After two consecutive years of neutralizing emissions originated in the international transport of its organic apples, Chilean exporter Copefrut takes another step within the framework of its sustainability policy, achieving the CarbonNeutral® Product certification from Climate Impact Partner. Copefrut was able to calculate, mitigate and offset greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the cradle-to-door life cycle of the first customer for its organic apples, becoming a pioneer of this certification in the region and establishing a new milestone for the global fresh produce industry.
Copefrut’s organic apples became the first carbon neutral certified agricultural product in South America under the CarbonNeutral® standard – considering the stages of the life cycle from obtaining raw materials, agricultural activities, packaging, and storage to international market transportation. “This certification not only demonstrates our commitment to the environment and the sustainable development goals that we adhere to with our sustainability policy, but also reflects an exercise in consistency with what organic production means,” says Andrés Fuenzalida, general manager of Copefrut. “Now we can say that we have a totally sustainable product.”
The initiative meets the double objective of collaborating with the development of an agriculture that is increasingly sustainable but also more transparent. “The agricultural sector has a significant impact in terms of emissions at a global level and Copefrut, through its carbon neutrality program, is contributing to its mitigation,” explains Felipe Sepúlveda, executive director and founding partner of Carboneutral®Chile. “By being the first to have this certification within the agricultural industry, it sets a very relevant precedent in the sector. It directly contributes to generating not only positive impacts associated with climate change, but also its carbon neutrality program contributes to generating positive impact on 15 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
The result of measuring and neutralizing the total gross emissions generated in 2023 from Copefrut’s organic apples is equivalent to avoiding emissions from the full charge of almost 200 million cell phones or from the electricity consumed in a year in more than 300 homes. Copefrut’s offset portfolio is made up of carbon credits from two Latin American projects: a wind power project in the Biobío region of Chile; and a REDD+ project in the state of Acre in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, which aims to prevent deforestation of hundreds of thousands of hectares, protecting one of the most biodiverse habitats in the world.
“The certification of this product makes us specially proud, since we firmly believe that mitigating the environmental impact of our operations is not enough if we do not include our indirect emissions,” added Copefrut’s Fuenzalida. “We are a company that seeks to provide quality of life by sharing its fruits with the world and embracing responsible environmental initiatives that powerfully and urgently address the current climate crisis.”
Copefrut is one of the largest fruit exporters in Chile with more than 67 years in the market. Climate Impact Partner is a leader in the development of high-quality and impact solutions for the climate action in the carbon market, collaborating with leading companies in the fight against climate change to support more than 600 carbon reduction and removal projects in 56 countries.
PHOTO: (L to R)
Ayrton Berna – Sustainability analyst
Andrés Fuenzalida – CEO
Carolina Prado – Innovation and sustainability manager
Alba Llavona – Sustainability specialist
Felipe Casanova – Commercial Director
