May 12, 2025 in Sustainability

Sustainability

At Driscoll’s, we deeply understand the critical importance of preserving the natural environment and uplifting local communities. As a company devoted to sustainable practices, we recognise that our farming methods profoundly affect the environment and society.

For us, sustainability transcends mere compliance; it embodies the ethos of meeting the current needs while safeguarding the ability of future generations to fulfil their own. Achieving true sustainability is not a destination but an infinite journey, and we are passionately committed to making continual strides toward waste reduction and enhanced stewardship of the natural and social resources upon which we rely.

We regard our responsibility to address environmental risks—to our business and the communities we are a part of—as an obligation we take seriously. Our collaborative approach involves working closely with our independent growers, customers, supply chain partners, and the broader community to thoroughly identify and mitigate these environmental risks. Together, we strive to forge a sustainable future.

Mission Statement

Integrating sustainability into every facet of our business is fundamental to our mission. This includes careful sourcing of materials, eco-friendly growing practices, efficient cold chain management, and much more. Our ultimate aim is to minimise our environmental footprint, foster a positive social impact, and secure the long-term viability of our operations, ensuring that the ecosystems we rely on thrive alongside our business.

What have we worked on?

Water Conservation

Conserving water is paramount in regions like Australia and New Zealand, where it is a vital resource. We are proud of our collaborative efforts with independent farmers to drive sustainable changes in water usage. By implementing innovative water management practices, we have successfully reduced water consumption while improving water quality. Recognising water as a precious shared resource, we are dedicated to sustainable management that supports all communities, ecosystems, and sectors of the economy, including our own. Our longstanding commitment to water stewardship includes supporting local conversations about water conservation and best practices.

Reducing plastics

We have initiated a transformative shift from traditional cardboard packaging to reusable crates in our ongoing effort to minimise our environmental impact. In 2022 alone, we successfully eliminated over 50,000 cardboard cartons, diverting 41 tonnes of waste from landfills while preventing approximately 235 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Building on this momentum, in 2023, we expanded this initiative further by replacing an impressive 150,000 more cardboard cartons with reusable crates. This significant step reduces our carbon footprint and emphasises our commitment to actively contributing to the circular economy. We take pride in being members of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) and invite everyone to explore our comprehensive APCO report to learn more about our efforts in achieving a greener, more responsible future.

What’s next?

As we consider our role in combating climate change, we acknowledge the necessity of fostering climate resilience and enhancing ecosystem functionality—not just for the people but also for the sustainability of our business. Through our Sustainability Framework, we are set on promoting collaboration and increasing our capability to optimise energy usage, minimise greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce waste. Our commitment encompasses the adoption of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) approach to climate management.

By 2026

By 2026, we aim to derive 50% of our energy from solar power. This milestone is not merely a target but a pivotal step in our broader commitment to transition toward 50% renewable energy sources across all our facilities. Transitioning to solar energy is integral to our vision of significantly reducing our carbon footprint and actively contributing to a sustainable future.

By 2027

Our ambition grows as we commit to enhancing our sustainability efforts with an aspirational goal of achieving a 10% improvement in energy efficiency across all our sites by 2027. To realise this goal, we are implementing proactive measures designed to minimise waste sent to landfills and transition away from high-energy consuming products and services.

In conjunction with our energy efficiency initiatives, we aim to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity by 10%, as measured in kilograms of CO2 emitted per kilogram of fruit produced. Furthermore, we are dedicated to enlisting at least 80% of our packaging and transportation vendors to adopt their own GHG reduction targets, reinforcing our collective commitment to driving a more sustainable future.

By 2030

Looking ahead to 2030, we are resolved to substantially reduce our carbon footprint, actively working towards phasing out all fossil fuel sources in favour of alternatives that generate zero or minimal emissions. This ambitious commitment reflects our broader objective of fostering a sustainable future, minimising our environmental impact, and ensuring we can thrive in harmony with the planet for future generations.

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