News

Fonterra publishes first Sustainability Report

3 Jan 2018

Fonterra has published its first Sustainability Report, detailing its environmental, social and economic performance, and following its recent announcements on emissions and clean water in New Zealand.

Fonterra has published its first Sustainability Report, detailing its environmental, social and economic performance.

The Sustainability Report follows Fonterra’s recent announcements on emissions and clean water in New Zealand, and highlights the Co-operative’s commitment to an open discussion on how it is taking its responsibilities seriously and where it is making real progress. The report was compiled using the internationally recognised Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework and independently assured. This follows global best practice and underlines the integrity of the report, the company said.

The dairy industry is a cornerstone of the New Zealand economy but its environmental footprint is of national significance, Fonterra notes. The report is said to give an objective view of Fonterra’s environmental footprint and its contribution to the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals.

The report also considers Fonterra’s global operating context within the rapidly evolving food sector. The global food production system is transforming, driven by the challenges of a growing population and stretched environmental limits. Land degradation is affecting 20% of the planet’s arable land and by 2030, 40% of the world’s demand for water is unlikely to be met.

Fonterra’s Director of Sustainability, Carolyn Mortland, said the Co-operative shares the same long-term aspirations for the land and water as local communities and understands the evolving expectations of customers and consumers.

“The report offers a new level of openness. More and more customers and consumers want to know where their food is from, how it got to them and the impact all of that had on the environment,” said Mortland. “Our continued success on the world stage is reliant on a clean, sustainable environment and continuous improvement in the production and transportation of our products. All that type of information is laid out in the report.”

“There is, and has been, a lot of work going on by our farmers and right across the industry looking at how to best manage the impacts of dairy. The level of research, investment and collaboration underlines the commitment and determination to find workable and scalable solutions to improve the world around us. That too is covered.”

The report also covers Fonterra’s progress in maximising the nutritional benefits of products by significantly reducing refined carbohydrates, sodium and sugar. This year, a new specialised milk product was launched in Malaysia to help combat high cholesterol and diabetes.