Munich, Germany (ots/PRNewswire) – After another record year of environmental savings, IFCO, the world’s leading provider of reusable plastic packaging containers (RPCs) for fresh produce, has invited its customers to… awarded the IFCO sustainability certificate for the seventh time in a row. The individual customer certificates recognize the commitment of growers, producers and retailers to improve the environmental performance of their supply chains. Importantly, each certificate highlights the specific environmental savings achieved together with IFCO in terms of carbon emissions, energy and water consumption, as well as solid and food waste.
- IFCO Sustainability Certificates recognize the commitment of growers, producers and retailers to making the global fresh food supply chain sustainable.
- IFCO sustainability certificates show this specific environmental savings that each customer achieved together with IFCO in 2023.
- External, expert-reviewed life cycle assessment studies (LCA) are the basis for the scientific calculation of environmental impacts and benefits.
- The LCA studies show that by using IFCOs Reusable plastic containers (Reusable Packaging Containers, RPCs) instead of single-use packaging, we were able to save up to 60% CO2e, 64% energy and 80% water and reduce solid waste by 86%.
Record environmental savings in 2023 Overall, customers achieved the following environmental savings by using the IFCO SmartCycle circular business model in 2023.
- 658,279 tons of CO2e emissions – equivalent to driving around the world 138,505 times
- 363,070 tonnes of solid waste – equivalent to the annual waste produced by 698,175 people
- 12,677 megaliters of water – equivalent to the contents of 5,071 Olympic pools
- 45,196 terajoules of energy – equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 3,069,180 households
- 59,035 tons of product waste – equivalent to 94 million meals
The role of life cycle assessments and the IFCO sustainability certificate
Based on the results of external, expert-reviewed life cycle assessment studies, IFCO reliably calculates and awards the environmental benefits of using IFCO RPCs[BJ7]trustworthy sustainability certificates to its customers every year. The LCA studies[1]Conducted by the LCA experts Franklin Associates in the USA and the Fraunhofer Institute in Europe, scientifically quantified the environmental performance of IFCORPCs compared to single-use packaging. The studies were carried out in accordance with ISO14040/44, the leading international standard for life cycle assessment studies (LCA), life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) and life cycle inventory (LCI). By analyzing carbon emissions, energy consumption, water use, solid waste and food waste, these studies provide comprehensive data on the cradle-to-grave environmental savings achieved by switching from single-use packaging to IFCO.
The LCA studies show that compared to using disposable packaging, customers generate up to 60% less CO2, consume 64% less, use 80% less water and reduce solid waste by 86%. A separate study by the Fraunhofer Institute and the University of Bonner found that the IFCORPCs also reduce food waste by 96%.2Essentially, the environmental benefits are achieved by reusing IFCO RPCs up to 120 times, repairing them when damaged and, when they can no longer be repaired, granulating them to be recycled into new IFCO RPCs at the end of their long closed-loop lifespan. This closed-loop model received theCradletoCradlecertified®Silver recertification for the European LiftLockRPCs. In addition, the IFCOSmartCycle pooling system is professionally managed by resource-efficient service centers that support producers, suppliers, distributors and retailers to achieve their ambitious sustainability goals and reduce the ecological footprint of their supply chains.Beyond the circular IFCOSmartCycleWhile the LCA studies confirm that IFCO’s circular business model is inherently sustainable, the company is committed to achieving even more. Guided by the IFCOESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) 2025 strategy Thriving in the CircularEconomy, IFCO has set ambitious goals to make fresh food supply chains sustainable and make a significant positive impact ninfluence on our planet and our society.TheIFCOESGReport 2023 confirms that the company is on track to achieve ESG targets for 2025, including securing 100% certified green electricity for all service centers operated by IFCO and achieving carbon neutrality in operations.In addition, IFCO has officially committed to setting carbon reduction targets in line with science. By 2040, IFCO aims to fully decarbonise its supply chain and become a net-zero company. The key decarbonisation levers and milestones are set out in theIFCO Roadmap to Net Zero. In addition, the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), an independent body, has validated IFCO’s short-term science-based targets for 2031 and confirmed that they are consistent with a 1.5 degree scenario for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as set by the Intergovernmental Panel Climate Change (IPCC). is recommended.The environmental benefits of IFCORPCs are measurable and impactfulSince 1992, the company has continuously invested in its circular business model to make the fresh food supply chain sustainable. In response to customer demand, IFCO introduced sustainability certificates for the first time in 2018 so that each customer could demonstrate the positive environmental impact of their decision to switch to IFCORPC. The award of the certificate confirms the sustainability values of the part taking company.Michael Pooley, CEO of IFCO, explains:“Thanks to our investments in high-tech equipment and digital solutions, we are making the IFCOS smart cycle pooling system even more efficient, which benefits our customers, our society and our planet. We are pleased to award our customers with the IFCO Sustainability Certificates for the seventh time in a row to recognize their commitment and rapid progress in the transition to sustainability nSupply chains.”InigoCanalejo,VicePresident,ESGandStrategicMarketing,sagt:“We ensure that the positive environmental impacts of our circular business model are measurable. As the independent LCA studies have shown time and again, we support our customers in the transition to the circular economy and a reduced ecological footprint. We give our customers transparency to make informed decisions for reusable packaging. More and more IFCO customers emphasize the positive impacts of use of IFCORPCs in their supply chains by including these environmental savings in their ESG reports and sharing them with their employees, customers and other stakeholders. And that makes us proud.”Download theIFCOESG2023 report:https://www.ifco.com/about-ifco/sustainability/esg-report-2023/https://www.ifco.com/about-ifco/sustainability/esg-report-2023/ÜberIFCOIFCO is the world’s leading provider of reusable fresh food packaging solutions, serving customers in 50+ countries. IFCO operates a pool of over 380 million reusable packaging containers (RPCs) worldwide, used for over 2 billion shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, bread and other items from suppliers to food retailers each year .IFCORPCs ensure a better fresh food supply chain by protecting freshness and quality and reducing costs, food waste and environmental impact compared to single-use packaging. More:www.ifco.com|FolgenSieunsaufLinkedIn@IFCOSYSTEMSÜberCradletoCradleCertifiedCradletoCradleCertified is the world’s most advanced science-based certification program for the development, manufacture and verification of materials and products that are safe, circular and responsibly manufactured. For more information, seehttps://c2ccertified.org/[1] “Carbon Footprint of Food Packaging” by the Initiative Mehrweg Foundation (SIM) and carried out by the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP) according to the international standards for life cycle assessment (LCA) ISO 14040/44, – Critical review by DEKRA. February 2018.
“Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Reusable Packaging Containers and Display and Non-Display Ready Corrugated Containers Used for Fresh Produce Applications” LCA commissioned by IFCO and conducted by Franklin Associates, peer reviewed by panel members (BAMAC, Ltd. and University of Michigan, Center for Sustainable Systems) in accordance with the international standards for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) ISO14040/14044, February 2017, conversion factors are obtained from various recognized organizations such as the EPA.
[2] “Determination of the degree of spoilage of fresh fruit and vegetables according to packaging type” by the Initiative Mehrweg Foundation (SIM) and carried out by the Fraunhofer Institute for Logistics and Material Flow. May 2013.
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Questions & Contact:
Iñigo Canalejo,
Vice President of ESG and Strategic Marketing,
marketing@ifco.com
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