Mission Produce Releases Inaugural Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report, Finest for the Future
April 08 2021 - 8:00AM
Mission Produce, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVO) (“Mission” or the “Company”),
the world leader in sourcing, producing, and distributing fresh
Hass avocados, today announces the release of its inaugural
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report, titled “Finest
for the Future.” The report highlights the Company’s
accomplishments in sustainable farming and details the status and
scope of its goals across Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
(DE&I), climate risk, waste reduction and community investment.
Throughout its history, Mission has remained rooted in honesty,
respect, and loyalty to its land, resources, and people. As the
global leader in avocados, Mission has committed to sustainability
initiatives that embody its core values: Fun, Innovative, Reliable,
Successful, and Trustworthy. For over 35 years, the Company has
invested in its people, state-of-the-art technology and
infrastructure.
“Mission Produce’s first ESG Report illustrates our dedication
to the finest practices for our people, product and planet,” said
Mission Produce Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Steve Barnard.
“We embody sustainable practices from field to fork and our
advanced farming practices allow us to keep our water usage per
avocado well below the industry average. Our people are passionate
and have an innovative spirit, constantly driving our operations to
reduce our environmental footprint and contribute positively to our
global community.”
With a focus on investing in people, reducing water and waste,
and minimizing carbon emissions, key highlights of the report
include the following accomplishments and goals:
- Mission announced the implementation
of a reduced plastic bag in at least 50% of the bags packed and
shipped globally by fiscal year 2025, equating to almost 500,000
0.5-liter plastic bottles;
- Mission’s precision and biodiverse
farming methods use less irrigation water per avocado compared to
the average grower, specifically 40.5% less water in Peru1 and 40%
less water in California;2
- Solar panels at the packing facility
in the Company’s Oxnard headquarters power almost three-quarters of
the facility during peak season, with more facilities transitioning
to supply renewable energy each year, specifically in Peru and
California;
- By the end of 2021, Mission aims to
apply shelf-life extension technology to 22.5 million pounds of
avocados to combat food waste and reduce shrink of avocados, the
equivalent of powering almost 563 homes, according to the United
States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
calculator;
- Mission’s global workforce comprises
nearly 50% women, almost 20% of whom were promoted in 2020;
- Compared to 2019, in 2020, Mission
was able to decrease its total global scope 1 and 2 emissions by
15.8% and reduce its total waste by 16.2%.
Additionally, Mission will sponsor the produce industry’s
first-ever DE&I initiative in 2021, run by the Center for
Growing Talent (CGT) of the Produce Marketing Association.
“Creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture is essential
to attracting, developing and retaining the talent that makes our
industry thrive,” said CGT’s Executive Director, Doug Bohr. “With
the Diversity & Inclusion Program Series, we’re helping the
industry build a base of knowledge and resources to advance
DE&I practices to benefit everyone, their businesses and our
industry. We’re thrilled to have the support of industry sponsors,
like Mission Produce, in this work.”
“As we look to the future, we recognize the need to further
understand and integrate DE&I practices within our organization
and industry. People are our greatest asset, so we must do our part
to value, protect, and foster that asset,” added Barnard.
Mission’s sustainability topics for reporting were informed by
stakeholder engagement through a comprehensive sustainability
materiality assessment grounded in the Global Reporting Initiative
(GRI) and aligned with the Sustainability Accounting Standards
Board (SASB).
Mission’s 2020 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)
Report is available for download at
https://worldsfinestavocados.com/mission-global/sustainability.
Endnotes
- According to the Junta de Usuarios
de Riego Presurizado del Distrito de Riego Moche Virú Chao, the
average grower in La Libertad produces 15 tons of avocados per
hectare and uses 18,000 m3 of water per hectare.
- According to the California Avocado
Commission Industry Statistical Data, from 2015-2019, the average
pounds of avocado per bearing acre was 5,832.50 pounds. Mission
Produce farms in California produce an average of 15,000-20,000
pounds of avocados per bearing acre.
About Mission Produce, Inc.:
Mission Produce is the world’s most advanced avocado network.
For more than 35 years, Mission Produce has been recognized as the
leader in the worldwide avocado business, sourcing, producing and
distributing fresh avocados, servicing retail, wholesale and
foodservice customers in over 25 countries. The vertically
integrated Company owns and operates four state-of-the-art avocado
packing facilities in key growing locations globally including
California, Mexico & Peru and has additional sourcing
capabilities in Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, New
Zealand, & South Africa. Mission’s global distribution network
includes eleven forward distribution centers in North America,
China & Europe that offer value-added services such as
ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. In
addition, Mission owns over 11,000 acres globally, allowing for
diversified sourcing and access to complementary growing seasons,
while ensuring its customers receive the highest quality fruit
possible. Mission is the largest global supplier of the World’s
Finest Avocados, for more information please visit
www.missionproduce.com.
ContactDenise JunqueiroSenior Director of
Marketing and CommunicationsMission Produce,
Inc.press@missionproduce.com
Supplemental Materials
Full Report
VideosESG 30-Second VideoESG 60-Second Video
HeadshotSteve Barnard
Photos
Cover PageSteve Barnard in FieldField PhotoLandscapeFacilities
1Facilities 2QualityHydrocoolerSolar Panels WideSolar Panels
CloseMission TruckMission Avocados on CounterCommunity
Source: Mission Produce
A video accompanying this announcement is available
at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6fa2faae-2e50-46b4-8bbe-f15ea97f054f
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