|
|
|
|
Dear Stakeholders and Partners,
There has been a wide range of activity to drive sustainability across our business over the past few months that we look forward to sharing with you in this newsletter. Sustainability seems to be everywhere at Bunge and we continue to challenge our teams and our partners on both ends of the supply chain to embrace these efforts in all that they do. Last month, we were proud to announce an exciting new proposed joint venture with Chevron, reinforcing our focus on sustainability and increasing the role we play in developing next-generation renewable fuels.
We continue to focus on collaboration with our customers and stakeholder partners as we work toward progress within our core sustainability pillars of promoting Responsible Supply Chains, implementing Action on Climate, and embracing Accountability across our operations.
Thank you to the countless team members across the globe who are making this important work possible.
Sincerely,
Robert Coviello,
Chief Sustainability Officer and Government Affairs
|
|
In this Newsletter
Sustainability Spotlights
Sustainability Dashboard Updates
|
|
Sustainability Spotlights
|
|
ACTION ON CLIMATE
Promoting Renewable Fuel Feedstocks Through Collaboration
Bunge recently announced a proposed joint venture with Chevron to help meet the demand for renewable fuels and to develop lower carbon intensity feedstocks. Learn more here.
|
|
|
“As the world’s largest oilseed processor, we are pleased to expand our partnership with an energy industry leader to increase our participation in the development of next generation, renewable fuels. Together, we share a commitment to sustainability and reducing carbon in the energy value chain. This relationship with Chevron would enable Bunge to better serve our farmer customers by accessing demand in the growing renewable fuels sector.”
—Greg Heckman, Bunge CEO
|
|
|
ACCOUNTABILITY
“Seeing Things Differently” — AgTech Next Event Features Bunge CEO
Bunge CEO Greg Heckman participated in a panel discussion in September alongside the Nature Conservancy and a representative from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to talk about emerging trends in sustainability investments, the integration of environmental considerations on both ends of the value chain, and the need for ongoing investment and incentives for food and fuel markets in the U.S. and around the globe. A replay of the event can be found here.
|
|
|
RESPONSIBLE SUPPLY CHAINS
Decarbonizing Shipping: A Call to Action
At Bunge, the shipping and transportation of goods around the globe is a significant component of our supply chain. As we seek to embrace our ongoing commitment to sustainability and emissions reduction efforts, we’re proud to announce Bunge has signed the Call to Action for Shipping Decarbonization to support zero-emission shipping vessels and fuels by 2050.
The Call to Action was developed by a multi-stakeholder task force convened by the Getting to Zero Coalition with members from the entire maritime ecosystem including shipping, chartering, finance, ports, and fuel production. The Call to Action will be delivered to world governments in November 2021, in advance of important climate change discussions at the U.N.’s COP26 gathering in Glasgow.
|
|
ACCOUNTABILITY
Working for Gender Equality with Paradigm for Parity
Bunge is proud to have recently joined the Paradigm for Parity® coalition — committing to address gender parity in corporate leadership positions. In partnership with the coalition, we’ll work to achieve gender equality throughout our leadership structure by 2030 — a critical step in ensuring diversity of thought is represented at Bunge. In addition to joining the coalition, Bunge CEO Greg Heckman signed on to the CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, a coalition of leaders committed to advancing diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Learn more about our commitment to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion here.
|
|
RESPONSIBLE SUPPLY CHAINS
Positive Yields for ILHAM Smallholders
Smallholders play a critical role in the palm oil supply chain: 40% of the total worldwide palm oil production is ultimately provided by smallholders. In 2018, Bunge Loders Croklaan, IOI Corporation Berhad, Kerry Group and Kilang Kelapa Sawit Fortuna Sdn Bhd (Fortuna Mill) started Program ILHAM, a 3-year palm oil smallholder support program.
From providing trainings on best agricultural practices, to initiating socialization visits to distributing fertilizer, to performing foliar and soil sampling exercises, the program has led to a productive yield at the benefit of the smallholders.
Earlier this year, a team conducted a foliar and soil resampling exercise in Kampung Basai, Beluran in Sabah, Malaysia alongside five farmers who were selected to monitor the progress of the program.
We are encouraged by the results, which showed an improvement in the foliar and soil nutrient levels, and we look forward to continuing support for this program to enhance our partnership with smallholders and help them achieve increased yields in the long run.
|
|
|
|
Leaves and fronds showed that nutritional levels have improved.
|
|
|
Soil analysis showed improvement in pH and nutrient levels.
|
|
ACCOUNTABILITY
Merco Ranks Bunge as the Most Responsible Company in Agribusiness, Citing Leadership in Governance
For the third consecutive year, Bunge was ranked first in the Agribusiness Sector list by the Merco Responsibility and Corporate Governance survey in Brazil, reflecting initiatives carried out throughout 2020.
