Our carbon footprint is relatively low
Combating climate change and carbon-neutral food production are Atria’s key goals. By 2021, we will identify the carbon footprint of our products, and gain a deep insight into the source of our emissions and how to lower them.
Carbon footprint from farm to the slaughterhouse gate
Atria Finland has already calculated the carbon footprint of pork, beef and poultry production from farm to slaughterhouse gate. The results prove that the Finnish production method reduces the climate impact of meat production significantly compared to the level of international meat production.
The carbon footprint of Atria’s example pork is 3.2 CO2e/kg calculated for carcass weight. This is approximately 50 per cent lower than the international average. Increasing protein self-sufficiency is one of the key factors in reducing pork’s carbon footprint. Switching to soy-free feed in the feeding of fattening pigs has already reduced carbon emissions by 32 per cent when looking at the entire production chain.
The carbon footprint of Atria’s example poultry is 3.2 CO2e/kg calculated for carcass weight, which is again 50 per cent lower than the international average. Low use of soya has a key role, as well as the good health of the chickens, thanks to which Atria chicken make good use of their feed. Some 80 per cent of the feed of an Atria chicken consists of Finnish feed grains – dehusked oats and wheat. The protein content of Finnish grains is higher than that of grains produced in Central Europe, and low-protein corn is not used at all. In addition, soya is, to an increasing degree, being replaced by Finnish peas and broad beans.
The carbon footprint of Atria’s example beef is 13.4 CO2e/kg calculated for carcass weight. This is approximately 70 per cent lower than the international average. At the farm included in the calculation, the beef’s carbon footprint was roughly 25 per cent lower than in studies completed in Finland in 2016 and 2017.
The calculation has been carried out in cooperation with the specialist company Envitecpolis and the Atria family farms. For the calculation of chicken products, initial data has been collected from a total of 40 Atria family farms, transport and Atria's production processes in Nurmo and Sahalahti. For the calculation of pig products, output data have been collected from a total of 32 Atria family farms, transport and production processes in Atria Nurmo. The calculation has been carried out in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 and in compliance with the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) guidelines. For the primary production of meat raw material, the calculation has been based on the internationally widely used Cool Farm Tool, which is based on the IPCC calculation methodology and comprehensive research data. Read more about the implementation of the chicken product calculation in the methodology report here and the implementation of the pig product calculation in the methodology report here.
We are actively involved in the national development of harmonised counting procedures in cooperation with the Natural Resources Institute Finland and other actors in the field.
Atria's production carbon footprint
Reducing CO2 emissions from our own industrial activities in particular is a key short-term goal.
Our short-term goal is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from our own industrial production by 25% by 2025. Reducing emissions means replacing fossil energy sources with renewable energy and using energy efficiently.
Atria Group’s carbon footprint has been measured since 2016*. In 2019, Atria Group’s carbon dioxide emissions decreased by 2.5 per cent from the 2018 level. We managed to lower our carbon dioxide emissions with fuel choices and by increasing the efficiency of our energy consumption. We report the Group’s carbon footprint every year in our Corporate Responsibility Report.
* The calculation and reporting of the carbon footprint are based on the international calculation and reporting standard for business enterprises, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. The emissions calculation covers the CO2 emissions of Atria’s industrial production processes in companies where Atria’s holding amounts to more than 50 per cent.
