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Katjes announces new climate-neutral initiative at ISM2020

By Anthony Myers

- Last updated on GMT

'The future is plant-based' - the Katjes' booth at ISM2020. Pic: ISM
'The future is plant-based' - the Katjes' booth at ISM2020. Pic: ISM

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German confectionery giant announces voluntary sustainability programme with CO2 reduction and offsetting in line with Kyoto Protocol.

German confectionery manufacturer Katjes chose its presence at ISM2020 to announce it will be making its production sites climate-neutral for the first time, voluntarily offsetting its emissions in line with the targets of the Kyoto Protocol.

Katjes is a pioneer in the field of vegetarian and sustainable products. The company said it avoids using animal gelatine in the manufacture of its products and has converted its entire Katjes range in Germany to vegetarian. At last year's ISM, it launched Chocjes’, the first vegan chocolate using oat drink.

Since 2012, the company has been working continuously on measures to reduce and avoid CO2, and by avoiding animal gelatine, the confectionery manufacturer said it has been able to reduce CO2 emissions for individual products by up to 20%. By 2030, it aims to halve the CO2 emissions that its production causes, claiming to be one of the first companies in its sector to voluntarily offset its emissions in line with the targets of the Kyoto Protocol.

Certified projects

In order to offset these emissions, Katjes said at the specially convened ISM2020 press conference that it is sponsoring certified projects in India, Kenya, Rwanda and Peru, “which not only make a contribution to climate protection but also provide targeted support for sustainable development in their respective countries​."

Katjes ISM 1985
Katjes has been an exhibitor at ISM since 1978. This photo is from ISM1985. Pic: ISM

Since 2012, the company has been working on measures to reduce and avoid CO2, which include the use of modern refrigeration technology and electricity production in the company’s combined heating and power plant, resulting in a 28% reduction of its CO2 footprint in the first four years of the initiative.

Pioneers

We see ourselves as pioneers with this step and wish to contribute to encouraging others to take up a similar commitment to climate protection​”, said Bastian Fassin, managing shareholder of Katjes. “We mustn’t lose any more time in climate protection, which is why Katjes is working full out on additional measures. At the current point in time, support for selected projects represents a useful way of complementing our climate protection activities​.”

The confectionery manufacturer has also joined up with ‘Allianz für Entwicklung und Klima’ [Alliance for Development and Climate]. The organisation is voluntarily committed to implementing the global sustainability targets and the Paris Climate Agreement.

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