Tate & Lyle says it has exceeded its 2020 environmental targets, set using a 2008 baseline. Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, generated by on-site energy use, were reportedly reduced by 25% against a target of 19%, while waste to landfill was reportedly reduced by 37% against target of 30%.
These targets were met, Tate & Lyle says, largely by investing in the transition to cleaner energy sources, such as replacing the coal boiler with a natural gas-fired combined heat and power system at the corn wet mill in Loudon, Tennessee. The company says its waste target was met by eliminating certain waste streams from the production process by reclaiming organic solids which would otherwise have been sent to landfill.
In May 2020, Tate & Lyle set environmental targets for 2030 for GHG emissions, waste, water and sustainable agriculture. The targets have been validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative, meaning they are in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement in Climate Change.
Nick Hampton, Chief Executive at Tate & Lyle, said: “We are proud of the progress we have made against our environmental commitments over the last decade, and are now absolutely focused on delivering our new targets for 2030. Every part of our global team, from production to procurement, supply chain to sales, are playing their part to deliver our purpose of Improving Lives for Generations by caring for our planet and helping to tackle the world’s biggest shared challenge of climate change.”
Sara Leeman, Global Environmental Leader at Tate & Lyle, said: “In setting our 2030 environmental commitments, we broadened our scope to include water reduction, the beneficial use of all our waste, emissions resulting from our value chain (Scope 3), and support for sustainable agriculture. Our new targets mean we are really challenging ourselves to make real and lasting improvements to the environment around us, while also continuing to grow our business.”
