Recognizing the importance of protecting the environment, and as
part of its ongoing commitment to support the communities in which
it operates, Del Monte Foods (NYSE:DLM) today announced formalized
environmental sustainability goals.
“Del Monte’s commitment to the environment and the communities
in which we operate reflects our rich tradition,” said Richard G.
Wolford, Del Monte’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “For
more than 100 years, Del Monte has been part of the fabric of
American life. From our agricultural roots to bringing good food to
family tables across the country, our commitment to environmental
sustainability literally extends from the fields where our
nutritious fruits and vegetables are grown, to the grocery
shelf.”
Continued Mr. Wolford, “We are proud of our heritage and pleased
with the progress we have made in reducing our environmental
impact. We plan to do more, and our recent efforts reflect our
heightened focus on three specific areas in which we can have
significant influence – reducing waste, lowering water consumption,
and improving air quality. This work will play a part in protecting
the environment for future generations to come.”
Del Monte, with its deep agricultural heritage and direct
connection to the earth’s resources, has historically been focused,
with its growers, on sustaining the environment. Over the years,
the Company has demonstrated environmental leadership and concern
for the communities in which it operates. These efforts include
introducing agricultural practices that help farmers grow stronger,
more productive crops using less acreage, and with less fertilizer,
water and other materials. Today, this focus extends to the
Company’s manufacturing facilities to reduce its environmental
impact from its cannery operations, and to its supply chain to
reduce its impact from the sourcing and distribution of goods. At
the same time, Del Monte has found that sound environmental
practices coincide with improved business efficiencies.
In order to move Del Monte’s long-standing focus on
environmental stewardship to a higher level, a cross-functional
leadership team has led the effort to deepen the Company’s
commitment to sustainability by formalizing environmental goals
under three key areas – waste, greenhouse gas emissions and water.
While the Company has been working against these objectives since
2007 and has made significant progress, this sharpened focus on
these areas will further reduce the impact of Del Monte’s
operations and contribute to healthier environments in communities
where the Company operates. Del Monte has committed to achieve or
exceed these goals by the year 2016, using 2007 as a baseline. The
Company also plans to continually expand its environmental program
and measure its progress in a more meaningful way.
Del Monte Pledges to Reduce Waste
In order to reduce the amount of waste the Company sends to
landfills and help decrease the need for new ones, Del Monte has
worked to lower solid waste (per ton of finished product) going to
landfill from its operations, and has committed to a 75 percent
reduction.
Del Monte has been working toward this goal since 2007, and
during that period has made significant progress. Two of Del
Monte’s locations have become zero-landfill facilities, meaning
that 100% of their waste has been diverted from landfill. Both the
Milk-Bone® plant in Buffalo, New York, and the Del Monte Foods
Distribution Center in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania are now
zero-landfill facilities. As a result of these and other efforts,
Del Monte has reduced its waste to landfill by almost 70 percent,
and is well on its way to achieving its goal.
Separately, Del Monte commits to reducing its packaging
materials by 15 percent, which will not only help reduce the amount
of waste our consumers send to landfill, but also decrease the
natural resources used across the entire supply chain to produce
packaging. To date, the Company has implemented several packaging
initiatives to drive progress against this goal.
Del Monte Pledges to Reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
Given the importance its production facilities and distribution
network play in its operations, Del Monte has a great opportunity
to improve air quality in the communities in which it operates.
To drive this work, Del Monte has committed to two goals. The
first goal is a 10 percent reduction in GHG emissions per ton of
finished product from the Company’s manufacturing, warehousing and
research & development facilities. The second goal is a 7
percent reduction in total GHG emissions through improved
efficiency in Del Monte’s transportation network.
Del Monte is pleased with its positive progress against each of
these goals. The Company has reduced its GHG emissions per ton of
finished product by approximately 2.5 percent. A primary
contribution to this is the 1.9 megawatt solar panel system Del
Monte installed at its Hanford and Kingsburg, CA processing plants
in late 2008. Del Monte has also reduced its transportation miles
by approximately 29 million since 2007, which represents an
approximate 6 percent reduction in GHG emissions through improved
efficiency of the Company’s transportation network.
To further support its GHG emission reduction goals, Del Monte
recently joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Climate Leaders program, an industry-government partnership that
works with companies to develop comprehensive climate change
strategies. The Company will be working with the EPA on a climate
change strategy that will further reduce its GHG emissions.
Del Monte Pledges to Reduce Water Usage
Given the importance of water in Del Monte’s production
facilities and driven by a desire to minimize water resources used
by the Company, Del Monte is working to find innovative ways to
significantly reduce its water consumption.
Del Monte has committed to a 20 percent reduction in fresh water
usage per ton of finished product. Since 2007, the Company has
reduced fresh water consumption by approximately 9 percent and is
on track to meet its 2016 goal.
Del Monte is pleased with its progress to-date on all of its
goals, and is committed to continuing to seek new ways to meet or
exceed them.
The Company has published its environmental goals on its
corporate responsibility website, www.delmonte.com/cr, and commits
to updating its progress against them on an annual basis.
Del Monte’s corporate responsibility site has been recently
updated to include not only important detail regarding the
Company’s environmental goals, but also information on such issues
as employee benefits and community efforts.
About Del Monte
Foods
Del Monte Foods is one of the country’s largest and most
well-known producers, distributors and marketers of premium
quality, branded pet products and food products for the U.S. retail
market, generating approximately $3.7 billion in net sales in
fiscal 2010. With a powerful portfolio of brands, Del Monte
products are found in eight out of ten U.S. households. Pet food
and pet snacks brands include Meow Mix®, Kibbles 'n Bits®,
Milk-Bone®, 9Lives®, Pup-Peroni®, Gravy Train®, Nature’s Recipe®,
Canine Carry-Outs ® and other brand names. Food product brands
include Del Monte®, Contadina®, S&W®, College Inn® and other
brand names. The Company also produces and distributes private
label pet products and food products. For more information on Del
Monte Foods Company (NYSE: DLM) visit the Company’s website at
www.delmonte.com.
Del Monte. Nourishing Families. Enriching Lives. Every
Day.TM
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