Embracing Carbon-Neutral Horticulture — Footprint Project

Explore our Footprint Project, transforming horticulture by optimizing supply chains and reducing carbon emissions, paving the way for a greener future.

“The success of our Footprint Project highlights the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives, demonstrating a win-win for the environment, customers, and employees.” — Benjamin Goepferich, Regional Director Production Africa, Ethiopia
“The success of our Footprint Project highlights the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives, demonstrating a win-win for the environment, customers, and employees.” — Benjamin Goepferich, Regional Director Production Africa, Ethiopia

 

The Footprint Project is important to our company-wide sustainability efforts. It was initiated in 2020 to streamline supply chain complexities and boost our sustainability efforts. When we set out to simplify our supply chain routes, these initially resembled a tangled mess of spaghetti.

 

Simplifying ‘spaghetti’ freight routes

 

Since relocating mother plants from Central America to Africa as part of the project, we were able to simplify routes. This helped us reduce transport times, improve the cold chain, and enhance product quality.

 

Below: freight routes before the Footprint Project (left) and after

 

 

 

Huge CO2 savings

 

The Footprint Project sought to move millions of cuttings from Central America to East Africa, saving approximately 3,000 kilometers per flight. With each box of cuttings creating around 13kg of CO2 equivalent per 1,000 kilometers, the shift resulted in significant CO2 savings, estimated at around 170,000kg.

 

Below: our propagation farm in Embu, Kenya