PEMBROKESHIRE-based potato company, Puffin Produce has joined the global Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and committed to reducing its emissions by 46 per cent by 2030.

The initiative is in line with the Paris Agreement to limit global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees.

The company, which last year launched the UK’s first carbon-neutral potato brand, Root Zero, joins around 2,500 businesses around the world that have set targets as part of the SBTi movement.

The targets cover the emissions that are generated directly from the company’s operations and their indirect emissions from purchased electricity.

Puffin Produce is going further than the SBTi target though by working with farmers, retailers, and consumers to reduce other indirect emissions from the sale and use of its produce.

Huw Thomas, CEO of Puffin Produce explained: “This is a serious commitment to bring us in line with businesses around the world which have committed to making major changes to reduce climate-damaging emissions."

The majority of emissions are generated from electricity use in storage and the production process.

Next year, Puffin Produce aims to be generating its green energy by installing solar panels at its production site.

The second phase of investment will see the company investing in wind power generation.

The company is working with its logistics partners to reduce transport emissions by using more efficient vehicles and moving to biogas, hydrogen, or electric-powered vehicles.

At present, 50 per cent of its fleet are hybrid or electric vehicles. The company aims to move to 100 per cent by 2030.

Employing a regenerative approach to land management on its farms is already helping to reduce and offset emissions from growing, processing, and storing produce.

Processes are in place to increase soil organic matter, boost biodiversity and reduce fertiliser and pesticide use. This includes the conservation of 110 miles of hedgerow on its farms and planting a minimum of 445 acres of cover crops every year which improves soil quality and sequesters carbon in the land.

Huw continued: “The food system contributes up to 30% of global greenhouse gases and we all have to take action.

"We’ve laid our plans out in detail and published them on our website in our Root Zero manifesto - our public commitment to changing the way we do business and halving our emissions by over by 2030.”