British Sugar - first sugar manufacturer to certify carbon footprint
12th Nov 2008
British Sugar, with its sister company Silver Spoon, are the first sugar business to certify the carbon footprint of its granulated sugar using the new PAS 2050 method.
In February 2008, British Sugar was confirmed as a pilot partner to support the development of PAS 2050, the world’s first method for assessing the lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of goods and services, developed by BSI British Standards and sponsored by the Carbon Trust and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Using the new method, British Sugar’s homegrown granulated white sugar was assessed to produce 0.6 grams of CO2 equivalent per gram of product.
The detailed supply chain GHG assessment has taken British Sugar and Silver Spoon over 6 months to complete, and underlines an ongoing commitment by both companies to carbon reduction. To drive greater awareness of the new standard, British Sugar and Silver Spoon will launch new areas of their websites for consumers and customers, explaining the carbon footprinting method, alongside details of their carbon-saving initiatives.
Gino De Jaegher, Managing Director of British Sugar UK, commented: “We believe these results place us firmly among the best performing European sugar manufacturers and are testament to the fact that since 2006, British Sugar has reduced the energy required per tonne of sugar by 19% in the UK. The support we received from the other pilot partners was integral to us achieving this standard – a world first for sugar! We are proud of our pioneering work in the development of PAS 2050, and we will continue to seek further reductions in our carbon impact and play a leading role in the creation of an efficient and sustainable sugar industry.”
Sarah Arrowsmith, Managing Director of Silver Spoon added: “We are proud to be the first retail sugar brand to have certified its carbon footprint to an international standard. As a responsible supplier, we remain committed to reducing our carbon emissions and we are now looking to assess the PAS 2050 footprint of our cane sugar.”
Tom Delay, Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust, commented: “If we are to meet an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050 innovative businesses have a key role to play. The work that British Sugar has done to pilot the PAS 2050 standard has been invaluable in helping to deliver a UK standard for the measurement of the greenhouse gas emissions from goods and services. We hope this work will enable businesses around the world to look beyond their direct operational emissions and make their supply chains more carbon and cost efficient“
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
About Homegrown Sugar
• The beet sugar supply chain directly involves around 10,000 different firms – of which about 5,000 are farming businesses.
• Home produced sugar is produced from established UK arable farmers and is from assured supply chains.
• Sugar beet feedstock is sourced locally, with minimal “food-miles”: average transport distance is only 30 miles.
• Production of sugar from beet also produces an equivalent amount of high energy animal feed co-product, which contributes to the food chain.
• Sugar beet is a valuable “break crop” in the arable rotation. This enhances soil fertility and contributes to reduced fertiliser and pesticide inputs, and enhanced biodiversity, in following cereal crops.
• Sugar beet is recognised by the RSPB and Natural England as being of considerable value for biodiversity and birdlife.
• All crop inputs are monitored, strictly controlled and optimised: nitrogen fertiliser has been reduced by over 30% and pesticides by over 60% since 1980.
About British Sugar
British Sugar is the UK's leading supplier of sugar products to the food manufacturing and consumer markets. Recognised as one of the most efficient sugar producers in Europe, British Sugar is committed to transforming its raw materials into sustainable products and has invested over £1bn in new technologies over the last twenty years. To find out more about British Sugar's latest energy-saving initiatives please visit: www.britishsugar.com
About Silver Spoon
Silver Spoon is the number one supplier to the UK retail sugar and sweetener market and is a major sugar supplier to the foodservice market. Silver Spoon is the only company to grow and produce sugar in the UK, selling approximately 1.5 million bags of 1kg granulated sugar each week. Silver Spoon offers a full range of sweetening products from white granulated sugar to low calorie sweeteners. www.silverspoon.co.uk
About the Carbon Trust
The Carbon Trust is an independent company set up by government in response to the threat of climate change, to accelerate the move to a low carbon economy by working with organisations to reduce carbon emissions and develop commercial low carbon technologies. The Carbon Trust works with UK business and the public sector through its work in five complementary areas: insights, solutions, innovations, enterprises and investments. Together these help to explain, deliver, develop, create and finance low carbon enterprise.
The Carbon Trust is funded by government.
For more information on the Carbon Trust visit www.carbontrust.com or call the Carbon Trust Advice Line on 0800 085 2005.
For more information please contact:
Sophie Hughes - Fleishman-Hillard - 0207 395 7104 - 07932 635 784 -sophie.hughes@fleishmaneurope.com
Melissa Tait – Fleishman-Hillard – 0207 395 7170 – 07533 061 925 - melissa.tait@fleishamneurope.com
