Tate & Lyle announces ambitious new environmental targets

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New targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and eliminate coal from its operations, reduce water use, beneficially use all its waste, and maintain support for sustainable agriculture.

21 May 2020 London, UK: Tate & Lyle PLC (Tate & Lyle), a leading supplier of food and beverage ingredients and solutions, announces a set of ambitious new environmental targets and commitments. These targets are aligned to the delivery of Tate & Lyle’s purpose, Improving Lives for Generations, a key pillar of which is to care for our planet and protect its natural resources for the benefit of future generations.

 

Aerial shot of corn field being harvested

Tate & Lyle’s new environmental targets are, by 2030, to deliver:

In adopting these targets, Tate & Lyle commits to:

  • Eliminate use of coal from its operations by 2025.
  • Establish its Scope 1, 2 and 3 CO2e emissions reductions as Science-Based Targets.
  • Maintain sustainable acreage equivalent to the volume of corn Tate & Lyle buys globally each year, currently 1.5 million acres, and through partnerships accelerate the adoption of conservation practices.

These new targets and commitments build on the steps already taken to enhance Tate & Lyle’s sustainability across its entire value chain. For example, in September Tate & Lyle announced a landmark sustainable agriculture programme in partnership with Truterra™ (formerly Land O'Lakes SUSTAIN™) to help growers in the US Midwest understand the impact sustainable practices can have on their crops and their profitability, and to adopt them.

To demonstrate its commitment to the new environmental targets, Tate & Lyle has linked the pricing of its US$800 million revolving credit facility, extended in May 2020, to the delivery of its new Scope 1 and 2 CO2e emissions, beneficial waste and water reduction targets.

Nick Hampton, Chief Executive at Tate & Lyle, said: “There has never been a greater need for businesses to address the climate change crisis. One of the key pillars of our purpose of Improving Lives for Generations is to care for our planet and with our new environmental targets and commitments we are taking decisive action to protect our planet’s natural resources for the benefit of future generations.”

Anna Pierce, Director of Sustainability at Tate & Lyle, added: “These stretching new targets demonstrate our steadfast commitment to integrate sustainability into our day-to-day business activities, processes and culture.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

  1. Progress against these targets will be measured and published in Tate & Lyle’s Annual Report each year.
  2. Emissions categories:
    • Scope 1: Direct emissions from owned or controlled sources
    • Scope 2: Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy
    • Scope 3: Other indirect emissions such as the growing and production of purchased materials, including corn, and transportation of purchased fuels and other goods.
  3. Carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) is a term for describing different greenhouse gases in a common unit to signify the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that would have the equivalent global warming impact.
  4. Targets adopted by companies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are considered “science-based” if they are in line with what the latest climate science says is necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement – to limit global warming to well-below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. Find out more.
  5. The new water target is an intensity target.
  6. Tate & Lyle and Land O’Lakes SUSTAIN launch landmark sustainability initiative on 1.5 million acres of U.S. corn – announced 12 September 2019

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About Tate & Lyle: 
Supported by our 160-year history of ingredient innovation, we partner with customers to provide consumers with healthier and tastier choices when they eat and drink. We are proud that millions of people around the world consume products containing our ingredients every day.

Through our expertise in sweetening, fortification, and texture, we develop ingredient solutions which reduce sugar, calories, and fat, add fibre and protein, and provide texture and stability in categories including beverages, dairy, bakery, snacks, soups, sauces, and dressings.

We have more than 3,500 employees working in around 57 locations across 39 countries. Science, Solutions, Society is our brand promise and how we will achieve our purpose of Transforming Lives Through the Science of Food. By living our purpose we believe we can successfully grow our business and have a positive impact on society. We live our purpose in three ways, by supporting healthy living, building thriving communities and caring for our planet.

Tate & Lyle is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol TATE.L. American Depositary Receipts trade under TATYY. In the year to 31 March 2023, Tate & Lyle revenue from continuing operations totalled £1.75 billion. For more information, please visit https://www.tateandlyle.com or follow Tate & Lyle on LinkedinX (Twitter)Facebook or YouTube