IFCO is awarding its annual Sustainability Certificate in Europe and North America for the third time in a row. IFCO’s sustainability certification initiative was inaugurated in September 2018, when it was handed out to retailer customers in Europe and North America for the first time. Acknowledging the sustainability efforts not only of retailers, but also of growers, IFCO awards companies of both industries since last year. IFCO is amongst the most sustainable logistics companies worldwide and leads the industry in corporate social responsibility (CSR). Therefore, being awarded by IFCO proofs companies’ commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.
Sustainability Certificate proves environmental commitment
Not just since the public attention towards environmental and climate protection has dramatically risen over the past year, customers have been increasingly valuing sustainable products and business practices. Taking into account the increased demand for environmentally friendly products and processes helps retailers and growers to stand out from the competition and to ensure their customers’ loyalty. The IFCO certificate proves the environmental engagement of the awarded companies. Furthermore, corporate sustainability goals are increasingly in the focus of company shareholders. IFCO’s Sustainability Certificate is a clear demonstration of environmentally friendly behavior to customers and shareholders alike.
“The use of RPCs ensures sustainability along the entire supply chain, from the growers to the retailers. By awarding our Sustainability Certificate we like to recognize the efforts of customers in both industries in reducing their environmental footprint. The certificate proves that the awarded growers and retailers are taking concrete measures to make supply chains more sustainable and to protect the environment. This commitment is increasingly important to customers as well as to business partners. Therefore, being able to prove this commitment is a decisive factor for business success”, explains Wolfgang Orgeldinger, CEO at IFCO Systems.
RPCs guarantee annual CO2, energy, water and waste savings
IFCO is constantly monitoring the environmental benefits generated by its logistics concept, the IFCO SmartCycleTM, which is based on the principle of “share and reuse”. All IFCO RPCs are reused between 30 and 120 times during their lifetime, and at every cycle are put through a rigorous cleaning and inspection process before being delivered for the next cycle. Damaged RPCs that cannot be repaired are 100% recycled and used for the production of new IFCO RPCs. Several studies have proven that the use of RPCs leads to savings in terms of CO2 (up to 60%), energy (64%), water (80%), solid waste (up to 86%), and food product damage (up to 96%), when compared with single-use packaging.
These benefits carry through to IFCO customers’ supply chains and represent a significant achievement for companies wanting to protect their fresh produce while still being committed to improving their sustainability performance.
For more information: 
Daniela Carbone
IFCO
Email: daniela.carbone@ifco.com
www.ifco.com