GNT reduces emissions while increasing production in latest sustainability report
08 Apr 2024 --- Netherlands-headquartered GNT, which creates Exberry colors from non-GMO fruit, vegetables and plants, has published its latest sustainability report, revealing a 22% reduction in carbon intensity at its factories since 2020.
The milestone takes GNT almost halfway toward its ambition of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 at its production sites in the Netherlands, Germany and the US.
The company spotlights the vital role sustainability plays today in a consumer trend it calls “Regeneration Rising,” a shift in attitudes toward colors that celebrate the natural world.
Working together
Reducing emissions is one of the company’s 17 targets to optimize its environmental and social impacts over the current decade, detailed in its latest sustainability report.
Rutger de Kort, sustainability manager at GNT Group, tells Food Ingredients First that progress is the fruit of several strategies. For one, the company has made serious investments in technology and infrastructure.
He notes that by using the filtration technique of reverse osmosis, it has allowed the company to reduce steam consumption by nearly 30% and cut its dependence on natural gas.
“Another key part of our work has been constant process optimization as part of our Operational Excellence program,” says De Kort.
“Dedicated Energy Teams analyze the data daily to identify opportunities for energy savings and efficiency projects. We’ve also worked hard to transform the work culture to strongly focus on energy efficiency.”
GNT has been able to increase production while reducing emissions by 13% across its production facilities in the US and Europe.Doing more with less
As part of its strategy to utilize farmland as efficiently as possible, GNT is strongly focusing on improving the intensity of its Exberry colors. The report reveals that 12% of the company’s workforce is focused on R&D to produce more vibrant and less resource-intensive colors.
The report shares that GNT is constantly working to expand its plant-based Exberry color portfolio, and the company is planning an array of new color solutions over the year, including additional brown, yellow and orange products.
In February, GNT launched a range of liquid-based concentrates made from caramelized sugar syrup as natural substitutes for caramel (E150) color used in beverages called Exberry Shade Autumn Brown and Exberry Shade Golden Brown.
“We don’t engage in GMO, so we rely on natural techniques to achieve this. We provide agronomy support to the farmers who grow our fruits, vegetables and plants, so they know when to plant them, when to irrigate them and when to harvest them,” says De Kort.
“We also show them which fertilizers to use, how much, and when. This all helps to produce improved yields and color content in the crop. GNT is also active in natural breeding and selection of cultivars, resulting in crops that are more resilient and yield higher levels of color.”
The new report shows that 74% of the farmers in the company’s supply chain achieved a minimum of Silver on the Farm Sustainability Assessment standard.
Nurturing nature
The new sustainability report also shows progress in several areas, such as enhanced water efficiency, which has improved by 13% compared to 2020. The company’s goal is a 20% reduction by 2030.
GNT also secured an EcoVadis silver medal last year and remains the only food color supplier to have published a third-party Greenhouse Gas Verification Statement, verified by the auditor SGS.
“We’ve made significant cuts on the carbon emissions at our factories, but we account for all emissions throughout our value stream, and we still need to make progress in other areas. This involves emission reductions at our raw material suppliers, packaging suppliers and logistic providers,” says De Kort.
“We introduced a Policy on Sustainable Sourcing in 2022 that covers suppliers across all strategic categories, and 90% of suppliers were compliant last year (up from 70%). The policy includes various requirements, such as increases in the use of green energy and environmental audits.”
Ninety percent of GNT’s suppliers are compliant with its Sustainable Sourcing policy (Credit:GNT).People and the planet
GNT’s sustainability strategy goes beyond improving metrics for the health of the planet. Improving employee well-being has been a crucial aspect since the beginning of the company’s sustainability journey, underscores De Kort.
“We conducted a materiality assessment at the start to establish the most important topics for GNT based on their relevance to stakeholders and our impacts. Employee well-being, health and safety, and responsible agriculture emerged among the six most important, so they are crucial to our status as a sustainable company.”
He explains that sustainability is a holistic topic for GNT, and the company sees its economic, social and environmental goals as interconnected.
“Having healthy, happy and engaged staff is vital to our long-term success as a business and connects to our responsibilities in terms of social responsibility and ethical business practices. As we create our colors from fruit, vegetables and plants, responsible agriculture that looks after people and the planet helps ensure we have a positive impact throughout our operations.”
More work ahead
While GNT has made good progress, De Kort notes that it will have to overcome significant challenges to reach its target of cutting carbon emissions by 50%.
“We’re continuing to look for ways to reduce the need for natural gas and identify sustainable energy sources that can provide an effective alternative.”
As GNT addresses the entire chain of emissions by training its farmers in sustainable agriculture and sowing flower meadows to promote biodiversity, the EU is struggling to enact sustainable practices at a continent-wide level.
This spring, the EU vote on the Nature Restoration Law was put on hold amid pushback. The legislation would aim to restore 20% of farmland and sea by 2030 and is part of the EU Green Deal.
By Missy Green
