Carbon Strategy
A Carbon Neutral Company NOW
Maple Leaf Foods announced on November 7, 2019 that we have become the first major food company in the world to be carbon neutral. We have become carbon neutral by aggressively reducing our greenhouse gas emissions and investing in high-impact environmental projects to neutralize our remaining and currently unavoidable emissions.
We are also one of just three animal protein companies globally and the only food company in Canada to set Science Based Targets that are aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Importantly, Science-Based Targets require that we reduce our emissions even as we grow.
We are on a mission to be the most sustainable protein company on earth. We recognize that creating nutrient-dense protein like ours takes resources, and today, we are proud to replenish the environment in equal measure.

What It Means to Be Carbon Neutral
Michael McCain, President and CEO, explains the importance of being the world’s first major carbon neutral food company.
Randy Huffman, Chief Food Safety and Sustainability Officer, explains what it means to be carbon neutral.
Curtis Frank, President and Chief Operating Officer, shares his sense of pride in working for a company that has achieved a bold goal like carbon neutrality.
What Science-Based Targets Have We Set?
Maple Leaf Foods has pledged to reduce our absolute scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% by 2030 from a 2018 base year. We produce these emissions directly in our operations and from the electricity we purchase.
We have also pledged to reduce scope 3 GHG emissions by 30% per tonne of product produced over the same period. These emissions are produced in our supply chain, including raw materials, feed and ingredients we purchase and consume, and emissions associated with packaging, plus distribution of our products.
Our Journey
Becoming carbon neutral is Maple Leaf Foods latest, bold step on its sustainability journey. Since 2015, we have significantly advanced against our environmental footprint reduction target of 50% by 2025, one of the most aggressive intensity reduction targets in the food industry. We are achieving this by realizing efficiency gains of projects we have implemented across our network, investing in technology and rigorous monitoring.
To neutralize our remaining emissions, we are investing in high-quality, credible and verifiable projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions to bring our net carbon footprint to zero.
We have come far on our sustainability journey and are committed to continue to lead in critical efforts to fight global warming and to protect the planet.
Maple Leaf Foods appoints Lynda Kuhn, a member of our Senior Leadership Team, to create a company-wide sustainability program.
Maple Leaf Foods is supporting 10 high-impact, environmental projects to neutralize our remaining, unavoidable emissions. These projects are located throughout Canada and the U.S., and many are near the locations where our facilities and barns operate.
This certificate of allocation details our investments in the Verified Emission Reduction projects. This certificate of allocation details our investments in Renewable Energy Credits.
Learn more about our projects by clicking on each of the boxes below.