By working more efficiently and circularly, we aim to use our resources to their full potential, while reducing carbon emissions, water use, and waste across our operations.
Our goals
By 2035, we aim to maximise resource efficiency for all production sites and apply circularity for energy, water, and waste when possible.
Energy
To reduce our direct greenhouse gas emissions, we follow three clear principles: first reduce energy use, then reuse energy where possible, and finally regenerate by investing in green energy.
Water
We focus on reducing water use, reusing treated wastewater, and addressing risks at sites located in areas with high water stress.
Packaging
By reducing packaging weight, increasing the use of sustainable materials and improving recyclability, Ardo supports a more circular approach to packaging.
Waste
Our first priority is to minimise vegetable waste and make the most of the raw materials that enter our processing facilities. Any remaining waste is valorised as much as possible. For example, in several sites, vegetable waste is converted into energy through biomethanisation installations or processed externally. The by-products of anaerobic digestion are used as organic fertilisers by farmers for the next growing season.
Minimise environmental impact
One way we strive to minimise our environmental impact, is by reducing our carbon footprint. Our specific target is to achieve a 40% reduction in carbon emissions (T CO2eq / T prod) in our own operations by 2030. To realise this goal, we have committed to a series of energy efficiency measures based on three key principles: reduce, reuse and regenerate. We believe that implementing various actions and programmes across our operations will enable us to accomplish even more ambitious sustainability goals, aligned with our SBTi commitment.
The Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) is a non-profit and multi-stakeholder climate initiative, led by CDP, the UN Global Compact, the World Resources Institute and the World Wildlife Fund. It provides a comprehensive methodology for companies to establish carbon reduction targets aligned with the scientific imperatives outlined in the Paris Agreement.
The results for FY22/23 reveal that 93% of our GHG emissions fall under scope 3, Ardo's value chain emissions.
Ardo's most significant Scope 3 emissions stem from purchased food, transport, agriculture, and packaging, highlighting our responsibility from farm to fork.
A key focus this year has been evaluating Science-Based Targets (SBTi) as part of our decarbonisation strategy. Achieving significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions is particularly complex for our sector. For vegetables, fruits, and herbs, much of the emissions originate from agricultural practices such as soil management, fertiliser use, and energy use during cultivation and harvesting. While initiatives like regenerative farming and input optimisation are helping, these areas are still tough to decarbonise without affecting yields or quality. Nonetheless, we are committed to driving innovation and collaborating with our growers and other value chain partners to find scalable solutions to decrease the climate impact of our activities.