WASA IS STEPPING UP FOR THE PLANET
Our commitment
Why we make crispbreads,
not grand sustainability statements
We’re nothing without nature. Everyone would say that. But as we only ever bake with nature’s finest raw ingredients, it’s especially true for us. Tasty crispbread is what we make best. But we also want to use our business to make a difference. As climate change is changing everything we are changing, too. Lowering our CO2 footprint and compensating where we fall short is a start. Progressive initiatives like regenerative farming and carbon capture, is better still. But we want to be part of the solution. Not through grand distant visions but with small and significant changes here and now. In fact, all any of us have is the here and now. So we act now. And do what science shows us is right, for right now.
WE ARE A 100% CO₂ COMPENSATED BRAND
Our strategy is simple: we use 100% renewable energy, we follow energy-saving programmes at our sites, and we measure every remaining tonne of CO₂ we produce. We are working continuously on different CO₂ reduction projects centered on rye and also supporting initiatives around the world, like rainforest protection and clean energy generation.
1. We measure
We identify, measure, manage, and report our CO₂ emissions – from field to shelf. The raw materials we use, our energy consumption, packaging production, and the manner in which we transport our products and deliver them to our distributors are all examples of the emissions we consider.
2. We reduce
We’re always on the lookout for ways to reduce our emissions. Energy Saving Programs, Green Logistic Projects, and purchasing 100% Renewable Origin (GO-Guarantee of Origin)⁴ electricity for our manufacturing plants are examples of measures taken.
3. Wasa’s emissions
Wasa’s emissions after reduction efforts equate to ca. 110,800 tonnes of CO₂. That’s nearly the same as driving around the entire planet 13,600 times⁵.
4. We compensate 100%
To compensate our remaining emissions, we have chosen to contribute to the protection of a rainforest and support solar energy use through certified VCS projects. The VCS Program is the world’s most widely used voluntary GHG program. Projects developed under the VCS Program must follow a rigorous assessment process in order to be certified.
5. Wasa’s projects
As a Swedish brand, we have a strong relationship to forests and beautiful nature for all. We participate in the Madre de Dios Project in the Peruvian rainforest⁶, one of the world’s biodiversity hot spots and by doing so we live up to our values. Wasa also contributes to solar energy access in rural areas of India⁷. These projects also bring social, environmental and economic added benefits, in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)⁸.
4. The Guarantee of Origin (GO or GoO) is the tracking certificate regulated in the European Directive 2009/28/EC, article 15.
5. Assumptions: a petrol engine, medium-sized car and an equatorial distance of 40 000 km
6. Wasa compensation equivalent to ca 19 950 tons of CO₂
7. Compensation equivalent to ca 90 900 tonnes of CO₂
8. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015.
OUR CO₂ REDUCTION PROJECTS
We are constantly innovating to achieve a more sustainable production chain
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE PILOT PROJEcT
Our vision is that of having a positive impact that helps to regenerate the land we work on every day.
More sustainable choices with climate footprints
Through our CO₂ footprint labels, we are giving crispbread lovers even more reasons why they can count on us to provide low carbon products with a delicious taste.
Q&A ABOUT OUR CO₂ COMPENSATION PROGRAM
What is carbon offsetting/CO₂ compensation?
Carbon emissions from human activities are at the origin of Climate change at the global level: one tonne of carbon emitted somewhere leads to a global warming worldwide.
An organization is carbon neutral when, after emission reduction efforts, it balances residual emissions by reducing, sequestrating or avoiding emissions somewhere else.
This mechanism has been developed by the United Nations, following the Kyoto protocol framework, and has been acknowledged during the Paris Agreement, following the COP 21 (2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference).
Since climate change is a global matter, the impacts of one tonne of carbon emitted somewhere in the world can be neutralized thanks to the sequestration, the reduction or avoiding of another tonne somewhere else: this is the principle of carbon offsetting. This has the same positive impact on the climate because the greenhouse effect is a global phenomenon.
Our carbon neutral approach via the offsetting of all our annual carbon residual emissions is a purely voluntary act, additional to our emissions reduction policy.
