Ferrero the confectionary maker (Ferrero Rocher, Rafaello, Nutella and Kinder) have published their latest CSR report. In the report the company commits to reducing its carbon emissions by 17% by 2013, compared with 2007 emissions, and to reduce energy use by 19-20%. It aims to achieve this through a combination improvement in energy efficiency and increasing use of renewable resources. In summary its key targets are as follows:

• develop self-production energy capacity to cover the needs of all manufacturing plants in Europe
• 19-20% reduction in energy consumption, with respect to 2007
• 15% reduction, at least, with respect to 2007, in direct and indirect fossil fuel consumption and related greenhouse gas (CO₂) emissions
• 50% increase, at least, with respect to 2007, in high efficiency co-generation energy
• 20% of our self-production energy capacity derived from renewable sources
• All new packaging projects to be evauated in terms of eco-design and optimization from the environmental point of view
• Up to 10% increase in the use of recyclable materials in packaging

Interestingly Ferrero also highlights its intention to consider the sustainability of new products at the conceptual phase of their development. It gives an example of this an icecream ‘Gran Soleil’ that you buy at ambient temperature and freeze at home (would be interesting to know what the ingredients must be in order to stop it freezing into a hard block...) On palm oil it says: “Starting from 2011, 25% of our total supply of palm oil will be certified as sustainable, according to the RSPO criteria, thanks to a specific agreement being signed in 2009 with New Britain Palm Oil Limited" (NBPOL). Our target for 2015 is to obtain 100% of our total supply of palm oil certified as sustainable. It also highlights measures it has undertaken on cocoa sourcing. The section on nutrition makes interesting reading – “Skipping breakfast is a bad habit* [NB: their asterisk], unfortunately becoming increasingly common, not only among adults, but also among children and adolescents. There are several reasons for this, such as not having much of an appetite when you wake up and the hectic pace of modern life. The importance of breakfast as part of a healthy, balanced diet, has been confirmed by numerous scientific studies highlighting the nutritional value of the first meal of the day, also in terms of physical well-being and concentration at school and at work. Our research has demonstrated that the release of sugars in Nutella is slow and gradual, allowing us to promote breakfast habits with a positive impact on the sense of satiety, as well as on the levels concentration and attention. The low glycemic index of bread and Nutella can, in fact, provide a flexible and balanced combination of foods, made even more pleasant by the taste of Nutella. We have therefore engaged in promoting the value of breakfast, suggesting combinations of Nutella with other foods: preparing a slice of bread and Nutella does not take long and its nutritional value allows for a cup of milk and a piece of fruit too, thereby ensuring the energy levels and nutrients necessary to start the day well.Allocating time for breakfast also means sharing it with your loved ones.”  You might also be interested to know that to ensure freshness and quality, Kinder Eggs undergo ‘management taste tests’ an average of 509 times a month; Ferrero Rocher a more modest 286 and they also do ‘indepth sensory profiles’ which they map out in spider web diagrams. To download the full report click see here and to make life easier click on the pdf icon.