ENVIRONMENT

MUNICH, Nov. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — IFCO, the world’s leading provider of reusable packaging containers (RPCs) for fresh products has released the IFCO ESG 2023 Report, which details the progress IFCO has made on its ambitious Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) 2025 Strategy during the 2023 fiscal year (FY23). Titled “Thriving through circularity”, the in-depth report provides an extensive overview of the company’s activities and achievements in three core areas — Thriving Business, Thriving Planet and Thriving Society — against the baseline year of 2020.

In line with all previous reports, and in recognition of the need for increased transparency in the industry, the IFCO ESG 2023 Report conforms to international sustainability reporting standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB).

The positive impact of IFCO’s ESG strategy on the supply chain
The publication of the IFCO ESG 2023 Report confirms that sustainability remains top of mind for everyone who works at and with IFCO and for everything that the company undertakes, says Michael Pooley, IFCO CEO:

“As we look back over the past year, I am immensely proud of the progress we have made on our ESG goals. As we step up our activities, we continue to scale up our positive impact on the global fresh grocery supply chain, on our society and on our planet. We are absolutely determined to inspire our industry to reject harmful single-use packaging as a way to reduce waste, protect fresh products and combat climate change. But we are not finished yet. By continuously striving to improve the IFCO SmartCycle, our sustainable circular pooling system for reusable packaging containers, we want to bring more partners along with us. Together, we will ensure that future generations get to live on a thriving planet.”

IFCO’s key ESG goals and the principles of the circular economy
In creating reusable, 100% recyclable packaging that is made to last and used again and again over a long life cycle, IFCO is championing the reuse and recycling of packaging in the fresh grocery supply chain, explains Inigo Canalejo, Vice President, ESG and Strategic Marketing:

“Our RPCs already perform to high sustainability standards. That’s not enough. We are investing in measures that will bring us closer to becoming a net zero, zero waste business that is firmly rooted in the principles of the circular economy. The IFCO ESG 2023 Report confirms that we are making progress and are on track to achieve our ambitious goals.”

Key highlights and milestones from the IFCO ESG 2023 Report
How much progress has IFCO made with its ESG 2025 strategy? As indicated in the publication, IFCO RPCs are used in over 2 billion shipments of fresh produce every year, reducing waste throughout the supply chain and demonstrating the clear benefit of a consistent, strong commitment to sustainability. The use of IFCO RPCs in the global fresh grocery supply chain generates more CO₂ savings than all the Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions across IFCO’s entire global operations.

The IFCO ESG 2023 Report also highlights how the company closely collaborates with supply chain partners — from producers to retailers and transportation partners — to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and target waste along the entire global fresh grocery supply chain. Successful partnerships have resulted in a reduction of the number of trucks on the road for one partner in the UK, optimization of the RPC pooling flow for a specific fresh product category for an Italian producer and the implementation of alternative fuel options for transportation partners in the US.

Key IFCO highlights from the report include the following:

Thriving Business: 

• Replaced 2 billion single-use packaging units with IFCO RPCs
• Awarded Sustainalytics 2023 ESG Regional Top-Rated company in Europe 

Thriving Planet:  

• Increased the average recycled content for each RPC to 40%
• Achieved a 12% reduction in overall Scope 3 emissions
• Achieved a 6% reduction in freshwater use per RPC
• Renewed the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Silver certification for the European Lift Lock generation of RPCs

Thriving Society:  

• 32% of IFCO managers are female
• Donated 69,000 RPCs to food banks around the globe

Download the IFCO ESG 2023 Report: https://www.ifco.com/about-ifco/sustainability/esg-report-2023/

About IFCO
IFCO is the leading global provider of reusable packaging solutions for fresh foods, serving customers in 50+ countries. IFCO operates a pool of over 380 million Reusable Packaging Containers (RPCs) globally, which are used for 2 billion shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, bread, and other items from suppliers to grocery retailers every year. IFCO RPCs ensure a better fresh food supply chain by protecting freshness and quality and lowering costs, food waste and environmental impact compared to single-use packaging. More: www.ifco.com | Follow us on LinkedIn @IFCO SYSTEMS

About the Science Based Targets initiative 
The SBTi guides businesses in the setting of credible science-based targets in line with current climate science. SBTs help define a pathway to future-proofing growth that is in line with the 1.5°C trajectory recommended in the Paris Agreement. For more information: https://sciencebasedtargets.org/

SOURCE IFCO