2011. November 25th. The dairy products manufacturing company Central Lechera Asturiana is working by means of carbon footprint measurement and in collaboration with the R+D Centre AZTI-Tecnalia to cut the CO2eq emissions stemming from its top-selling products (milk packaged in tetra brick cartons and in bottles). This move is in keeping with its commitment to the fight against climate change and comes within the framework of its strategic plan for sustainability.

The calculation has been made in accordance with the internationally recognised PAS 2050 standard, and includes a detailed analysis of all the stages in the life cycle of the "B2C" (Business to Consumer) product, from the obtaining of the raw materials right up to the treatment, packaging, transport and distribution, use and consumption of the milk and end of life of the product.

This initiative has its beginnings in Central Lechera Asturiana's plan to reduce environmental impacts beyond its own processes, and involve the whole supply chain. The carbon footprint measurement has made it possible to quantify the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and specify, in terms of CO2eq, the various environmental improvements promoted as a result of its Sustainability Plan started in 2008.

One example is the starting up of a Plan for Sustainable Mobility involving various measurements designed to improve the distribution and logistics system. Among other actions this initiative is encouraging the use of the railway for goods transport, the use of biofuels for vehicles and the optimizing of transport routes, thus achieving a cut of 3,228 tonnes of CO2eq emitted during 2010.

Likewise, its commitment in the fight against climate change has also been reflected in the adopting of measures to reduce emissions through efficiency in the processes and the gradual incorporating of cleaner alternative energies. That way, thanks to the saving in primary energy generated in 2010 through the cogeneration and trigeneration systems introduced into its installations, it was possible to prevent the emission of 14,000 Mt of CO2eq.

Today, the foodstuffs industry finds itself in a very competitive and increasingly global market, and needs to seek solutions to cut production costs and be able to maintain a trade margin. Likewise, as far as consumers, the industry and the general public are concerned, the awareness and demand for aspects relating to sustainability and respect for the environment are growing and becoming more and more relevant.

In this respect, the carbon footprint measurement makes it possible to introduce sustainability criteria into company strategy and also provide a more accurate focus of the measures to be adopted to cut CO2 emissions. The commitment comes within the framework of one of the five cornerstones of the Plan for Sustainability which Central Lechera Asturiana has drawn up; it sets out to guide all the initiatives developed by the organisation within this commitment and to establish the bases for making economic growth compatible with environmental conservation through the increase in productivity efficiency by consuming fewer resources and generating less waste.

A Sustainability Plan on all levels

The carbon footprint calculation is just one of the actions that Central Lechera Asturiana is carrying out to reduce its environmental impacts. The efficient management of water (though the calculation of the Water Footprint, i.e. the water used to produce a litre of milk), the optimization of energy consumption or the cut in the waste materials of the containers placed on the market or those generated by the production process itself are just some of these activities.

• CO2eq: equivalent carbon dioxide, taking the warming potential of each gas with respect to CO2 into consideration