Mission Produce releases comprehensive sustainability report
Vowing to reduce plastic use dramatically by 2025, Oxnard, Calif.-based Mission Produce, Inc. has published its inaugural Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report, titled “Finest for the Future.”
The report highlights the Company’s accomplishments in sustainable farming and details the status and scope of its goals across Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I), climate risk, waste reduction and community investment, according to a news release.
The release said Mission has committed to sustainability initiatives that embody its core values: Fun, Innovative, Reliable, Successful, and Trustworthy.
“Mission Produce’s first ESG Report illustrates our dedication to the finest practices for our people, product and planet,” Mission Produce Chief Executive Officer and founder Steve Barnard said in the release.
“We embody sustainable practices from field to fork and our advanced farming practices allow us to keep our water usage per avocado well below the industry average. Our people are passionate and have an innovative spirit, constantly driving our operations to reduce our environmental footprint and contribute positively to our global community.”
Key highlights of the report include the following accomplishments and goals, according to the release:
- Mission announced the implementation of a reduced plastic bag in at least 50% of the bags packed and shipped globally by fiscal year 2025, equating to almost 500,000 0.5-liter plastic bottles;
- Mission’s precision and biodiverse farming methods use less irrigation water per avocado compared to the average grower, specifically 40.5% less water in Peru1 and 40% less water in California;
- Solar panels at the packing facility in the company’s Oxnard headquarters power almost three-quarters of the facility during peak season, with more facilities transitioning to supply renewable energy each year, specifically in Peru and California;
- By the end of 2021, Mission aims to apply shelf-life extension technology to 22.5 million pounds of avocados to combat food waste and reduce shrink of avocados, the equivalent of powering almost 563 homes, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Greenhouse Gas (GHG) calculator;
- Mission’s global workforce comprises nearly 50% women, almost 20% of whom were promoted in 2020; and
- Compared to 2019, in 2020, Mission was able to decrease its total global scope 1 and 2 emissions by 15.8% and reduce its total waste by 16.2%.
Additionally, Mission will sponsor the produce industry’s first-ever Diverse Equitable and Inclusive initiative in 2021, run by the Center for Growing Talent of the Produce Marketing Association. “Creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture is essential to attracting, developing and retaining the talent that makes our industry thrive,” CGT’s Executive Director Doug Bohr said in the release. “With the Diversity & Inclusion Program Series, we’re helping the industry build a base of knowledge and resources to advance DE&I practices to benefit everyone, their businesses and our industry. We’re thrilled to have the support of industry sponsors, like Mission Produce, in this work.”
Barnard said in the release that Mission Produce recognizes the need to further understand and integrate DE&I practices both within the company and the broader industry.
“People are our greatest asset, so we must do our part to value, protect, and foster that asset,” Barnard said in the release.
Mission’s sustainability topics for reporting were informed by stakeholder engagement through a comprehensive sustainability materiality assessment grounded in the Global Reporting Initiative and aligned with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board.
Mission’s 2020 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report is available for download at https://worldsfinestavocados.com/mission-global/sustainability.
