Natural resources

Preserve natural resources

Develop a "green economy" to ensure the development of a sustainable world: this is the objective that was highlighted during the Rio conference in June 1992.

Distribution of environmental criteria in the design and production process of products and services.
Revision of consumption and production methods in order to eliminate the use of fossil fuels in future decades.
Development of renewable energy
Continuous high quality research
Recycling of mineral raw materials such as equipment
Return of organic material to the soil for farm land
Exploration of planning tools to take into account collective objectives, such as reducing greenhouse gases or raw material consumption, etc.

Many world strategies are found within the Bonduelle Sustainable Development strategy for preserving natural resources.

Managing Natural Resources

Bonduelle has always prioritised working through a network and sharing information between factories, subsidiaries and central departments. Objective: carry out our strategy in line with the social issues and specificities related to its activities.

Annual meetings for sharing good practices and implementing the Group's policy.
Internal experts visit factories every three years: they use a common assessment form in order to assess the performance of the methods used and share good practices.
Technical reference guides list the good practices.
Training cycles are organised for employees: thermal power, optimising aseptic canning processes, optimising industrial refrigeration – positive and negative.

Water and energy consumption

In 2011-2012, stakeholder efforts carried out for almost 10 years were rewarded: the energy performance of our factories is positive. The energy consumption ratios per manufactured tonne were achieved. They were reduced (at constant activity volume) by 9.3% for water and by 2.6% for energy, compared to the previous year. These good results were made possible by :

Thermal processes.
Investments in energy recovery equipment (13% of investments dedicated to energy by Bonduelle)
Renewal of tools and equipment with a view to saving energy.
The implementation of the "Frugal Factory" project conducted in partnership with EDF's Research and Development department and the Paris Ecole des Mines Centre Energétique des Procédés (Process Energy Centre) from 2009 to 2011. This programme has led to the implementation of solutions impacting several operations, all based on energy integration. These solutions are subject to reference actions in our pilot factories and other factories of the Group.
The finalisation of a project to reduce the amount of atmospheric emissions in 2011-2012. It relies in particular on the installation of 2 natural gas boilers (instead of fuel boilers).

Virgin resources and renewable energy

Bonduelle is continuing its efforts to optimise packaging and logistics circuits. In "frozen" technology for example, our actions led to significant improvement of secondary packaging methods thanks to tools enabling boxes to be filled more efficiently

Packaging optimisation

The packaging reduction policy applies to all methods of packaging: cans and plastic film.
Smaller dimensions for certain products packaged in sachets have led to a reduction of up to 11% of the film surface in each packaging unit.
Thinner metal packaging helps save 500 tonnes of metal per year in Europe.
The integration of environmental criteria in product design is very important at Bonduelle. Packaging is a major element in this initiative.

Recycling of industrial waste is also a priority. Objective: reach a 75% recycling rate through selective sorting at the source and an adapted purchasing policy.

Renewable energy

Bonduelle is exploring and supports several projects to minimise dependence on fossil fuels: co-generation, anaerobic digestion, not forgetting the organic deposits the Group possesses… Sustainable alternatives are being carefully explored, especially in Canada (since 2011) and in France (by 2015).

Bonduelle continues its initiatives in support of the production and development of biogas released through the processing of biodegradable effluents

Processing of effluents and local integration figures

8989% of the water volume discharged by Bonduelle passes through a Bonduelle, or local, wastewater treatment plant (as for the rest, 8% is treated agronomically, 3% is released directly into the environment, due to it being of good quality)

19The group has invested more than €19 million in 6 years in effluent treatment equipment in its factories.

1818 Bonduelle factories are equipped with an independent wastewater treatment plant.

99,5

99,5In 2011-2012, the effluents produced by Bonduelle represent an organic load of around 19,000 tons of biological oxygen demand. The operating processes checked by the group ensure 99.5% of their treatment.

Focus on the quality of emissions

Going beyond the actions of the Frugal Factory programme, Bonduelle has also finalised a project for the improvement of the quality of emissions in 2011-2012: installation of two natural gas boilers (replacing fuel oil) on the Canadian Saint-Denis site. In concrete terms, the benefits include a 10% improvement in energy efficiency, an increase in the quality of atmospheric emissions and a reduction of 3,500 tonnes of CO2 equivalent/year released from fossil fuels. . At the same site at Saint-Denis, a pilot initiative has been deployed for mapping water consumption, an essential prerequisite for any optimisation and recycling programme.

This plan forms part of a programme by Quebec's Agri-Food Processing Council (CTAC) concerning the optimal use of water in agri-food processes.

Assessing environmental impacts in order to reduce them

Since 2011, we have been contributing to the French Ministry of Ecology's efforts to limit environmental impacts. Through our first experiment on a standard can throughout its life cycle, we are committed to an initiative to reduce our impacts group-wide. The results will be used in 2012-2013 by internal stakeholders.

Anne-Sophie KETTERER, Environment project manager

Results and perspectives

Reduction in 2011-2012 of energy consumption in factories by 2.6% (at constant activity, except Italy)

Achieve a decrease of 5% per year by 2014.

Reduction in 2011-2012 of water consumption in factories by 9.3% (at constant activity, except Italy)

Achieve a decrease of 3% per year by 2014.

73% of ordinary industrial waste was recycled in 2011-2012

Recycle 80% of OIW by 2015.

Bonduelle also intends to launch 5 projects for the development of renewable energy in 5 years.

Expert area

Key figures

9.3 % reduction of water consumption

73 % of ordinary industrial waste tonnage will be recycled or recovered for energy