PepsiCo aims to slash carbon footprint

Fizzy soft drink and snack peddler PepsiCo has published its first environmental sustainability performance report for its UK and Ireland operations, detailing progress it has made in reducing its carbon footprint and setting some bold targets for the future.

Some of PepsiCo’s brands, aside from Pepsi Cola, include Walkers, Quaker, Tropicana, PJ’s Smoothies, Snack a Jacks and SunBites and this sustainability report covers 5,500 people across 13 locations.

PepsiCo Uk & Ireland’s total carbon footprint in 2007 was 209,797 tonnes CO2e, the largest contribution coming from the energy used at its manufacturing sites. Direct energy use during 2007 – the oil and gas burned at its sites – was 501,959,311 kwh, while indirect energy use – the electricity used to power facilities – totalled 144,848,084 kwh. Employee air travel isn’t included in the carbon footprint total but the company estimates it to be around 2,637 tonnes CO2e (just over one per cent of its total footprint).

In the report the company has set itself these targets:

• All energy used in PepsiCo UK & Ireland manufacturing and distribution to be from renewable sources within 15 years, removing all oil and gas from operations

• Achieve zero landfill waste across the total supply chain within 10 years

• Quaker and Walkers packaging to be renewable, recyclable or biodegradable within ten years

• Replace PepsiCo UK & Ireland distribution fleet with the latest low-emissions vehicles, reducing harmful pollutants by 60 per cent within 10 years

• Achieve zero water intake at Walkers Crisps manufacturing sites within 10 years

Salmin Amin, president of PepsiCo UK & Ireland, said in the report:

“Economic growth has in the past been directly linked to our increasing use of energy and natural resources. To tackle the global environmental challenges we face, that will have to change. We, and others, need to commit to renewable energy, improved agricultural practices, less intensive packaging materials, and identifying other transformational ways of doing business. We need to find a way to separate developing great new products and growing the business from an ever-increasing burden on the natural world. We have already begun the journey, and this report sets out some of the milestones we will achieve on the way.”

The full report is here.