Lima, August 2024 – As part of its sustainable management, Austral Group has been making increasingly demanding efforts with different initiatives in the fight against climate change. Proof of this, this year, the company achieved two important milestones that reinforce its leadership in environmental care practices in the sector.
First, the company obtained the “third star” from the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM), in recognition of the mitigation (reduction) stage of its emissions on the MINAM Peru Carbon Footprint platform. Austral voluntarily externally verified its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during 2023 with an auditing firm. “Achieving the third star reflects our commitment to the fight against climate change and makes us the first fishing company to obtain this recognition. At Austral, we are committed to transparently communicating our carbon footprint from 2018 to date, as well as our emissions mitigation projects, aligned with our sustainable vision,” said Adriana Giudice, CEO of Austral Group.
The second milestone is related to the generation of scientific knowledge. The fishery, in collaboration with the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP), is participating in a study prepared by the Peruvian Network for Life Cycle Analysis and Industrial Ecology (PELCAN), to verify the low environmental impact of fishmeal and fish oil compared to others used in aquaculture. This study is The most accurate one carried out to date for products derived from Peruvian anchovy by including not only the measurement of data in the extraction, processing and transportation of products, but also the three most commonly used types of allocations (mass, energy and economic). In this regard, Giudice highlighted the importance of having scientifically valid studies in the sector that serve as a basis for new initiatives that contribute to the fight against climate change. “We are very committed to working hand in hand with academic institutions in the generation of knowledge that provides new findings for the scientific community,” he stressed.
Leading the way to Sustainability
These achievements position Austral Group as a leader on the path towards sustainability and reaffirm its commitment to reducing its environmental impact. “We are determined to continue implementing projects that contribute to the fight against climate change and promote sustainable practices in our industry and beyond,” concluded Giudice.
Some data
Austral Group invested US$4.7 million in changing its energy matrix to natural gas in all its plants located in the North-Central zone of the Peruvian coast, obtaining as a result an estimated saving of 31,658 tons of carbon equivalent (TCO2eq), from its base year 2018 to date. The aforementioned study identifies that this implementation of energy efficiency has been decisive in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.