Kerry receives Zero Waste Certificate from Saica Natur

The certificate confirms that 97.9% of all waste generated at Kerry’s Madrid facilities is re-used, recycled or recovered

This certification recognises Kerry's efforts in its commitment to sustainability and contributing towards the circular economy across the food production industry

Kerry Iberia Taste & Nutrition, part of the Kerry Group,has obtained the "From Waste to Resources: Zero to Landfill" Certificate from Saica Natur for its plant located in the town of Pinto, Community of Madrid, after passing the audit carried out by the certifying entity TÜV SÜD.

This certificate recognises organisations that recover 95% or more of the waste they generate on a net basis, incorporating both the waste generated at their Kerry facilities but also accounting for the the waste generated in the recycling or subsequent recovery process. This approach allows the real impact of the activity to be measured using the most demanding methodology in the market and reflects Kerry's rigour and commitment to its consumers and the environment.

The auditing process to obtain the certificate includes analysing all waste streams at the Madrid site to calculate Kerry's reuse and recycling operations to maximise the life cycle of resources used. The results found that during 2021, the company reused, recycled or recovered more than 131,000kg of waste, from materialscomprising of plastic, organic and paper and cardboard. 

Obtaining the Zero to Landfill certificate is the result of a project launched by Kerry in 2019 as part of its environmental policy. This initiative is part of its strategy to establish the most effective, environmental management measures in the organisation in order to contribute to the conservation of natural resources and reduce the impact of its day-to-day operations to a minimum.

The project has spanned three years in which all areas of the company have had to work in a coordinated manner to overcome several obstacles including space limitations, waste categorisation and segregation, and allocation of resources. For example, segregating waste requires additional resources and spending that, following the economic effects endured throughout the pandemic, would have been difficult to justify had it not been for Kerry Madrid's firm commitment to the project and the support of Saica Natur.

The strong will and collaboration of all staff, as well as the environmental training and workshops delivered by Saica Natur have been key elements in reaching this milestone.

The Director of Kerry Madrid, Alberto Torre, said: "This certificate is a significant achievement and forms part of Kerry Group's circular economy ambitions  and our commitment to sustainability and our ambitious Beyond the Horizon project in Madrid. The aim of the project is to promote the creation of a more balanced food industry, which generates prosperity while protecting the population and the planet". 

Antonio Quintilla, Director of Saica Natur Centro, added: "Developing the Zero Waste Project and making it a success has been both technically complex and rewarding given the commitment and motivation shown by the entire Kerry team, who have been very proactive in every challenge we have faced, involving the entire organisation from the first to the last worker. We are extremely pleased with the result”.

About Kerry

Kerry is the world’s leading taste and nutrition partner for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical markets.  We innovate with our customers to create great tasting products, with improved nutrition and functionality, while ensuring better impact for the planet. Our leading consumer insights, global RD&A team of 1,100+ food scientists and extensive global footprint enable us to solve our customers’ complex challenges with differentiated solutions. At Kerry, we are driven to be our customers’ most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition, and to reach over 2 billion consumers with sustainable nutrition solutions by 2030.

About Saica

Saica Group is one of the leading companies in Europe in the manufacture of recycled paper for corrugated board, with an annual production capacity of 3.3 million tons of recycled paper for corrugated board. With more than 10,000 employees and a presence in Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the United States, Saica Group has four business lines: manufacture of recycled paper for corrugated board (Saica Paper), waste management and environmental services (Saica Natur), production of corrugated board packaging (Saica Pack) and flexible packaging (Saica Flex). The group's turnover is €3,598 million, consolidated turnover at Dec. 31, 2021).