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Paying lip service to sustainability must stop

15 March 2024

JBS, the world’s largest meat processor, is facing a lawsuit in the US, for pledging to reduce ‘greenhouse gas emissions’ to net zero by 2040 despite having no feasible plan to achieve the goal.

Commenting on the implications of this lawsuit, Dr Emily Pope, managing director of knowledge and collaboration at Trinity AgTech, said: “This legal challenge demonstrates the urgent need for tangible evidence and credible plans by businesses announcing environmental intentions. The era of sustainability claims without substantive backing is behind us.

“This is a positive step forward because working towards net zero, while building resilient food supply chains and securing economic prosperity for farmers and rural communities, is a very serious commitment.”

Dr Pope points out the lack of attention by some key industry players to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Green Claims Code and the significant financial risks associated with well-intentioned but haphazard approaches.

“The Green Claims Code plays a pivotal role in ensuring that businesses can substantiate their green claims with robust, credible, and up-to-date evidence,” said Dr Pope. “The code's enforcement highlights the risk many businesses face when relying on first-generation carbon calculators that do not meet modern standards, falling foul of regulations designed to prevent greenwashing.”

Defra’s recent report ‘Harmonisation of carbon accounting tools for agriculture’ has been instrumental in providing much-needed clarity with regards to standards.

The report advocates for the adoption of tools that align with ISO standards 14064:2 and 14067, along with the GHG Protocol, which supports the stringent requirements of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). 


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