Royal Canin commits to carbon neutrality by 2025

The ROYAL CANIN brand, a global expert in pet nutrition, has committed to become certified carbon neutral by 2025 with its first product range aiming to be certified carbon neutral by 2022. This comes as parent company Mars, Incorporated, announces that it seeks to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions across its full value chain by 2050. 

Recognizing the important role business has in supporting the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rises to 1.5°. ROYAL CANIN, Mars’ largest brand, will achieve carbon neutrality by prioritising meaningful action on reducing the carbon footprint of its full value chain and by investing in certified carbon credits. 

ROYAL CANIN plans to use the PAS 2060 standard for carbon neutrality, a robust and internationally recognized standard, and the brand will report transparently and regularly on its journey. 

Loic Moutault, President of Royal Canin, says: “As experts in cat and dog nutrition, we have been guided by science for the last fifty years. It is science-led initiatives and decisive action, not just ambition, which will help us hit our 2025 climate target. We believe that making this bold carbon neutral commitment will inspire and mobilize new and impactful ideas, action and results across ROYAL CANIN’s global value chain that help us improve our environmental footprint and make a meaningful positive difference to pets, people and the planet.” 

Delivering Carbon Neutral

The four action areas ROYAL CANIN will take to be carbon neutral by 2025 are as follows:

1. Transitioning to renewable electricity: This work has been underway across ROYAL CANIN for two decades and currently 72% of the business’ electricity comes from renewable sources. The ambition is to achieve 100% renewable electricity across our factories and offices while reducing energy consumption overall.

2. Procuring sustainable ingredients: Three quarters of ROYAL CANIN^'s carbon footprint comes from its ingredient supply chains. Hence, the brand seeks to reduce its GHG emissions through the reformulation of its products, including switching to low-carbon intensity ingredients without compromising quality or safety. For example, ROYAL CANIN’s sourcing of soy for its European factories is already 100% certified by ProTerra, an independent standard which fosters sustainable agricultural practices and contributes to halt deforestation. In addition, the brand is also working with its rice, wheat and poultry supply chains as a priority to identify, support and activate regenerative agriculture practices and stop deforestation. Key suppliers will be invited to join the Mars Incorporated’s Pledge for Planet initiative, which supports them in identifying their footprint, setting science-based targets and implementing plans to drive reductions.  

3. Reducing waste and boosting circularity: In ROYAL CANIN^, efforts are underway to significantly boost recyclability, compostability and the use of reusable packaging in alignment with Mars’s ambitious packaging sustainability goals.  By 2022, a mono-material plastic packaging will be introduced, which will be recyclable where the infrastructure exists. Additionally, the brand will drive down the packaging carbon footprint by starting to integrate recycled content and through the reduction of the amount of packaging material used. 

4. Climate-smart business transformation: ROYAL CANIN steps to integrate climate-smart management practices include:  

     I. Senior Executive pay and remuneration will be linked to climate actions and delivering emissions cuts. 

     II. Setting an internal price on carbon to generate resources and drive action to reduce emissions.

     III. A science-based methodology that enables ROYAL CANIN to measure the carbon footprint of its products worldwide, enabling climate-smart decision-making regarding formulation, ingredients, raw materials and logistics. 

     IV. The roll-out of an Associate sustainability engagement, awareness and upskilling ‘Go Green’ program to 100% of our offices and sites by the end of 2025.

      V. Creating a work environment where innovation and internal and external collaboration is significantly mobilized to drive creativity in rising to the climate challenge. 

For any residual emissions that ROYAL CANIN cannot completely remove or reduce, the brand will invest in high-quality, removals–based certified carbon credits. The use of removals–based credits is aligned with the SBTi (Science Based Targets) Net Zero Foundations paper.

Fabrice Mathieu, Global Sustainability Director at Royal Canin, said: “We consider carbon neutrality a necessity for future generations, and it is our responsibility to contribute to this effort. We know this journey won’t be easy, but we’re committed to taking action to reduce our footprint and making the investments needed together with partners across our value chain worldwide”. 

ROYAL CANIN^'’s announcement builds on Mars’ Sustainable in a Generation Plan, to mitigate its impact on the health of the planet and global communities. Mars has this week announced its accelerated commitment to achieve net zero GHG emissions in its full value chain by 2050, including Scope 3 emissions such as those created by agriculture and suppliers, through to emissions from consumers using its iconic household brands such as ROYAL CANIN. This advances Mars’ previous commitment to reduce emissions by 67% by 2050 in its full value chain, whilst retaining a short-term target to achieve a 27% reduction by 2025.