“As an industry, we are all in this together,” said President and Chief Operating Officer David Smith. “While Oppy’s global presence and unique role in the supply chain has the potential for staggering impact — when it comes to sustainability, we believe in collaboration over competition. Which is why we are committed to working with partners, stakeholders and competitors to create a sustainable tomorrow for all and drive meaningful change.”
Key highlights from the 2024 report:
- Oppy received SmartWay certification in the fall of 2023, a voluntary public-private program that measures and documents fuel use and freight emissions throughout the supply chain.
- 119,062 kilowatt hours were generated from renewable sources, representing 59 percent of electricity used to power our offices and warehouse space, and avoiding 162 metric tons of carbon emissions
- Oppy’s upcycling partnerships for food waste and recycled materials resulted in the reduction of 74 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent and 430 mtCO2e, respectively.
- As the leading marketer of Fair Trade-certified Bell peppers, $1.575 million in premium funds for farmworkers and their communities amounted from 26 million of the 34.9 million pounds of total certified produce sold in 2023.
- Increased sales volume of organic products by 130 percent between 2018 and 2023 — to both meet market demand and limit the effects of climate change.
- Launched a home and industry-certified compostable avocado bag in January 2024. The Earth Sack is a 100 percent biodegradable and compostable bag free of microplastics and petrochemicals.
- 800 percent increase in Oppy employees’ paid volunteer time off, largely spent in the following areas: Food bank and food security related charity work, environmental support initiatives such as tree planting and activities supporting children’s education.