Carbon offsetting and CO2 compensation are synonymous. As are Carbon neutrality and 100% CO2 compensated.
How does it work?
Climate change is a global issue: one tonne of carbon emitted somewhere leads to a global warming worldwide.
Based on this principle, carbon offsetting (also named CO2 compensation) enables to neutralize an amount of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions (i.e. carbon emissions) emitted in a place by the reduction or the sequestration of an equivalent amount of GHG emissions in another place. This reduction or sequestration is achieved via specific carbon projects, very often located in developing countries, and financed by someone willing to offset its residual carbon emissions.
This support takes the form of carbon credits, with 1 credit = 1 tonne of CO2 emission reduced or sequestrated.
For example, a solar panel producing electricity from a renewable source instead of a fossil one, helps to reduce GHG emissions at the global level. The amount of GHG emissions avoided by this project can be used to offset emissions of an activity that takes place in another country. The funding of this offsetting enables the solar panel project to become live and to last.
Why does it matter?
Everybody knows the Earth's greenhouse effect. It helps to keeping a viable mean temperature on Earth. But human activities emit GHG emissions, and since for two centuries, the GHG atmospheric concentrations are have been increasing. This triggers climate changes that results in an increasing Earth greenhouse effect, an increasing mean temperature, and leading to the current and future consequences we know.
Therefore, in order to give our even if little contributeion to reversinge the trend we decided to becomeing carbon neutral with Wasa brand products: reducing GHG emissions and offsetting the remaining ones.
How is our carbon neutrality strategy implemented?
As recommended by the best practices of environmental experts, our carbon neutrality is achieved by taking into account each step of the carbon (or GHG emissions) management:
1. Avoid i.e. designing, conceiving low-carbon activities, products and services.
2. Measure, i.e. quantifying and reporting the GHG emissions generated by our activities.
3. Reduce, i.e. implementing all necessary actions to limit our GHG emissions.
4. Offset, i.e. balancing our residual emissions by reducing / sequestrating emissions somewhere else.
This is precisely the carbon neutrality strategy we implemented for the WASA Brand. To guide us in this approach, we decided to follow the internationally-recognized standard PAS2060 developed by British Standards Institution (BSI).
What is the scope of the Wasa project? Does it include only production?
Our carbon neutrality program includes all GHG emissions generated by WASA activities from the field to the shelf, i.e. including raw materials extraction, product manufacturing with the energy used and the packaging of our products, and all the transportation upstream to our mills and downstream to the stores. We wanted to cover it all !
How many tonnes is Wasa offsetting?
Wasa offsets all or emissions from field to shelf, the calculations is updated every year.
Approximately how many travels around the Earth by car does it represent?
94 000 tonnes of CO₂ equals nearly 16 000 car journeys around the Earth.
Assumptions used: a petrol engine, medium-sized car and an equatorial distance of 40,000 km
What is the equivalent of one carbon credit?
One carbon credit equals to one metric tonne of CO2 avoided or sequestered.
Why is Wasa carbon neutral?
As part of our sustainable development strategy, and in full consistency with our corporate values, we have become carbon neutral with the objective to commit publicly against climate change and contribute strongly to the achievement of the global climate objectives. It’s a challenge for all and we want to do our bit!
We know you care: for your family, for your everyday life, for the planet. So does WASA, by engaging and reducing the Green House Gas (GHG) emissions of its activities every year and by offsetting its residual GHG emissions. The combination of these two strategic actions enables WASA to offer you since the beginning of this year carbon neutral crispbreads with a commitment to maintain at least until 2021.
Additionally, the carbon offsetting projects WASA supports, also provide social, environmental and economic side-benefits, which help contributing to United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)1. This is fully in line with our GYGP (Good for You Good for the Planet) strategy, which refers to our company's responsibility for its impact on society, including social, environmental and economic aspects. Barilla is committed to contributing to the achievement of the United Nation Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs). All our products and brands must bring the world food that is good, healthy and sourced from responsible supply chains, inspired by the Italian lifestyle and the Mediterranean Diet.
¹Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015.
Is offsetting a way to buy yourself the right to pollute? How do we prove that we're not “greenwashing”?
