Our Global Green Goals, sowing the seeds for future generations

In 2020, we introduced our Responsible Feeding Programme. A global sustainability programme designed to give our business units the tools they need to assess which issues are most relevant to their market and develop the strategies and activities that meet the expectations of local stakeholders to increase sustainability and create shared value in the supply chains we operate in. However, some of the challenges associated with the feed industry and the production of animal proteins are so important to further increase the sustainability of our industry that we decided they need a global ambition.

During a digital Sustainability Summit in March 2021 around 200 colleagues from our business units and group organization participated in workshops where we discussed the ambitions that De Heus Animal Nutrition can set to increase the sustainability of our daily operations, reduce our impact on the climate and the environment, increase animal health and welfare and help farmers develop their business.

These ambitions – which we have decided to call our global green goals – aim to guide us towards tackling some of the global issues our industry faces. During the summit we have formulated ambitions on the sustainability of the raw materials we process, our carbon footprint, the reduction of antibiotics and obviously supporting farmers in the development of their businesses. We believe that these issues are relevant in all our business units and deserve guidance and direction at the group level of our organization.

We want to achieve these ambitions in 2030 at the latest, tying them to the horizon of the sustainable development goals – as defined by the United Nations – and allowing us to take on tough challenges that cannot be achieved in one or two years. Defining these goals also helps us further integrate sustainability into our strategy.

In 2030, De Heus Animal Nutrition is the leading and guiding partner within the value chain for improving animal health on the farm and using antibiotics responsibly. Additionally, in 2030, the Heus Animal Nutrition will not use antibiotics as growth promotors or as a preventive measure and we will not use any human critical antibiotics (WHO) curatively.

In 2025 all De Heus Animal Nutrition business units will use certified soy (in compliance with the Fefac Soy Sourcing Guidelines), palm (either RSPO or suppliers with a verifiable zero deforestation policy) and fish meal/oil products and will offer their customers a range of more sustainable options in relevant markets.

Additionally, De Heus Animal Nutrition will start or support reforestation projects around the world to prevent the loss off valuable natural ecosystems and protect biodiversity.

In 2022 De Heus Animal Nutrition will be able to calculate, formulate and set goals for the CO2 footprint of its products, carrying out a group wide CO2 zero measurement in 2023 and being equipped to provide customers tailored on the farm advice to reduce their own CO2 footprint.

Based on the outcome of the group wide zero measurement we will formulate goals and look for solutions to lower our CO2 footprint.

In 2030 De Heus Animal Nutrition will have trained 100.000 farmers and farm employees on professional farm management, the reduction of antibiotics, animal welfare, biosecurity, biodiversity, global gap certification and the reduction of CO2. To measure the effect of these trainings we will develop KPI’s to measure the impact and benefits for our customers.

Every day, we visit thousands of farms all over the world. De Heus specialists are 'hands on' and enjoy working closely with farmers, providing key insights into the relationship between feed and how the animals are kept, advising about nutritional strategies that meet the animals’ physiological needs and supporting farm management. Focusing on one goal: keeping animals healthy and enabling optimal production.

We are currently in the process of developing the indicators and policies that will help our business units reach these Global Green Goals. We will off course share more information about the implementation process and the first results in our business units when this information becomes available. Go to deheus.com/globalgreengoals to stay informed on our progress.