CHILE - Copefrut is taking another major step toward reaching its sustainability goals as the exporter has achieved CarbonNeutral® Product certification from Climate Impact Partner, becoming one of the first growers in South America to do so. The company was able to calculate, mitigate, and offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the cradle-to-door cycle of the first customer for its organic apples, establishing this milestone.
“This certification not only demonstrates our commitment to the environment and the sustainable development goals that we adhere to with our sustainability policy, but also reflects an exercise in consistency with what organic production means,” said Andrés Fuenzalida, General Manager of Copefrut. “Now we can say that we have a totally sustainable product.”
Copefrut’s organic apples became one of the first carbon-neutral-certified agricultural products in South America under the CarbonNeutral standard, according to a release. This certification considers all the stages of the life cycle of a product, from obtaining raw materials, agricultural activities, packaging, and storage to international market transportation.
The company earned the certification after two consecutive years of neutralizing emissions from the international transport of its organic apples. This initiative meets the double objective of developing increasingly more sustainable agriculture, but also increasing transparency.
“The agricultural sector has a significant impact in terms of emissions at a global level and Copefrut, through its carbon neutrality program, is contributing to its mitigation,” explained Felipe Sepúlveda, Executive Director and Founding Partner of Carboneutral®Chile. “By being the first to have this certification within the agricultural industry, it sets a very relevant precedent in the sector. It directly contributes to generating not only positive impacts associated with climate change, but also its carbon neutrality program contributes to generating a positive impact on 15 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
By measuring and neutralizing Copefrut’s total gross emissions generated in 2023 from its organic apples, the exporter was able to avoid emissions equivalent to the full charge of almost 200 million cell phones or the electricity consumed in a year by over 300 homes.
To read more about Copefrut’s sustainability programs, click here.
As more companies take action to become more environmentally friendly, AndNowUKnow will provide details.
