sustainable future and I am confident Fyffes is set up to meet those challenges thanks to the commitment to our sustainability goals."

The full list of Fyffes targets is set out below:

Stewardship for the Planet
1. Reduce our carbon emissions to achieve the Science-Based Target in line with the 1.5˚C scenario by 2025 representing a 25% reduction in CO2 eq./kg of fruit for Scope 1 and 2 emissions respectively, and a proportion of Scope 3 GHG emissions*
2. All our packaging will be compostable, recyclable, or reusable by 2025
3. 100% of our own operations have water management plans in place by 2025

Healthy Food for Healthy Lives
4. Reduce food loss by 80% in all our own operations by 2030
5. Develop one new application for each of our core products by 2030
6. Provide five million healthy meals to people in vulnerable groups by 2025 by working with qualified partners
7. Educate three million people on healthy eating habits and food waste minimisation by 2025

Enriching People's Lives
8. No work-related fatalities and no severe work-related injuries by 2025
9. 100% of Fyffes workers and supply chain workers will be trained on human rights by 2030; 100% of managers and employees by 2025
10. 100% of our own sites in Latin America to benefit from Gender Equality Programmes by 2025 and 50% of suppliers by 2030  
11. Eradicate gender pay gap in our own operations by 2030
12. 100% of Fyffes 'neighbouring' communities are engaged in resilient socio-economic community projects out of the four community investment areas by 2030
13. Improve the resilience of 2,000 of our smallholders to climate change across key production countries in Latin America with specific capacity building programmes by 2030

In addition to the targets outlined above, under the Enriching People's Lives focus area, Fyffes will identify all Living Wage gaps for our own operations and most of our suppliers by 2022. Under Stewardship for the Planet, Fyffes will measure the ongoing reduction and replacement of agrochemicals with sustainable alternatives so we can set a target by 2024; define soil management framework and target by 2024; and undertake a climate change impact assessment on 100% of Fyffes supply chain. Under Responsible Business Principles, the company is already delivering against its previously agreed targets set in 2019.

All of Fyffes sustainability targets can be found on page 28 of the sustainability report, which was prepared in accordance with the GRI Standards: Core option. The GRI Content Index can be found on our website.

Fyffes sustainability report refers to the 2019/2020 time period.

Ends.

To find out more about Fyffes approach to sustainability, please visit our website

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About Fyffes
For over 130 years Fyffes has brought a choice of tropical produce to countless millions around the world. We achieve the highest quality by nurturing relationships with our growers, supporting our employees, and diligently serving each link in the chain: production, procurement, shipping, ripening, distribution, and marketing.

This approach has earned Fyffes leadership across multiple markets; today we are the largest importer of Fairtrade certified bananas in the world. We are also one of the largest banana and pineapple importers in Europe and the biggest melon importer in North America. We became part of the Sumitomo Corporation in 2017, advancing our industry leadership in many exciting ways.

(www.fyffes.com)

¹ Targets are considered 'science-based' if they are in line with what the latest climate science deems necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement
² *Proportion of Scope 3 reduction being assessed by the Science Based Target initiative and to be announced shortly

SOURCE Fyffes