GNT secures ISO verification for Exberry carbon footprint data

GNT reports it is one of the first food color manufacturers to have its Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) methodology independently verified against the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard. The company says the verification gives brands a set of color emissions figures that are checked by an outside auditor.

Testing and certification provider TÜV SÜD confirmed that the cradle-to-gate methodology GNT uses to calculate the footprint of each Exberry coloring ingredient meets the requirements of ISO 14067.

The verification speaks to a wider shift in how sustainability is sold into the food and beverage sector. At the same time, the company says consumers increasingly scrutinize ingredient lists and distrust green claims they cannot verify, which is pushing suppliers toward measurable data over marketing language.

“GNT is committed to the highest sustainability standards, and transparency and trust are a vital part of that,” says Petra Thiele, managing director at GNT Group.

Lifecycle accounting

GNT spotlights that the PCF calculations capture total greenhouse gas emissions across the lifecycle of each Exberry ingredient, from agriculture through energy use in production and transportation. The company says brands can apply the figures to their own sustainability reporting, decision-making, and marketing materials.

Moreover, GNT recently told Food Ingredients First that it makes its Exberry colors from non-GMO fruits, vegetables, and plants, and has built the range around transparent, plant-based sourcing.

Furthermore, the company points out that its supply chain already underpins a corporate carbon footprint verification under the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, spanning scopes 1 to 3 of color production.

Verified data

GNT offers footprint data for 98% of its Exberry range, and the company says it expects PCFs to be used far more widely as credible, measurable evidence. The company also holds an EcoVadis Platinum award for sustainability performance, which it says places it in the top 1% of firms in the food manufacturing industry.

GNT recently petitioned the US Food and Drug Administration for approval of a safflower-based yellow as regulators phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes. GNT frames the verified figures as a working tool for customers planning emissions cuts across their product portfolios.

“We’ve made it our mission to produce plant-based ingredients that drive a healthier future for people and the planet,” says Akshat Rawat, senior sustainability specialist at GNT.

“We work closely with our customers on their decarbonization journeys, and our verified PCF data gives them the information they need to maximize product sustainability,” he concludes.