Definitely not! Firstly, WASA reduces every year its GHG emissions in accordance with company global policy Good for You Good for the Planet. Barilla Group makes continuous efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of its production processes by managing and monitoring the energy resources used at its plants, the greenhouse gases emitted, and their water consumption and waste production.
Wasa is Barilla's 1st pilot project on carbon neutrality in order to understand the best model that could be scalable in the next years to reach a global company carbon neutralization.
We decided to offset our annual remaining GHG emissions in order to have a carbon neutral approach now, and not later, as we are conscious of the urgency to act for the climate with a commitment to maintain offsetting at least until 2021.
This offsetting approach is fully voluntary. WASA chooses this program because we believe very strongly in acting positively in favor of climate protection.Financially supporting projects that reduceing or sequesterrating CO2 emissions is a good demonstration of our commitment.
Why has Wasa chosen offsetting projects outside Europe?
Most of the offsetting projects that exist today are located in developing countries. Societal side-benefits associated with environmental outcome of these projects have a noteworthy positive impact on developing countries.
The Kyoto protocol legislation in EU countries blocks voluntary offsetting project development on their territory.
Factually, offsetting is more efficient in developing southern countries because, with an equivalent funding, the CO2 emissions reduction is 100 times more efficient in Africa than in Europe, for example. Europe countries already use high-performance technologies and have a relatively good management of their forests. Therefore, CO2 emissions reduction margin is substantially lower.
What are the guarantees taken by WASA on the chosen offsetting projects?
In accordance with the International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA)2 code of practice, we support only offsetting projects certified by the most stringent, recognized and international standards:
- VERRA, for the robustness and transparency of the project approach, for ensuring benefits are quantifiable and that the project is responsible and climate high-performing.
- CCBA (The Climate, Community & Biodiversity Alliance) for the stimulation and promotion of the land management activities, the improvement of the well-being of local communities, and the conservation of the biodiversity.
- The Rainforest Alliance, for the compliance of the economic activities of the project with the environmental, social and economic standards.
- FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), for ensuring the forest is managed in a sustainable way.
A second check is also done during our carbon projects selection, by carrying out a risk assessment which analyses 30 risks (political, legal, industrial, social, environmental, etc.) to ensure the projects we support are sustainable, credible, reliable and that they offer plenty of social, economic and environmental benefits to the local communities.
2 ICROA: International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance. Non-profit organization that brings together the leading providers of carbon reduction and carbon offset services
Why has Wasa chosen offsetting projects outside Europe?
Most of the offsetting projects that exist today are located in developing countries. Societal side-benefits associated with environmental outcome of these projects have a noteworthy positive impact on developing countries.
The Kyoto protocol legislation in EU countries blocks voluntary offsetting project development on their territory.
Factually, offsetting is more efficient in developing southern countries because, with an equivalent funding, the CO2 emissions reduction is 100 times more efficient in Africa than in Europe, for example. Europe countries already use high-performance technologies and have a relatively good management of their forests. Therefore, CO2 emissions reduction margin is substantially lower.
How is a carbon credit generated? How is it validated?
Offsetting projects aim to reduce or sequestrate carbon emissions. For each tonne of CO2 reduced or sequestrated, 1 carbon credit is generated.
1ICROA: International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance. Non-profit organization that brings together the leading providers of carbon reduction and carbon offset services
To do so, emission reduction efforts related to the project are thoroughly measured with rigorous calculation methodologies and verified by third parties to ensure emissions reductions effectively took place. After this verification process, carbon credits are issued and recorded in international electronic carbon registries. So it goes with all the offsetting operations which are transparent and registered publicly. Once used for offsetting purposes, the credits are destroyed (“retired”) to avoid any double-counting. This process is very similar to the one that registers money on bank accounts.
What is PAS 2060?
To implement a carbon neutrality approach, a standardized methodology must be followed. To that end, we decided to go with the PAS 2060, a specification standard developed by British Standard Institute (BSI) detailing how to demonstrate carbon neutrality. It provides a common definition and a recognized method to achieve carbon neutrality for an organization, with accuracy and transparency.