ConAgra Foods, Omaha, Neb., announced a five-year plan to reduce packaging, water, greenhouse gases and solid waste. ConAgra is the parent to such well-known frozen retail brands as Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Banquet and Alexia Foods. It also owns frozen potato processing giantLamb-Weston.
"Because our food is part of the lives of millions of consumers each day, ConAgra Foods as a critical responsibility to create positive environmental change," said Gary Rodkin, ConAgra CEO. "... We've set these new transparent sustainability goals to ensure we are a leader in continuously improving the way we make food and to continue to create more awareness for what others can do to improve as well."
ConAgra's sustainability goals for 2010 include:
Greenhouse gas emissions:Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent per pound of product produced as compared to 2008 emissions.
Water:Reduce water use by 15 per pound of product produced as compared to 2008 water use.
Solid waste:Divert solid waste from landfills by at least 75 percent as compared to 2011 levels.
Packaging:As compared to 2008, the company will: (a) reduce packaging by 10 percent per pound of product produced, (b) increase the amount of packaging made of renewable resources from 45 percent to more than 50 percent, and (c) increase use of recycled content in packaging overall by 25 percent.