Supporting sustainable farming & responsible practices

By developing solutions with low greenhouse gas emissions, Avril is creating value for crop and livestock farmers in local regions, to the benefit of both consumers and the planet. 

The Group’s ambition is to champion agriculture as a solution to climate change, and to restore the competitiveness of oilseed crop farming by providing financial support for best practices among farmers.

In 2023, Saipol pursued the implementation of a strategy based on sustainability, traceability and recognizing the value of agricultural best practices. In a constantly evolving regulatory context and an uncertain biodiesel market, Saipol continued to purchase low-carbon oilseeds via OleoZE, with volumes plateauing this year at 135,000 metric tons, resulting in an average GHG reduction of 97% compared to fossil fuels.

Saipol also moved forward with the development of its OleoZE plant, and is working to make its expertise in low-GHG biofuels available to other business units, in order to provide upstream and downstream support for decarbonization and regenerative agricultural practices. 

Lesieur has initiated a collective and innovative approach involving a range of stakeholders in the rapeseed and sunflower sectors: FOP farmer members, storage organizations, Saipol for crushing, Sofiprotéol to structure the supply channel, Terres Innovia for on-the-ground expertise, and an independent third party (DNV) to validate the approach.

The objective is to facilitate the development of more robust rapeseed and sunflower plantations that consume fewer resources and respect biodiversity and the environment, by establishing a set of specifications based around twelve criteria.

This approach addresses the expectations of consumers who wish to reduce their environmental impact with more responsible produce. As a leader in its sector, Lesieur has chosen to champion responsible agricultural practices, rewarding farmers’ commitment with adjusted compensation for its Cœur de Tournesol and Fleur de Colza ranges.

Lesieur is seeking to unite as many farmers as possible under the “Committed Oils” initiative, and to support them as they transition toward greater sustainability. The company has developed and upgraded its charter of agricultural best practices alongside the various stakeholders involved in the project, with the goal of allowing each partner farmer to select at least three “committed” practices to implement, while also taking into account the specific conditions of their farm (region, soil, water, crops, etc).

Via its Solutions for Agriculture branch, Avril supports livestock farmers in optimizing their profitability while also reducing the environmental impact of their operations: two challenges which may appear contradictory, but are in fact directly correlated. Avril notably supports cattle farming and develops solutions that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, in particular the reduction of methane emissions by ruminants, which are primarily caused by enteric fermentation.

Reducing emissions from ruminants requires specific expertise in animal nutrition, and Sanders is working in partnership with Feed Alliance and MiXscience to offer solutions capable of addressing this challenge, and of guaranteeing responsible supply. The end goal is to support a sustainable French livestock sector, and thereby to avoid importing meat sourced from animals whose nutrition might contribute to deforestation and whose transport results in GHG emissions.

In 2023, Sanders defined its CSR ambitions, which are now fully integrated into its strategy and reflect the message of its new slogan: Putting tomorrow in your hands.

Tackling the challenge of decarbonizing livestock farming

• Reducing our GHG emissions by 30% by 2030
• Reducing GHG emissions in livestock farming
• Accelerating the decarbonization of the protein sector
• Innovating for eco-friendly animal nutrition

Fostering both animal and farmer welfare

• Certifying our partner livestock farms
• Promoting physical and mental wellness for livestock farmers
• Integrating virtuous livestock farming practices as a component of livestock farmer compensation

Creating value for women, men and regions

• Representing, defending and promoting livestock farmers
• Creating and sharing value throughout the regions
• Strengthening dedicated dialogue and closer links with livestock farmer clients
• Banking on the value of inclusion

Avril’s climate strategy and its greenhouse gas emissions reduction trajectory for 2030 were validated in 2023 by the Science Based Targets Initiative* (SBTi). This strategy is based on both mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change – two mutually beneficial approaches to achieve the ambitious objectives the Group has set itself.

*The Science Based Targets initiative is a partnership between the CDP, the UN Global Compact, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), an initiative created following the Paris Agreement in order to engage economic stakeholders in the decarbonization process.

Mitigating climate change involves taking action to address its causes, with priority being given to greenhouse gas emissions. In Scopes 1 & 2, which involve direct emissions from Avril operations, each business unit has implemented a roadmap designed to reduce sources of energy consumption that have the greatest impact on the carbon footprint.

This expansive undertaking covers all industrial sites operated by the Group that consume natural gas and electricity, which represents around 270 kt of annual CO2 emissions. Studies were launched in 2023 to identify the main sources of waste, supplementing measures already put in place (an energy management system and programs to increase awareness around energy savings).

In Scope 3, which covers emissions generated by the Avril value chain (primarily supply and transport operations), the objective is to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sectors we work with. This is achieved through innovative initiatives such as OleoZE, or Lesieur’s “Committed Oils”, which incentivize responsible, low-carbon farming practices.

Adaptation involves evaluating our vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, in order to identify solutions that will enable us to contend with a changing climate. Efforts began with two studies launched in 2023 for the 2030 and 2050 timeframes, in order to lay the foundations for a forthcoming adaptation plan.

The first study focused on the assessment of climate risk at our industrial sites: those located in the USA, Malaysia and in North Africa proved to be particularly exposed, and will require targeted investment in the coming years.

The second looked at oilseed farming in France: summer crops (sunflower, soya) are particularly at risk from extended periods of dry weather, with significant variabilities across different regions. The objective is to be able to share our conclusions with upstream agriculture, and to work together to define a suitably adapted plan of action.