DuPont to invest $10bn in sustainable food R&D

American chemical giant DuPont has unveiled a new set of sustainability targets for 2020 including a $10bn investment in international food security, commitments to sustainable innovation and a reduction of its own environmental footprint.


The Food Security goal pledges to develop innovations that will produce more food, enhance nutritional value, improve agriculture sustainability, boost food safety, extend food freshness and reduce waste.

Within this goal, DuPont aims to allocate $10bn for R&D and develop 4,000 new products by 2020.

Innovation

The firms innovation commitment states: “We will further embed sustainability in our innovation process and challenge all products in our pipeline to contribute to a safer, healthier, more sustainable world. We will track our progress and measure and report the quantifiable safety, health, and sustainability benefits from major growth innovations.”

DuPont chief sustainability officer Linda J. Fisher said: “Innovation and sustainability remain two of DuPont’s greatest strengths and represent significant growth opportunities for DuPont, while creating value for our customers, the marketplace and society.”

Footprint

In its own operations, DuPont aims to reduce its use of non-renewable energy per adjusted dollar of revenue by 10%, and is targeting a 7% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity.

On waste, no specific company-wide goal has been set, but the target is for each DuPont business to meet a 2020 waste goal “appropriate to its operation”.

On water, all DuPont sites in high-risk water regions will establish mitigation plans and start implanting these by 2020.

   DuPont Sustainability Infographic

Sector leader

Back in August, DuPont topped a new league table from CDP which ranked chemical companies on various emissions-related metrics.

The research listed 18 chemicals companies, representing over $500bn in market cap, on seven categories, including product innovation, energy efficiency, water risk and carbon regulation.

DuPont was described as the “comfortable leader”, with A and B grades across all areas except for supply chain optimization.  

The chemicals industry as a whole accounts for around 4.8% of global emissions.

Brad Allen

 

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