What Does Carbon Neutrality Mean?
A dichotomy exists for companies attempting to achieve carbon neutrality. On one hand, they must measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible, and on the other hand, they need to offset all of the remaining emissions.
With inavea™, a new premium brand of sustainable, organic ingredients, Nexira is announcing a carbon neutral footprint as of January 2021.
Nexira’s Approach Toward Carbon Neutrality
To meet this ambitious challenge, Nexira is supported by EcoAct, a leading company in environmental and carbon strategies. The carbon neutrality approach is divided into three stages:
Emissions reduction plan
The second stage consists of an emissions reduction plan supported by a Science-Based Target to align Nexira’s emissions targets and deadlines. This is our first priority: to reduce carbon emissions by 18% across our entire perimeter by 2025, which is aligned with the trajectory of containing temperature increases to well below 2°C.
We measure and minimize our carbon emissions, from the harvest to the delivery of ingredients to our customers.
Carbon compensation for incompressible CO2 emissions
Nexira has chosen to contribute to projects carefully selected by EcoAct that meet the most rigorous standards.
In line with the projects already carried out by Nexira and its strong link with Africa, Nexira has chosen to support the Victoria Water project in Ouganda.
Carbon Neutrality as Viewed by Simon Levesque, Development Director of Nexira
I – Why is Nexira committed to carbon neutrality?
“The sustainable development is part of our DNA. We work alongside the French NGO SOS SAHEL, to prevent deforestation and contribute to the economic and social development of the populations located in the regions of Africa.
We believe that a low environmental impact is a major goal to combat climate change. It appeals to eco-conscious consumers and is necessary for sustainable growth.
The food & drink industry, our customers, is looking towards a net zero future to meet this growing consumer’s demand for more environmentally friendly products. And we can see the regulatory evolution which tends towards the development of a new system to assess the environmental impact of all products. We are convinced that an eco-score will be the new criterion of choice for consumers.” says Simon Levesque.
II – How does Nexira carry out this ambitious challenge?
“Supported by EcoAct, a leading company in environment & carbon strategies, we measured our CO2 emissions activity from our sourcing fields to our customers’ delivery according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
We identified that input emissions only constitute a quarter of the global carbon footprint. Indeed our acacia gum is hand-picked without agricultural techniques that generate emissions. The main action levers identified are mainly relating to the scope of energy and indirect emissions.
Based on a voluntary approach, Nexira is deploying a global plan to reduce carbon emissions by 18% by 2025 according to the “Science Based Target Initiative” methodology in line with the Paris climate agreements aiming to contain temperature increases to well below 2°C. .”
III – What are you aiming for?
“Carbon neutrality is defined by a state of equilibrium: If carbon reductions are equivalent to the total carbon footprint of an activity, then the activity is said to be “carbon neutral.” So we set a compensation plan to offset 100% of remaining carbon emissions of the inavea brand through a meaningful project that helps sequestering carbon from the atmosphere. Our approach aims to support our customers in their pathway towards carbon neutrality: with inavea ™, the new premium brand of organic and sustainable ingredients, Nexira announces a neutral carbon footprint in January 2021.”
