4.2 Natural resources

For each of our RoadMap 2025 goals and targets, we have aligned an SDG sub-target to measurably address the issue.

Our targets: Natural resources

SDG sub-target 15.2 and 14.2: Contribute to sustainable forest management and obtaining aquaculture certifications

Through RoadMap 2025, we strive to ensure that our palm, soy, and marine feed ingredients come from sustainable sources. For these ingredients, certification schemes and standards are numerous and provide a variety of assurances. However, certification is a tool, not a means to an end. 

These assurances vary per certification and are continuously evolving to reflect increased knowledge and ambition levels.

To help our teams purchase feed ingredients with the appropriate assurances, we have created two sourcing policies: the Soy and Oil Palm Policy launched in 2020, and the Marine Ingredients Sourcing Policy that we will launch in early 2022. 

The Marine Ingredients Sourcing Policy will support our Procurement teams in ensuring they only buy marine ingredients that are produced from species and fisheries that are responsibly managed. The policy highlights the types of marine ingredients to buy and outlines the purchasing requirements in areas where there is a higher risk of unsustainable practices. The concrete targets that it outlines underline our commitment to conserve marine resources and ensure that local communities and fishermen are treated with dignity and respect.  

2021 also marked the second year of our Soy and Oil Palm Ingredients Sourcing Policy. At Nutreco, we aim to source soy and oil palm ingredients free from both legal and illegal deforestation by 2025. The data collected in relation to this sourcing policy shows that many supply chains are not able to fully segregate highly sustainable products from less sustainable products. This is an issue we must face, and we were pleased to see legislators act at COP 26, with many countries pledging to stop deforestation.  

Meanwhile, our new Code of Conduct for Business Partners has been implemented and communicated effectively. This new Code of Conduct ensures that our business partners acknowledge our high standards with regards to sustainability, compliance and integrity. Over the coming years, we will actively engage with suppliers to evaluate their sustainability and environmental performance in a structured way following a general industry standard. We have engaged with Ecovadis to explore their overlap with Nutreco’s Supplier Code of Conduct.

In 2021, Skretting Norway, along with other stakeholders, organised an independent audit. It resulted in a report that was compiled and published in January 2022. This report states that the suppliers of Brazilian soybean to Norwegian salmon have accomplished their goal for a deforestation- and conversion-free supply chain. Their commitment extended past the immediate salmon value chain to other soy value chain industries, with the move described by the Rainforest Foundation as “a game changer” in Brazil.
Our progress

We saw a 4% increase in Class B purchases of soy and a 7% rise in Class B palm oil purchasing in 2021 compared to 2020. This was partly driven by the intermediate goals within the sourcing policy for our aquaculture businesses. 

Meanwhile, the commitment from the Dutch trade organisation Nevedi to verifiable, sustainable sourcing of all feed raw materials through the purchase of 50% RSPO certificates (Class B) for palm oil in 2022 (rising to 100% over the coming years) will contribute to an increase in Class B purchasing. 

As our Dutch livestock business had already bought credits, we saw limited effects last year, but this is expected to increase in line with the 100% commitment. The increase in Class B purchases has resulted in a decrease in Class D purchases for both soy and palm.

Our RoadMap 2025 gives clear targets for sourcing marine ingredients from certified sources or from fisheries that are part of FIPs. The clear increase in the share of fisheries meeting the RoadMap’s goals, together with the launch of the Marine Ingredients Responsible Sourcing Policy, show that Nutreco is moving in the right direction towards fulfilling our ambitions.

Chapters:

4.1 Climate and footprinting
4.2 Natural resources
4.3 Novel ingredients
4.4 Packaging
4.5 Waste and water