Arla celebrates carbon reduction achievements with launch of new environmental report

Arla Foods has a commitment to become the world’s most natural dairy company, and is already well on the way to achieving that goal. Through on-farm carbon reduction programmes, lightweighting packaging, and using the latest technology in transport, the company has already begun to seriously reduce its carbon footprint.

In its new environmental report the company sets out its achievements to date and how, through running all its operations with nature in mind, it also aims to deliver on its commitment to become the Closer to Nature dairy company.

In order to achieve its ambitions, Arla is addressing each section of the supply chain and is the UK’s first dairy company to include farm operations in its environmental strategy. Significant improvements have already been recorded, with achievements from 2005 to 2010 including:

• 14.7% reduction in total CO2 emissions

• 19.7% reduction in dairy CO2 emissions

• 18.4% reduction in packaging CO2 emissions

• 79.7% reduction in waste to landfill

• 4.4% reduction in transport CO2 emissions

• 4.1% reduction in water

Peter Lauritzen, CEO of Arla UK, said: “Working with the environment in mind doesn’t just make ethical sense, it makes good business sense. We have deliberately set ourselves challenging targets throughout all our operations to become the UK’s most sustainable dairy company.

Although we have already achieved a great deal to date, we are continuing to explore new methods of carbon reduction to beat our own targets and those set by the industry.”

In the report, Arla has also laid out the robust environmental targets that have been set in order to achieve the company’s goal:

· Reduce CO2 emissions by 34% by 2020

· 30% of energy to come from renewable sources by 2020

· Reduce the amount of water used by 20% by 2015

· By 2012 no waste will go to landfill

· Meet the Courtald 2 target of a 10% carbon reduction in packaging by 2012

· Meet the Dairy Roadmap targets of incorporating 30% recycled plastic in fresh milk bottles by 2015 and 50% by 2020

· Support farmers to reduce on-farm emissions

Peter Lauritzen added: “The report demonstrates our commitment to reducing our carbon emissions across the whole supply chain, and shows our ability to find and use the latest innovative methods to achieve our targets.

It also demonstrates our determination to lead the way in embracing and overcoming the environmental challenges that face the dairy industry, both now and in the future.”

Arla Foods UK plc is home to some of the UK’s leading dairy brands including Cravendale, Lurpak and Anchor. Processing approximately two billion litres of milk a year Arla continues to be one of the UK’s leading dairy companies and a supplier of fresh liquid milk and cream to the top seven retailers.

Over 2,500 daily deliveries are made directly to stores nationwide and Arla brands can be found across the dairy category. As well as the leader of the butter, spreads and margarine sector, and a major supplier of other added value products including flavoured milk and cheese, Arla continues to build working relationships with Arla Foods Milk Partnership, a unique group of dairy farmers, which supplies around 90 per cent of Arla's total milk requirements.

Behind this leading business is a team of circa 2,800 people across the UK located at our dairies, distribution centres and head office.