Of all the corporate climate goals out there, those from the world’s biggest meat and dairy companies tend to ignite the most debate. On the one hand, many of these companies have come forward in the last several months with concrete dates for emissions reductions and achieving net zero before 2050. On the other, skepticism around the validity of these promises abounds, often with good reason.
Meat and dairy production account for 14.5% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gases worldwide. Despite ambitious targets such as JBS’ commitment to go net zero by 2040, industrial animal farming continues to rise along with the demand for animal-based proteins.
Given these factors, it’s more important than ever to track the progress of the world’s major meat and dairy companies when it comes to their climate goals. The first step towards that is knowing who has committed to what. The following list will help us — and our readers — track these companies’ progress on their path to net zero.
We’ll update it frequently as more companies join the list and as climate commitments evolve.
This list is unlikely exhaustive. We welcome suggestions of agrifood corporate climate commitments we may have missed or not yet heard about. Send me a note here.
| Company | Key Commitment |
Date of Commitment
|
| Arla Foods | 2030: 30% total CO2 emissions reduction per kilo of milk
2050: net zero |
2019 |
| Bel Group | 2025: carbon neutrality in its own plants
2035: 25% CO2 emissions reduction throughout entire value chain
|
2022 |
| Cargill | 2030: 30% reduction per ton of product sold
2050: net zero |
2019 |
| Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. | 2030: 30% Scope 1+2+3 emissions reduction | 2020 |
| Danish Crown | 2030: reduce carbon footprint by 50%
2050: net zero |
2022 |
| Danone | 2030: 50% Scope 1+2+3 emissions reduction
2050: net zero |
2017 |
| Fonterra | 2030: 30% reduction in manufacturing emissions
2050 for company manufacturing sites |
2017 |
|
FrieslandCampina
|
2030: 63% Scope 1 + 2 emissions reduction; 33% Scope 3 reduction
2050: net zero |
2022 |
| Hormel | 2023: match 100% of global energy use with renewable sourcing; establish science-based CO2 emissions reduction targets | |
| JBS | 2040: net zero | |
| Lactalis | Commitments forthcoming in 2022 | |
| Nestlé | 2025: 20% Scope 1+2+3 emissions reduction 2030: 50% Scope 1+2+3
2050: net zero |
2021 |
| Pilgrim’s (Cargill) | 2030: 30% Scope 1 + 2 emissions reduction
2040: net zero |
2021 |
| Saputo | 2025: 20% emissions reduction of “our operations” | 2021 |
| Smithfield Foods | 2030: net zero in US company-owned operations; 30% GHG emissions reduction across entire domestic supply chain
2050 net zero |
2020 |
| Tyson Foods, Inc. | 2030: 30% Scope 1+2 emissions reduction; 30% per ton of finished meat for poultry, port, and beef Scope 3 | 2018 |
|
Smithfield
|
2030: net zero | 2020 |
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