10 wmt sustainability overview 121

Growing Globally Greener

The Oppenheimer Group

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Growing Greener At Home and Around The World

A Little About The Oppenheimer GroupAs BC’s Oldest Company, Sustainability Comes Naturally.

Select Grower Profiles

Houweling’s Hot House, Camarillo, CaliforniaTomatoes grown with the lowest environmental impact per kilogram produced.

Origin Organic Farms, Delta, British ColumbiaOrganic tomatoes and cucumbers grown under glass in a fully sustainable system focused on recycling of water, plant matter, and soil media.

SunSelect Produce, Abbotsford, British ColumbiaThe world’s first “climate friendly” sweet bell peppers.

Divemex S.A., Guadalajara, MexicoPeppers grown with pride – in the products, community, and people.

ZESPRI Kiwifruit, Tauranga, New ZealandPremium quality green and gold kiwifruit grown in harmony with nature.

ENZA International, Auckland, New ZealandApples and pears produced with innovation and sustainability at heart.

Our international network of growers assures that the season’s best is always in season, any time of year.

Through our partnerships, some lasting more than a century, we’ve introduced North Americans to popular varieties, including:

• Granny Smith, Braeburn, Royal Gala, ENZA Pacific Rose™, Southern Rose™, and Jazz™ apples.

• ZESPRI™ GREEN and GOLD Kiwifruit.• Amorosa™ cocktail tomatoes. • Japanese mandarin oranges.

Decades of delivering on our commitments to customers of all sizes have established our reputation for reliability which enables optimum market penetration.

Our people are among the most dedicated and experienced in the international produce community.

Oppenheimer Bros. Store, Yale, BC

Since our beginnings in 1858 when four Oppenheimer brothers followed the gold rush and started a wholesale provisions company, we’ve grown our business by keeping our eye on the future, and delivering on our promises.

Over 150 Years of Business Sustainability

We Harvest a Delicious Global Assortment

More than 100 varieties from over 25 countries – roughly 40 million boxes annually

30% Greenhouse

16% Grapes

5% Mangoes13% Kiwifruit

9% Apples and Pears

5% Stone fruit

7% Pineapple

2% Berries 3% Other

10% Citrus

Touching Every Step of the Supply Chain

Our global scope enables us to introduce sustainable practices from field to fork.

Growing Greener at Home

At The Oppenheimer Group, our expect the world from us promise lives at the heart of everything we do. It encompasses our expertise at sourcing the best produce from around the globe, our commitment to service that exceeds expectations, and our respect for the planet that sustains us all. We are committed to reducing our use of non-renewable resources, improving logistical efficiencies, and introducing practical, sustainable solutions throughout the supply chain.

Sustainability at Oppenheimer means two things, and they go hand in hand:

1. Sustainability in our business practices

Aligning with domestic and international growers whose values are the same

Being efficient

Paying attention to costs

Meeting customers’ needs while treating the environment well

2. Sustainability for the environment

Reducing our use of non-renewable resources

Introducing practical, sustainable solutions throughout the supply chain



HEALTHY PEOPLE, HEALTHY PLANET

A company-wide initiative that encourages sustainable behavior in the office and beyond. From recycling programs and energy-efficient equipment, to tree plantings, community outreach and “ride your bike to work” days, this program builds awareness and creates a culture where sustainable choices are expected, applauded, and enjoyed.


PACKAGING

Oppenheimer-branded cartons are manufactured with 55% recycledmaterial or greater, assuring durability as well as Earth-friendliness.

100% biodegradable and home compostable Earthcycle packaging, made with palm fiber, bring kiwifruit, tomatoes, cucumbers, and other products to market.

EPI additives make our grape bags biodegrade faster than traditional plastic bags.

We’ve reduced the use of wax in our boxes, gravitating toward high technology papers/coatings, while also choosing smarter corrugate designs that require less square footage to produce.


OPERATIONS

We look to our vendors (storage facilities, shipping lines, transportation companies, manufacturers, printers, etc.) to make sustainability a priority, and often include this expectation in our RFPs.

Diligent attention is given to vessel schedules (product phasing) to minimize the distance between the port of entry and the end user.

Use of backhauls involving other companies so trucks do not return empty.


ECO-FRIENDLY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Oppenheimer received the 2007 Produce Marketing Association Innovation Award in the Sustainability Category for North America’s first fully-compostable pack, made of Earthcycle palm fiber material, NatureFlex film, and a label made withcompostable ink.

The same pack was honored with the 2008 Dupont Packaging Innovation Award.

Houweling’s Hot House, Delta, British Columbia & Camarillo, CaliforniaTomatoes grown with the lowest environmental impact per kilogram produced.

New facility opened in spring 2009• Energy consumption is balanced

by hybrid solar generation• 66% reduction in water use• Total elimination of run off, with

nutrients retrieved and recycled• Optimum food safety protocols• Pressurized environment • Local production for local

consumption• Year-round employment and

training for over 450 workers

• Energy Neutral• Hybrid solar technology for

heating and electricity• 20% higher crop yield• Nutrients recovered and recycled• Close to major markets, reducing

transportation • High pressure environment

reduces pests naturally

Houweling’s Hot House, Delta, British Columbia & Camarillo, CaliforniaTomatoes grown with the lowest environmental impact per kilogram produced.

Origin Organic Farms, Delta, British ColumbiaOrganic tomatoes and cucumbers grown under glass in a fully sustainable system focused on recycling of water, plant matter, and soil media.

