Delivering NZMP carbonzero™ Certified Ingredients

Climate change remains one of the biggest challenges facing society, which is why Fonterra and NZMP are committed to finding solutions that reduce both our own carbon footprint and that of our customers.

As part of our ongoing sustainability journey, Fonterra has been working with Toitū Envirocare, an independent certifier that audits and verifies NZMP’s carbonzero™ ingredients.  Certified carbonzero™ ingredients will help our customers to achieve their own sustainability goals. In addition, customers can meet consumer demand for more sustainable products.

NZMP’s first carbonzero™ certified ingredient is NZMP Organic Butter, launching in the North American market before rolling out to other regions. Having this capability in place means that over time NZMP can broaden the portfolio of carbonzero™ certified ingredients to support customer needs and demands.

To receive this certification for a product, suppliers need to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the entire supply chain of an ingredient. This includes emissions from sourcing raw materials, manufacturing, distribution, packaging and disposal. 

These emissions are measured every year and are independently verified by Toitū.  As part of the certification, an emission reduction plan is required to ensure the on-going reduction in emissions. 

Unavoidable emissions are then offset through carbon credits from projects which avoid, reduce or store carbon, such as native forest regeneration or renewable energy projects.  These can be purchased by businesses to help balance their emissions to net-zero. Toitū recommends high-quality projects for offsetting, such as Gold Standard certified credits, that ensure measurable, verifiable, and permanent emission reductions.

But the work doesn’t stop there. To obtain and maintain Toitū’s carbonzero™ certification for an ingredient, suppliers must also show how they have already reduced emissions and demonstrate what plans they have in place to reduce emissions even further.

This relationship with Toitū has positive benefits for NZMP’s customers, as well as the planet.

Ingredients, like NZMP’s Organic Butter carbonzero™ certified, can help customers meet the demand for more sustainable products and help grow brand preference, whilst they work towards meeting their own emissions targets. Market insights show sustainability is of growing importance to consumers, with 72% of global consumers expressing an interest in brands that actively communicate achievements around sustainability¹. 

To that end, Fonterra has been reporting on its carbon footprint every year for more than a decade, investing in cutting-edge technologies such as Kowbucha™ to reduce agricultural emissions, as well as collaborating with partners. 

By identifying breakthrough technologies which can provide a step change reduction in the biological emissions produced by cows and promote such solutions globally, we can have an impact wider than the regions where we farm.

NZMP sees ingredients certified as carbonzero™ by Toitū as being a key step we can take today to reduce emissions, both at NZMP and for NZMP’s customers. But the issue of climate change is far bigger than just one organisation, which is why we’re excited to continue working with Toitū and partnering with customers to deliver even more solutions.