Seeka has released its first comprehensive Sustainability Report, tracking its carbon footprint as it grows, packs and exports orchard produce to markets around the world.
Seeka’s Sustainability Report 2022 focusses on establishing the base methodology for Sustainability Reporting including three years of independently verified carbon footprint calculations. The report outlines the initiatives and targets that the company is putting in place to measure its sustainability performance and its initiatives to respond to climate change. Seeka has established a goal of being net zero carbon by 2050 through initiatives including waste reduction, regenerative orchard practices, being an employer of choice and supporting the wellbeing of local communities. This involves targeting a 30% reduction in carbon emissions by 2025.
Seeka Chief Executive, Michael Franks, says the report is a significant step forward for the company. It aims to establish Seeka as a socially and environmentally responsible company in each of the regions. Seeka has committed to reduce its verified carbon footprint by 30% by 2025 and 50% by 2030. Following the plan, the company has established the target of being net zero carbon by 2050.
In addition to reporting absolute carbon results, Seeka is benchmarking intensity-based performance indicators to capture efficiency gains as the business grows. “We operate in fast-growing industries, and we intend to continue expanding through a planned increase in New Zealand kiwifruit crops. We are measuring the carbon impact of fruit handled by Seeka, which at 50.7 tonnes of C02e per 100,000 class 1 trays packed is trending down over the past three years, demonstrating early gains from our carbon reduction initiatives”, says Franks.
Seeka 2022 sustainability higlights
- Carbon footprint assurance for 2019, 2020 and 2021 by Toitu Envirocare
- Assisting iwi to achieve improved economic enablement through the joint development of their land
- Recovering strings from 150 hectares of SunGold kiwifruit orchards, recycled and diverted from landfill
- Growing the Pacific economy with 781 Pacific people supported into seasonal employment in 2021 through Seeka’s recognised seasonal employer programme
- Capacity for 446kW of solar power with systems installed in Seeka Kerikeri, Seeka Australia and Seeka 360 in Te Puke
- 100 tonnes of organic waste able to be diverted to regenerative horticulture; composted at Seeka’s worm farm and applied to Seeka orchards
- 6 hybrid vehicles joined Seeka’s fleet
- $270k donated to charity, sports groups and local organisations
About the company
Seeka operates a fully-integrated orchard-to-market service delivering produce to retailers and wholesalers in New Zealand and overseas. The company grows, picks, packs, operates coolstores, supplies and sells directly to customers.
The company’s New Zealand product lines include kiwifruit, kiwiberries and Hass avocados, with the new Gem avocado variety currently in development. In the New Zealand domestic market, the company operates a wholesale market and distribution service in Auckland and Christchurch specialising in fresh fruit and vegetables and seasonal produce. This includes selling their own grown kiwifruit, kiwiberries and avocados. They import, ripen and handle tropical fruits including banana, pineapple and papaya and sell fresh fruit and vegetables on behalf of partner growers.
From their Australian orchards the company is the country’s largest producer of Hayward kiwifruit and Nashi pears, and also produce a range of European pears, apricots, cherries and plums. Through the Delicious Nutritious Food Company the company supplies a range of products including Kiwi Crush and Kiwi Crushies made from processed kiwifruit pulp.
Seeka is a listed company: NZX:SEK.