Compost generated through a proprietary approach where leaves, stems, and fruit prunings are gathered throughout the farm then introduced into the accelerated composting system.

Compost is main ingredient of high quality soil.

Sophisticated drainage and irrigation practices assure no water, pesticide or chemical contamination occurs.

Organic raw material is made into fertilizer, and drip irrigation assures it does not come into contact with the tomatoes and cucumbers as they grow.

All drainage is recycled for reuse.

Can produce four times the yield of traditional organic field crops.


Climate friendly peppers first introduced in 2007.

Certification is provided by Offsetters, Vancouver, B.C., one of Canada’s premier providers of quality carbon offsets.

Certification is achieved primarily through the replacement of non-renewable energy sources with renewable carbon-neutral energy resources and reducing overall energy consumption.

SunSelect has invested millions of dollars in the construction of wood waste energy plants at its greenhouse locations in Aldergrove and Delta, B.C. Canada. After obtaining the wood waste — also known as biomass — from a local saw mill, SunSelect employs boilers to create heat. The heat circulates through the boiler tubes, raising the water temperature and heating the greenhouses.

http://www.sunselect.ca/newsroom/index.html


Based upon actual heating bills for the system and standard energy models, a third party auditing group, A.D. Williams Engineering, Inc., of Edmonton, AB, verified SunSelect’s emissions reductions of approximately 7,500 metric tons per year relative to the conventional natural gas baseline.

SunSelect has also introduced energy curtains to reduce overall energy consumption. These white sheets are installed just under the greenhouses’ gables, and are adjustable with sliding screens that hold the warmth in at night.

Now, SunSelect can actually create carbon credits by burning wood waste instead of natural gas. These credits can be used to offset carbon emissions arising from the transportation of the peppers to the market in addition to ensuring that the growing process is carbon neutral.

Divemex S.A., Guadalajara, MexicoPeppers grown with pride – in the products, community, and people.

Awarded the Empresa Socialmente Responsible from CEMEFI (an association dedicated to civic leadership) for conservation, recycling, and philanthropic efforts.

Child care centers for workers’ familiesRecycling Programs Water Conservation

Adult Education

Health Insurance

Fundraising for local fire department


ZESPRI is the world’s leading kiwifruit brand. With over 2,700 growers in New Zealand, ZESPRI markets

green, gold and organic kiwifruit worldwide.

Ethical Labour

Grower & Shareholder

Returns

Social

Customer/ Market Access

Segregation vs Equity

Economic Resources

Environment

Climate Change

Energy Sources; Non Renewable/ renewable

ZESPRI Premium

ZESPRI SPE

Carbon Footprint

Competing Land use

Communities

Biodiversity

NZ & Non-NZ

Water

Labour

EmployeesCorporate Values

Succession Planning

Air & Water Quality

WasteEcological Footprint

BiosecurityToxins

Supplier Viability

Corporate Ethics

Other Natural Resources


In 2009, ZESPRI measured the total GHG emissions entailed in growing kiwifruit and shipping it to the UK. The grower group has subsequently applied improvements to reduce the output.


Carbon footprint / Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions

• Carbon footprint scoping study completed 2009

• Impact of growing practises on soil carbon.

• Collaborating with partners across the supply chain

Packaging Components

• Compostable fruit label trials in 2010

• Investigating alternative pocket pack and poly liner materials.

• Bio plastic “cut and scoop utensil” trials

Waste / By Products• Researching uses for kiwifruit waste including

bio fuels and bio plastics

Water• Quantification of researching uses for kiwifruit

waste including bio fuels and bio plastics

Biodiversity • Ongoing research to understand and promote biodiversity on kiwifruit orchards.

Industry leader in Integrated Fruit Production (IFP) a system of environmentally purposeful growing techniques with a focus on reduced pesticide use.

• Removes harmful substances from the growing environment

• Reduces pesticide applications• Tracks applications through spray diaries • Establishes and protects “friendly” predators

Recent developments:

• Improved life cycle knowledge of various pests• Increased use of bio control and mating disruption • Collection of data electronically through trap records and

spray diaries, allowing high level mapping to see if pockets of pests exist and what corrective actions the grower took.

Apple Futures ProgramBuilding on IFP, the Apple Futures program is in its third year of developing, testing and refining production methods to deliver fruit with low or nil pesticide residues. All major apple growing regions in New Zealand are involved.


Building business sustainability for the apple industry with the introduction of new varieties.


Granny Smith1956

Royal Gala1973

Braeburn1985

Pacific Rose™1997

JAZZ™2002

Envy™Coming soon!

Sunshine Mangoes, Peru

• Touches roughly 1,000 local families with medical assistance and summer school classes.• Helps support Peruvian economy by providing hundreds of jobs.

LaBrunier Grapes, Brazil

• “Adopt a School” program that benefits over 4,500 students annually.• Social projects involving workers and their families,

contributing to local development in the Brazilian northeast, a region known for high poverty rates• Focus on resource preservation, including measures that sharply reduce water use.

Oppenheimer Growers Make a Difference in South AmericaSunshine Mangoes and La Brunier Grapes.

The Oppenheimer Group, Vancouver, British Columbiawww.oppyproduce.com

Contact Karin GardnerCommunications [email protected]

For More Information

Thank you.

http://www.oppyproduce.com/

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