Century Pacific Food Inc. pledges green with 5 sustainability initiatives
MANILA, Philippines — Each year, the climate crisis grows worse and worse. More than the economy, it is the regular citizens who bear the brunt of its effects. This cannot be truer to Filipinos who are ravaged every year by the worsening typhoons that destroy properties and livelihoods and even cost lives.
It is a known fact that big corporations are the main contributors to the exacerbation of this crisis, and it is high time they change their ways.
One such company that is fast becoming an example in embracing sustainability and staying abreast of environmental issues is Century Pacific Food Inc. (CNPF), which is behind household brands such as Century Tuna, Argentina, 555 and Birch Tree.
CNPF takes planet preservation seriously. It has taken great strides and has adopted best practices to do its part for Mother Earth. Here are some of them:
1. Plastic neutrality
Globally, around 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year, with most of them ending up in landfills and our oceans. Unfortunately, plastic wastes continue to rise due to the ongoing pandemic.
As one of the fastest-growing food manufacturing companies in the country, CNPF is doing its part to reduce the world’s plastic waste. Even amid the pandemic, the company took upon the challenge of maintaining plastic neutrality, which it achieved since January 2020.
Among the company’s efforts were recycling initiatives, reduction of packaging waste, responsible disposal and conversion of plastic wastes into energy as an alternative to fuel.
2. Compliance with regulations
In order to conduct business sustainably, the company has also ensured that its manufacturing facilities comply with all applicable environmental regulations and are subject to annual environmental audits by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The company has also taken it a step further by raising awareness among employees and stakeholders through training programs for addressing environmental management issues better.
For more transparency, CNPF publishes a sustainability report annually.
3. Resource efficiency
To maximize utilization of natural resources, the company has adopted best practices in energy efficiency and water management, as well as usage monitoring.
In 2019, CNPF reduced its energy consumption by 5%, with energy intensity also reduced by 14%. It continued its power-saving initiatives by 2020, and this year, the company is set to open its 4.5-megawatt solar project in General Santos City in Mindanao, where its largest manufacturing is based.
By mid-2021, CNPF will be sourcing almost 20% of its power requirements with renewable energy from the General Santos power plant, reducing its emissions by around 123,900 metric tons per year.
Additionally, its water intensity metric has improved by 4% following lesser water consumption. Over at the General Santos manufacturing base, 20% to 30% decrease in water consumption was observed.
4. Carbon neutrality
Century Pacific Food has also taken steps to achieve carbon neutrality by 2028 for its coconut subsidiary. To do so, it has spearheaded a coconut replanting initiative that provides coconut farmers 100,000 coconut seedlings a year for the next five to eight years.
The company projects that this initiative will eliminate approximately 416,680 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
This is in addition to the yield from coconut-bearing trees that will provide additional income to some 16,000 families in Mindanao.
5. Minimizing food waste
In order to minimize food waste, the company fully utilizes raw materials in tuna, sardines and coconut production lines.
Fish waste—heads, tails and innards not included in the final product—are processed into commercially sold fish meal.
In its coconut businesses segment, waste was reduced by diversifying the product lineup to exhaust all possible uses of coconuts. The shells, meanwhile, have been sold to third-party buyers for use as copra, an alternative fuel to coal.
CNPF: For Protein, Planet and People
With the planet straining from abuse and pollution, we need more companies to step up to the plate and work conscientiously to lessen environmental impact.
For Century Pacific Food Inc., it will continue to set Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Goals for its sustainability and longevity.
Its framework is anchored on Protein, aiming to deliver protein and affordable nutrition to Filipinos through its brands and food products; on Planet, ensuring responsible operations with respect to the environment and its resources; and on People, developing communities, creating jobs, and honing talented pool of employees.
For more information on Century Pacific Food Inc.’s environmental sustainability efforts, visit their website at https://centurypacific.com.ph. – WITH EUDEN VALDEZ
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