VERO BEACH, FL - Business-as-usual is no longer an option.
This is more than just the opening statement from Greenyard Co-Chief Executive Officers Hein Deprez and Marc Zwaaneveld in detailing a plan to become more sustainable; it is a call to action.
Greenyard and the companies it parents, including United States-founded Seald Sweet, are taking up arms in the fight against climate change with a detailed Sustainability Roadmap which divides and conquers the many areas of sustainability.
“Many European countries already have sustainability requirements strongly in place that we are just beginning to see discussed in the U.S.,” Amy Gates, Vice President of Seald Sweet, shared with me. “As a result, we are ahead of any coming requirements from plastic reduction to food waste mitigation just by being consistent with the company’s plan as a whole.”
The Greenyard Sustainability Roadmap details sustainability goals reaching into 2025 for all its divisions, with objectives covering everything from 100 percent recyclable packaging, lower water footprint, and reducing food waste, to reduction of emissions and ensuring responsible sourcing.
“It’s an incredibly ambitious plan when you look at it, but the details break it down into manageable portions utilizing both the resources and commitment of the Greenyard family and the expertise of those it works with to realize our goals and strategies,” Amy explains.
The Greenyard Sustainability Roadmap, as listed on the report’s website, takes into account the diverse range of external views on sustainability in the food sector the company has encountered over the years: conversations with experts, learnings from involved projects, knowledge gained at sector-related events and seminars, E.U. policies and regulations, and inspiration from other companies.
“Our Co-CEOs said it perfectly when the report was announced: We are in a unique position to make a real difference in our industry. I love being a part of a company that not only has that power, but is using it to make sure that difference is as positive as possible,” Amy reflects.
Greenyard’s plan is certainly ambitious, as anyone can see here, but Amy and the Seald Sweet team share that these internal global initiatives are aligning in tandem with customers, consumers, and the planet we all serve.
It takes a village to break the impossible into smaller possibilities.
