Deforestation

Deforestation

Sustainable raw materials

Our commitment

When it comes to tackling deforestation, we have the responsibility to ensure that the raw materials in our products, are grown and harvested sustainably.

Approximately 30% of the world’s land mass is covered by forest land. Many of the world’s threatened species and endangered animals live in forests, and 1.6 billion people rely on the benefits that forests have to offer, such as food, fresh water and clothing. Forests are also home to much of the world’s biodiversity and play a critical role in mitigating climate change; 15% of greenhouse gas emissions are released as a result of deforestation as carbon is released into the atmosphere. 

We have made a commitment to ensure that we are working towards deforestation-free supply chains. To make sure we have a clear impact, we are focussing our efforts on our palm oil, soy and timber supply chains, which have been identified as the highest risk for deforestation. 

 

Download our deforestation policy here

Our approach

Soy

The majority of soy that is brought into the EU is typically used as animal feed and so therefore contributes to the production of meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. The production of soy has been a key driver of deforestation, making it vital that we take action to support sustainable production.

We have made industry leading commitments to eradicate deforestation in the soy sector, specifically in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. By purchasing credits from the ‘Roundtable for Responsible Soy, to offset our entire soy supply chain we are acting as a catalyst for change, taking immediate action in our own supply chains and stimulating market demand for sustainable, zero-deforestation soy. Our long-term aim is to help develop physically traceable supply chains of sustainable soy. Learn more here.

Palm Oil

Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world. Unlike sunflower oil and rapeseed oil, palm oil is hard at room temperature, giving it unique properties when used in the production of food and household products.

Palm oil is best grown near the equator, with Indonesia and Malaysia being the major producing countries for the global export market. When grown in a non-sustainable way, palm oil can lead to devastating deforestation and harm to the natural environment. We are committed to sourcing all of our palm oil from third party sustainable sources. Working with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and the Retailer Palm Oil Group we are also taking a collaborative approach to supporting the sustainable production of palm oil and building market demand.

Understand more about sustainable palm oil and our collaboration efforts here.

Timber & Wood

Products ranging from toilet paper to t-shirts can originate from timber sources that are grown in forests all over the world. Due to complex supply chains it can be difficult to trace where the raw materials originated.

Therefore with certification schemes such as FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) our suppliers are able to ensure that they are buying raw materials from certified, sustainably managed forests.

Read more on our commitments to sustainable timber and wood-based products here.

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