Climate Change Data

Associated British Foods plc

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2015-08 to 2016-07)

Reporting Period: 2015-08 to 2016-07

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:8.7 million tonnes of CO2e (gross); 4.9 million tonnes CO2e (net)
Renewable Energy Share:49%
Total Energy Consumption:22,800 GWh
Water Consumption:800 million m3
Waste Generated:Just over 1 million tonnes
Carbon Intensity:649 tonnes per £1m of revenue (gross)

ESG Focus Areas

  • Modern Slavery
  • Environment (Climate Change, Water, Waste)
  • People (Safety, Gender Diversity)
  • Supply Chain
  • Community
  • Customers (Nutrition)

Environmental Achievements

  • Increased recycled waste to 78% of total waste generated
  • Sourced 49% of total energy from renewable sources
  • Reduced gross GHG emissions by 9%
  • Reduced abstracted water by 14%

Social Achievements

  • Created 5,880 new jobs
  • Helped 72,367 people in the supply chain through health initiatives
  • Supported 8,050 people in need through food programs
  • Provided training to 22,477 people
  • Trained 381 people to recognize unconscious bias
  • Staff raised and donated over £100,000 to charity
  • Boosted career prospects for 26,103 young people
  • Nutrition education websites helped 8 million customers

Governance Achievements

  • Published Modern Slavery Statement
  • Strengthened Supplier Code of Conduct
  • Introduced new whistleblower hotline service

Climate Goals & Targets

Medium-term Goals:
  • AB Agri UK to reduce energy use by 20% by 2024
Short-term Goals:
  • British Sugar to reduce CO2 emissions per tonne of sugar by 2020

Environmental Challenges

  • Three fatalities in African operations
  • Increased number of environmental complaints (62)
  • Water challenges due to climate events (droughts, floods)
  • Addressing modern slavery in complex supply chains
  • Maintaining safety performance during business growth
  • Addressing public health concerns about sugar consumption
  • Accusations of land-grabbing by Illovo Sugar in Malawi
Mitigation Strategies
  • Thorough root cause investigations of fatalities
  • Engagement with stakeholders to address complaints
  • Investment in water infrastructure and efficiency projects
  • Risk assessments and action plans for modern slavery
  • Investment in health and safety risk management (£36m)
  • Reformulating products to reduce sugar content
  • Detailed response to land-grabbing allegations, including a land policy and roadmap

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: 2,629 audits (Primark); Audits of high-priority suppliers (AB Sugar)

Responsible Procurement
  • Supplier Code of Conduct
  • Ethical sourcing initiatives
  • Partnerships with NGOs (e.g., UNICEF, CottonConnect)

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Extreme weather, droughts, floods
Transition Risks
  • Changing water and carbon-related regulations
Opportunities
  • Energy efficiency projects
  • Renewable energy generation

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: AA1000AS

Certifications: ISO 50001 (British Sugar), LEAF Marque (Jordans Farm Partnership), BRC Global Standard (PGP)

Third-party Assurance: EY

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Products with reduced sugar, salt, and fat content
  • AlphaSoy (AB Agri)
  • Yeast-based protein product from dried distillers’ grains (AB Agri)

Awards & Recognition

  • WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard - Leading the Way
  • Twinings ranked fourth in UK’s Best Workplaces survey