Merco carried out six evaluation stages covering 13 different sources of information and examining five values: Ethical Behavior, Transparency and Good Governance, Responsibility to Employees, Commitment to the Environment and Climate Change, and Contribution to the Community.
We are proud of this recognition of our efforts to provide quality food, increase sustainability where we operate and help the communities we operate in to thrive. Congratulations to all our teams that work every day to make this success possible!
Read more about this recognition here.
|
|
RESPONSIBLE SUPPLY CHAINS
Shea — Where Life Grows: Habiba Teaches New Teachers in The Women’s Cooperatives Project
For our sixth blog about key people who make a remarkable contribution within the shea supply chain, we spoke with Habiba Nyarko Agyemang, business advisor at Agriterra, on her efforts to empower the women who play a critical role in the shea supply chain. As part of the Women’s Cooperatives Project, one of Bunge Loders Croklaan’s projects in the Where Life Grows program, Habiba provides business trainings and coaching sessions to women in the Nasia and Nakpaya communities in Northern Ghana to improve the livelihood of the female shea pickers and their families through knowledge sharing and collectivism.
Learn more about the impact of this program here.
|
|
|
ACCOUNTABILITY
Women Revitalize Shea Parks for the Future in Benin
Benin is currently the fourth largest West African shea kernel producer, which is a key driver for economic and social empowerment for women in the country. While shea parklands cover nearly 40% of the territory of Benin, numerous studies and testimonies indicate land degradation and loss of soil productivity are an ongoing challenge, which impacts livelihoods and demonstrates the impact of climate change with growing vulnerability for these communities.
|
|
|
In line with our commitment to conserve and protect the shea landscape, one of the pillars in the Where Life Grows shea sustainability program, Bunge partnered with Cordaid, L’Association Karité Benin and Fludor Benin. This partnership supports an increase in shea production through strengthening women cooperatives capacities to promote shea parkland protection, the transplantation of shea seedlings and the development of shea nurseries, and the project noted strong results:
|
|
|
43 private nursery women trained
on shea nut nursery
|
5 plots of nurseries installed
(100 trees/plot)
|
|
510 shea trees planted
in the community
|
10% of other high flowering tree
species to create an ecosystem
(75 Parkia biglobosa plants planted)
|
|
|
ACTION ON CLIMATE
Green Energy Powers Bunge’s Plant in Mannheim
We are proud to share that our Mannheim plant in Germany has gone green by using steam and electrical energy from renewable sources and now has the lowest CO2 footprint across our Europe and Asia operations.
By sourcing green steam from a waste-to-energy plant and purchased Renewable Energy Certificates produced from hydroelectric energy, we are producing over 20,000 MT of greenhouse gas savings in 2021 and promoting a circular economy.
This is just one of the many ways we are working across our operations to reduce our environmental footprint.
|
|
RESPONSIBLE SUPPLY CHAINS
Shea Sustainability Program Impact Assessment
Since 2017, as part of our shea sustainability program, Bunge Loders Croklaan distributed approximately 800 shea rollers and 1,400 energy-efficient stoves in rural communities in Ghana (northern Ghana), Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso region) and Benin (Djougou region).
In December 2020, Preferred by Nature conducted an independent third party impact assessment in Burkina Faso to evaluate the working conditions of women in our shea supply chain and the impact of this program on women's living and working conditions. Following the impact assessment, we hope to determine how we can leverage this program to provide greater resources to women across additional shea-producing countries.
|
|
|
|
The outcome of the impact assessment showed that the distribution of rollers and stoves has considerably improved the working conditions of women, enhancing their well-being and helping to increase their income. We look forward to providing continued updates on this program moving forward.
|
|
|
With Rollers
✓ Safety / protection of collectors
✓ Reduced time for collecting nuts
✓ Decrease of physical fatigue
✓ Increased collection volume
✓ Increase in the average income of women by 300-400%.
✓ 3 times more bags collected by women with the use of the collection wheels.
Improved Stoves
✓ 60% reduction in the amount of firewood used / environmental protection
✓ Protection against smoke and heat from fire
✓ Reduced boiling time
✓ Stability of the cooking pot / No risk of spilling nuts
✓ Possibility to cook nuts after the rain because the improved stoves can be moved
|
|
Sustainability Dashboard Updates
|
|
|
Bunge is committed to providing transparency and progress around sourcing in key regions at a higher risk of deforestation, including the Cerrado region of South America, and updates on our efforts in critical palm-producing areas in Southeast Asia.
|
|
Palm Dashboard Update: Q2 2021
The Palm Oil Dashboard, a platform to communicate our sustainability progress and traceability data in the palm oil supply chain, is updated to show the numbers for Q2 2021. View the dashboard and mill list here.
|
|
|
|
Copyright © Bunge, All rights reserved.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
