The scope of our research is to identify technologies and processes that can reduce the consumption of natural resources and reduce energy consumption, both of which affect the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Our focus is also on the implementation of clean energy options in our offices and plants. Solar PV panels were installed at our Seed Crushing facility in Pakistan and are expected to run by February 2022. This will generate 1,422 MWh clean energy from the plant annually, saving 15% of the plant’s electricity use. During its 25-year lifespan, the project will generate an estimated 35,550 MWh of clean energy, which will result in a reduction of 16,000 tonnes of CO2eq emissions. We are now, also looking into this opportunity with multiple suppliers for our newly constructed ice-cream plant in Dubai, UAE. Shama Food Industries, UAE based culinary facility, has invested in Capex to install LED lights to reduce electricity consumption. It is estimated that the project will start in June 2022, generating 13,561 MWh clean energy and 5,967 tonnes of CO2eq emissions avoided during its 25-year lifespan.

IFFCO is hosting an energy audit by Siemens in our production facilities in UAE and Pakistan, supported by the HSBC Living Business Program. The aim is to elaborate roadmaps to improve energy efficiency and scale the practice across the whole group at the next phase. Scope 1, 2, and 3 are under consideration to set Climate Change targets for the coming years.

We realize the importance to reduce water consumption and improving water quality, especially in some of the key markets IFFCO operates. Emirates Refining Company (ERCO) in Sharjah, has installed a new heat processing system, which reduces water and natural gas usage by recovering all steam condensate. In total, this project has reduced water consumption by 1,700 m3 per month. Furthermore, it reduces the monthly consumption of compressed natural gas by 40,800 Nm3 and electricity by 3,600 KWh. Shama Food Industries, our culinary plant, has recently developed an innovative way to reduce water consumption and wastewater by reducing wet changeovers. Through the implementation of this project, we could reduce the consumption of water by 40,000 liters annually. More projects will be deployed within our Strategic pillar to improve water use efficiency.

We are currently analyzing the recyclability of materials that we use for further optimization. This applies not only to the packaging but to food waste associated with our product range. IFFCO Egypt launched another project in collaboration with Green Pan to collect waste cooking oil from households, which makes water discharge much more efficient and sustainable for the community services, and the collected oil is used to produce biofuels. The program has helped to avoid more than 1,000,000 liters of waste oil from being disposed into the water drainage or soil, also 300 tons of CO2eq emissions are being avoided.