Chr. Hansen's natural ingredients get a greener footprint

13 May 2020 --- A 10-year agreement with Danish company Better Energy secures Chr. Hansen Denmark green electricity from two brand new solar parks that have just been taken into operation. This model can be replicated in other countries, and that’s the next sustainability step for the company which now sees its good bacteria and natural colors produced on 100 percent green energy in Denmark.

Chr. Hansen will take two-thirds of the annual energy production from the new parks; this corresponds to the consumption of 15,000 Danish households and reflects Chr. Hansen’s annual energy demand for its operations in Denmark, which makes up 40 percent of the global consumption for the Group.

Chr. Hansen, who was awarded as the world’s most sustainable company in 2019 and this year came in second on the list published by Canadian Corporate Knights, is committed to minimizing its footprint.

“We want to contribute positively to the transition to green energy. That is why we have decided to buy solar energy from Better Energy’s two new parks so that our good bacteria and natural colors have a green footprint, both externally with our customers and on our home turf where some of our largest production sites are located,” says Annemarie Meisling, senior director of Sustainability, Chr. Hansen.

The company’s production plant in Copenhagen, which is the world’s largest factory for the production of lactic acid bacteria, accounts for more than 70 percent of Chr. Hansen Denmark’s total electricity consumption, whereas headquarters in Hoersholm north of Copenhagen accounts for around 15 percent. Two other Danish factories, located in Roskilde southwest of Copenhagen and Graasten close to the German border, account for the rest.

According to Peter Munck Søe-Jensen, EVP for Power Production & Asset Management in Better Energy, the agreement with Chr. Hansen is a good example of how companies can assume joint responsibility for creating new energy from renewable sources to the benefit of the entire country.

“Chr. Hansen’s purchase of electricity from our two new solar parks in the next 10 years is groundbreaking. Today it is possible to choose a new green energy supply that makes a true difference because it directly supports the development of new renewable energy sources. In the transition towards renewable energy supply, companies can make a world of difference by buying new green energy,” he explains.

Chr. Hansen contributes to Denmark’s collective efforts to reduce its CO2 emissions by 70 percent in 2030. This model is also scalable and the global bioscience company plans to expand it to other countries.

”Today, our business and production in the US have an energy consumption that is around half of that of Chr. Hansen in Denmark, but with the expansions planned over the next years, we are expecting this to increase. We are currently in dialogue with different suppliers of renewable energy in the US with a view to seeing if we can land a solid agreement,” reveals Jesper Deela Nielsen, senior manager in Global Sourcing, Chr. Hansen.

“The fight for a more sustainable future based on regeneration, reimagination and reform has never been more relevant. We hope to see global leaders, politicians and governments back a COVID-19 recovery plan that will accelerate a green transition. Over the past months, we have witnessed an enormous drive and cooperation, which proves that change can happen fast when there is a will to act,” concludes Chr. Hansen’s senior director of Sustainability, Annemarie Meisling.

Edited by Gaynor Selby