New program aims to bring farmers and customers closer together
CrownFarm is a new program that aims to build closer ties between farmers, customers and Danish Crown. The concept aims to enable customers to enter into partnerships to promote initiatives that reduce CO₂ emissions on farms. At the same time, customers are provided with detailed data on the impact of the efforts, which can be used in their own ESG reporting.
"We fundamentally believe that the path to food production with a lower climate footprint is through joint action across the entire value chain from farm to fork. With CrownFarm, we want to create a model where all parties can gain something valuable – both in the form of concrete initiatives and documentation", says Niels Ulrich Duedahl, Group CEO Danish Crown.
High-resolution documentation
Meat accounts for over a third of the carbon footprint of an average grocery store. Therefore, in the future, it will be crucial for both supermarkets and foodservice companies to have access to accurate and transparent data on the carbon footprint – right down to the product level – if they want to measurably reduce their CO₂ footprint. CrownFarm consists of different tracks, each with its own focus, and contributes, among other things, by:
In addition to the specific data collection and sharing, the plan is to continuously invest in new projects that support less CO₂-intensive production on farms.
Danish Crown has worked closely with farmers for several years to establish a solid data foundation that can provide transparency and insight into the CO₂ footprint throughout the entire value chain; from feed and technology use on farms to emissions from factories, transport and packaging. In this way, it is possible to document the CO₂ footprint of the animal – and ultimately the individual product.
"We believe that the demand for meat with a lower climate footprint will grow significantly in the future. That is why we have worked for a number of years to create systems that ensure the necessary documentation and transparency. We know that by far the greatest climate impact in our value chain lies in the link that precedes reception at our slaughterhouses. But we cannot just point to the farmers and say that they must solve it. This is a task that we share", says Niels Ulrich Duedahl.
The CrownFarm program will unfold more concretely as partnerships are formed with customers.
“When we take our customers out to see how the work is done on the farms that are furthest along, it is clear to see their respect for the work that is being done. And they show a curiosity to get involved in projects that can help reduce the climate footprint of meat. It is precisely this community about a large and important task that we would like to cultivate and develop further with CrownFarm", says Jamie Dunning, EVP Danish Crown UK
Specific objectives reach back to the farm
Under the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), Danish Crown has committed to a number of targets up to 2030 to reduce the climate footprint throughout the value chain (Scope 1, 2 and 3). In addition, Danish Crown has committed to separate FLAG targets under SBTi. FLAG stands for 'Forest, Land, and Agriculture' and is specifically for companies that have forest and agriculture-related emissions as part of their value chain. This means that these targets reach directly back to the farms. This is where CrownFarm can contribute, among other things, with data and projects that will reduce the CO₂ footprint of the meat and make it visible through data all the way to the refrigerated counter.
The first partnership agreements for CrownFarm have already been signed, and it is expected that more will be signed already during the autumn.
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