Arla and Starbucks are targeting a reduction in carbon emissions from dairy, and have partnered in the UK to develop a new pilot scheme aimed at making a difference.
From January 2022, the two businesses will work on a ‘sustainable dairy sourcing blueprint’ for Starbucks, which is designed to help the coffee chain achieve a reduction in carbon emissions from dairy and create a model for how it works with other suppliers.
At the end of the three-year pilot, Starbucks wants to be in a position to better support its dairy suppliers across Europe, Middle East and Africa.
From next year, the pilot will work with 14 of dairy group Arla’s UK farmer owners, bringing in the broader scientific and sustainable farming expertise of Arla and working with independent advisor and not-for-profit organisation, The Nature Conservancy.
With dairy emissions accounting for 22% of Starbucks global carbon emissions, the coffee chain views this area as an important one to tackle in order to reduce its environmental impact.
Starbucks and the selected Arla farmers will focus on three key areas: environmental stewardship, animal health and welfare, and ensuring profitability for the farmers through the Arla UK 360 farm standards programme.
Alex Rayner, general manager at Starbucks UK, said: “This partnership with Arla and the dairy farming community underpins our commitment to produce high quality and responsibly sourced products.
“Starbucks and Arla share a commitment to upholding the highest standards in agriculture. As a farmer-owned business, Arla’s approach – including their cooperative principles – make them the right partner for us.”
Graham Wilkinson, group senior agriculture director at Arla Food, added: “It is a huge testament to the sustainable farming practice of our owners that Starbucks has chosen Arla to support its sustainable sourcing development work.
“Our carbon net-zero ambition recognises the importance of both lowering emissions and providing a helping hand to nature, but it is hugely important that Starbucks has also acknowledged the importance of taking a farmer-first approach to deliver this.”
Read more about greener thinking in the supply chain on Green Retail World
[Image credit: Starbucks]
