Annual Report 2023

Fighting deforestation

Fighting climate change also involves the conservation of forests and other terrestrial ecosystems of high conservation value (HCV), which are considered to be of outstanding significance given their capacity to sequester carbon from the atmosphere and the biodiversity they harbour in their ecosystems. Indeed, the expansion of agricultural areas – as a result of changes in land use – and the associated deforestation are the second major source of human greenhouse gas emissions and a threat to the conservation of biodiversity.

It is for this reason that we have made ambitious commitments to ensure the responsible use of the main commodities linked to deforestation in our Private Brands and perishable products and packaging containing palm oil, timber, soy and beef. To this end, we work with The Consumer Goods Forum’s Forest Positive Coalition of Action (FP CoA) in four areas of action:

  • integrate environmental and social sustainability criteria1 in Private Brand and perishable products, ensuring that, by 2025, these ingredients are not associated with deforestation or the conversion of HCV ecosystems;
  • encourage the main traders of these commodities and the suppliers of Private Brand and perishables to make a commitment to fighting deforestation;
  • promote, through multi-stakeholder initiatives, the conservation of ecosystems in the major areas where these ingredients are produced;
  • define and publicly disclose specific progress indicators2.
Commitment to fighting deforestation recognised in 2023

We were distinguished in the CDP Forests survey as the best food retailer worldwide in managing commodities associated with deforestation. We were awarded a score of ‘A-’ (leadership level) in all four commodities assessed by CDP – Disclosure Insight Action: palm oil, soy, beef and timber.

This rating, which we obtained in 2023, 2022, 2020 and 2019, attests to the robustness and consistency of our commitments and actions in this important challenge.

To monitor our progress and identify opportunities for improvement, we map the presence of ingredients linked to deforestation in our Private Brand products and perishables, collecting information on their origin and sustainability certification from suppliers, as well as their respective policies for fighting deforestation.

Main agricultural commodities with deforestation risk in Private Brand and perishables

 

 

Total quantity (tonnes)

Commodity

 

2023

 

2022

 

Δ 2023/2022

Palm oil

 

67,270

 

60,430

 

11%

Colombia (Ara)

 

42,331

 

33,764

 

25%

Poland (Biedronka and Hebe)

 

20,531

 

20,454

 

0.4%

Portugal (Pingo Doce and Recheio)

 

4,407

 

6,212

 

-29%

Soy

 

499,206

 

506,263

 

-1%

Soy (direct)

 

23,318

 

20,409

 

14%

Colombia (Ara)

 

20,024

 

16,837

 

19%

Poland (Biedronka and Hebe)

 

2,551

 

2,769

 

-8%

Portugal (Pingo Doce and Recheio)

 

744

 

804

 

-7%

Soy (indirect)1

 

475,888

 

485,854

 

-2%

Colombia (Ara)

 

3,799

 

3,950

 

-4%

Poland (Biedronka and Hebe)

 

351,285

 

362,859

 

-3%

Portugal (Pingo Doce and Recheio)

 

120,804

 

119,045

 

1%

Paper and wood

 

200,052

 

190,663

 

5%

Paper and wood (products)2

 

163,622

 

*152,045

 

8%

Colombia (Ara)

 

13,750

 

5,363

 

156%

Poland (Biedronka and Hebe)

 

128,571

 

*124,515

 

3%

Portugal (Pingo Doce and Recheio)

 

21,301

 

22,167

 

-4%

Paper and wood (packaging)2

 

36,431

 

38,618

 

-6%

Colombia (Ara)

 

3,444

 

3,957

 

-13%

Poland (Biedronka and Hebe)

 

25,877

 

26,246

 

-1%

Portugal (Pingo Doce and Recheio)

 

7,110

 

8,415

 

-16%

Beef

 

41,094

 

*40,567

 

1%

Colombia (Ara)

 

181

 

88

 

106%

Poland (Biedronka and Hebe)

 

13,862

 

*11,831

 

17%

Portugal (Pingo Doce and Recheio)

 

27,051

 

*28,648

 

-6%

*

Revised values as a result of improvement opportunities identified when verifying the previous year’s data.

1

Soy used in animal feed for the production of animal protein contained in products.

2

Only virgin fibres. Recycled fibres are excluded.

1 These criteria include support for activities that do not contribute to deforestation or the loss of high conservation value ecosystems and/or contribute to their regeneration, as well as the efforts to eliminate human, child and/or workers’ rights violations.

2 The strategy that shapes our action is publicly disclosed and our progress updated as part of our participation in the CDP Forests programme, and is available at www.cdp.net and also on our corporate website, on the Fighting Deforestation page.

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