Synlait launches 'bold' sustainability programme

New Zealand dairy processing company, Synlait, has unveiled a series of ‘bold targets’ aimed at significantly reducing its environmental impact over the next decade.

Speaking at its annual conference in Christchurch, Synlait says that its 2028 targets include reducing greenhouse emissions by 35% per kilogram of milk solids on-farm, reducing water consumption by 20% per kgMS both on-farm and off-farm and reducing nitrogen loss on farms by 45% per kgMS.

“We’re stepping up to take responsibility for our business and demonstrate leadership in the primary industry that will benefit all New Zealanders,” said Synlait CEO John Penno.

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“People, communities and land thriving is the heart of our ambition and central to the three pillars of our sustainability strategy: environment, people and enterprise," he added. 

“We’re a nutrition company with a value chain that starts on some of New Zealand’s best farms and extends to markets around the world,” he continued.

“As well as responding to the irrefutable and increasing global demand for sustainable goods, we genuinely believe an enduring a profitable business has to be built on a robust foundation that supports economic, environmental and social outcomes.”

As part of its ambitious plan, the company announced it will increase premium payments to suppliers for best practice dairy farming, including an incentive payment for not feeding any palm kernel extract.

On top of this, it has pledged never to build another coal-fired border and will commission New Zealand’s first large-scale electrode boiler in January 2019. 

It will also become a Certified B Corporation, adopt several of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and establish a social investment fund.