17Mar2024
Haifa, Pioneers in impact strategies
Haifa Group, a leader in specialty fertilizers for agriculture, has defined three main growth drivers for its future path: innovation, compassion and impact.
We discuss these in an exclusive interview with Dorit Koltin, Regulation, Environment & Sustainability VP at Haifa Group.
From what the FAO's forecast for 2050(FAO Expert meeting on How to Feed the World) prospects, it seems clear that the main challenges will involve the world's growing population (+40%), increased demand for food (+70%) and the worrying reduction in arable land (-13%). Haifa therefore wants to continue to prioritize its commitment to promote a better future for humanity and the planet through the creation of an "Impact Strategy" consistent with its traditional values.
Therefore, we have developed a unique and holistic ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) impact strategy, through which we intend to guide the transition of the agricultural sector to a "precision farming" approach by improving applied farming practices in the field.
Our "Impact Compass" uses three guiding principles to help us make the best decisions for our company, our society, and our planet.
These guiding principles are resource efficiency, accountability along the value chain , and the centrality of farmers and crops in everything we do.
Of course they will be our inspiration especially in the pioneering solutions we are developing, in the design of increasingly efficient and lower impact fertilizers.
All of this, in the full Haifa spirit, will always be supported by the creation of "open access" digital platforms where we share knowledge with farmers, so that they can use Haifa know-how to optimize their crops and preserve the health of the planet for future generations.
Finally, these principles also guide us in designing the post-use and disposal processes for packaging and any residue from our products in a circular economy context.
We have therefore defined 5 main goals, to be achieved by 2030, each of which includes projects, actions and new policies that we are designing and implementing throughout the Group.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions - reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 20% (based on emissions measured in 2022).
Transition to sustainable agriculture - expand our products and fertilization practices to an additional 7 million hectares, avoiding the emission of more than 10 million tons of greenhouse gases over the period.
Clean energy - increase the share of renewable energy to 50 percent of total needs.
Waste reduction - use recycled materials for at least 60% of our packaging.
Social impact - analyze our social impact by focusing on the well-being and satisfaction of our employees, an ongoing policy of new hires with a particular interest in implementing more agronomic support in the field, and finally the commitment of our employees to positively influence the communities around us through community and volunteer activities.
We discuss these in an exclusive interview with Dorit Koltin, Regulation, Environment & Sustainability VP at Haifa Group.
How does Haifa see the future?
From what the FAO's forecast for 2050(FAO Expert meeting on How to Feed the World) prospects, it seems clear that the main challenges will involve the world's growing population (+40%), increased demand for food (+70%) and the worrying reduction in arable land (-13%). Haifa therefore wants to continue to prioritize its commitment to promote a better future for humanity and the planet through the creation of an "Impact Strategy" consistent with its traditional values.So what will your strategy be?
The mission is to enable the world to grow more food, using only necessary resources, fighting world hunger and ensuring food security, to adapt to the current change by limiting the negative effects resulting from it.Therefore, we have developed a unique and holistic ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) impact strategy, through which we intend to guide the transition of the agricultural sector to a "precision farming" approach by improving applied farming practices in the field.
So how will you guide yourselves to implement it?
As a support mechanism, we have developed the "Impact Compass," which guides us in shaping the Group's policies, decisions and actions.Our "Impact Compass" uses three guiding principles to help us make the best decisions for our company, our society, and our planet.
These guiding principles are resource efficiency, accountability along the value chain , and the centrality of farmers and crops in everything we do.
And to realize these guiding principles in your company?
Resource efficiency, responsibility in operations, and the focus on agriculture will be considered in our procurement practices, production, and marketing of our specialties.Of course they will be our inspiration especially in the pioneering solutions we are developing, in the design of increasingly efficient and lower impact fertilizers.
All of this, in the full Haifa spirit, will always be supported by the creation of "open access" digital platforms where we share knowledge with farmers, so that they can use Haifa know-how to optimize their crops and preserve the health of the planet for future generations.
Finally, these principles also guide us in designing the post-use and disposal processes for packaging and any residue from our products in a circular economy context.
Finally, what will be your major future commitments?
We are aware that for these major commitments to be effective, ESG and impact criteria must be translated into clear and measurable actions, and be embedded in our daily work, in the way we measure our success, and in the professional know-how of our employees.We have therefore defined 5 main goals, to be achieved by 2030, each of which includes projects, actions and new policies that we are designing and implementing throughout the Group.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions - reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 20% (based on emissions measured in 2022).
Transition to sustainable agriculture - expand our products and fertilization practices to an additional 7 million hectares, avoiding the emission of more than 10 million tons of greenhouse gases over the period.
Clean energy - increase the share of renewable energy to 50 percent of total needs.
Waste reduction - use recycled materials for at least 60% of our packaging.
Social impact - analyze our social impact by focusing on the well-being and satisfaction of our employees, an ongoing policy of new hires with a particular interest in implementing more agronomic support in the field, and finally the commitment of our employees to positively influence the communities around us through community and volunteer activities.