Mission Produce report highlights commitment to sustainable farming and waste reduction

The report outlines the firm’s progress towards sustainable farming, and in addressing diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), climate risk, waste reduction and community investment.

Mission Produce chief executive and founder Steve Barnard said: “Mission Produce’s first ESG report illustrates our dedication to the finest practices for our people, product and planet. 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.”

With a focus on investing in people, reducing water and waste, and minimising carbon emissions, key highlights of the report include the implementation of reduced plastic bags in at least 50% of the bags packed and shipped globally by fiscal year 2025, equating to almost 500,000 0.5-litre plastic bottles. The report also highlighted Mission’s precision and biodiverse farming methods, which use 40.5% less water in its Peruvian production and 40% less water at its California base.

By the end of 2021, Mission aims to apply shelf-life extension technology to 10,200 tons 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.