Hilton Foods’ Sustainability Chief on EUDR: “I look forward to discussing how we can apply our learnings to other supply chains.”
Food Matters Live sat down with Emer Fardy, Head of Sustainability & Human Rights at Hilton Foods Group and a speaker at Navigating EUDR. She shares how Hilton is preparing for the incoming deforestation regulations and what to expect as she takes to the stage in April.
How are Hilton Foods preparing for incoming EUDRs?
The commodities in scope that are most relevant for us are soy and beef. Through the Hilton Foods Sustainable Protein Plan, we have committed to eliminating deforestation across our supply chains by minimising the conversion of natural forests for agriculture and livestock production.
To this end, we have been working with our suppliers, customers, and other stakeholders to meet this target for some time and gather the necessary data as part of due diligence. Already, we have made significant progress and I look forward to discussing how we can bring these learnings to other supply chains.
Are you taking any steps to prepare for the proposed UK Forest Risk Commodities regulations?
We need to await further guidance to understand what due diligence will look like for UK Forest Risk Commodities regulation, although we hope our efforts to comply with EUDR will take us some way there.
How do you see EUDR reshaping the global food and drink landscape, now and in the future?
The FAO roadmap process, presented at COP28, identifies forest protection as a key mechanism to halt global warming at 1.5 degrees. The legislation will drive an expectation from both customers and shareholders for companies to better understand and mitigate their environmental impact. The regulations are likely to expand to other geographies beyond Europe, with pending legislation to tackle deforestation in the UK and the USA already.
Join Emer in April as she takes to the stage to explore the practical implications of the new regulations and delves into the key priorities and strategies to mitigate their impact on your business.
