Towards a CSR approach – Season 4: strength in numbers!
24 January 2024
In September, we gave you the results of our carbon footprint: 5,644 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, and asked the question: what are we doing about it?
Since then, we’ve had a full and fascinating review of Pôlénergie and we’ve realised with the teams that it wasn’t that simple!
Above all, we have become aware of certain things, and have been surprised by them. We are moving forward with humility and as much conviction as ever in this eminently complex subject.
First of all, as this is a carbon ‘footprint’, we were anxious to know whether our ‘score’ was good, and we realised that this was really not the point.
What we learned:
- We have realised that whatever the scenarios, optimistic or pessimistic, beyond more extreme temperatures and the collapse of biodiversity, we are going to face food insecurity. If global warming is +4 degrees in 50 years’ time, eating will become an issue for everyone. If it is +1.5%, we will experience phases of food insecurity 2 times greater than those we are experiencing today.
- We discovered that fruit and vegetables have a major role to play because they emit the least CO2 of all food products. We realised the extent of this responsibility. By way of comparison, a citrus fruit emits 0.3 kg of CO2 equivalent per kg produced, compared with 60 kg for cattle, 17 kg for coffee and 4.5 kg for eggs.
- We realised that it wasn’t just a question of acting for our children or future generations, but also of acting for ourselves, because we will be affected.
- We realised that this was not an individual approach, where the aim was to be top of the class, but a collective approach, driven by individuals as well as organisations.
- We understand that the carbon footprint is only one element of a CSR approach.
What about our 5644 t CO2 equivalent?
- Byway of comparison, it’s as much as a village of 550 people, or 2,815 return journeys between Paris and New York by plane. So yes, when you put it like that, it’s a lot!
- If we look at this result in another way:these CO2 emissions are the result of activities that contribute to a healthy, balanced diet for 53,000 people by providing them with fruit and vegetables. Given what we’ve just learned, that’s no mean feat!
What can we do to improve our carbon footprint without losing sight of our raison d’être: to be ambassadors for sustainable, responsible food happiness?
- 98% of our greenhouse gas emissions come from “Inputs”, i.e. everything to do with F&V production and freight. Our response is to focus our fresh F&V supplies on crops grown using environmentally-friendly methods.
- 2% of our GHG emissions concern the Lagache site as a whole, employee travel and waste management. We have already implemented the greening of our fleet and the greening of our refrigerant gases. We are 95% sorting our waste and optimising our electricity consumption.
What else can I do?
- At Lagache, we all feel concerned by this and do everything we can to make it a reality on a daily basis.
- It’s by going further with all the bodies in the profession that things will change! I’m delighted to represent my company on various industry bodies (UNCGFL, CRI HdF, etc.) and to see that these issues are on the table, that the various stakeholders are mobilised. I’m confident that we’re on the right track!
