Climate
Sustainability Charter
for a Circular Bioeconomy


Contents






Foreword
Building a sustainable future with animal by-products
Robert Figgener, President
Business is key to the success of the Policies within the EU Green Deal, Farm to Fork Strategy and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Companies that align sustainable business models with the SDGs can unlock significant value in current and emerging markets and create more jobs. At the same time, the development of partnerships can drive industry transformation on the road to 2030 and beyond.
Our integral role in the animal-based food value chain gives us a fantastic opportunity to work alongside our supply value chain partners to help drive the transition to a low-carbon and circular future, fixed in renewable, natural resources.
Our vision is for our members to make a significant contribution to a circular bioeconomy for sustainable, safe and healthy animal-based food by optimal utilisation of animal by-products (ABP) and edible co-products (ECP).
As a proactive organisation, EFPRA works with our members, sector peers and stakeholders to help the supply value chain navigate the huge challenges that lie ahead and we want to promote our industry's positive sustainability credentials more widely.
By encouraging creativity and sharing knowledge we aim to help our members to continue providing innovative solutions for animal by-products and edible co-products that contribute towards a sustainable, resilient and inclusive future.
To help facilitate this, we have devised a Sustainability Charter based on three core sustainability pillars around our central role in the circular bioeconomy model for utilisation of ABP and ECP from the animal-based food value chain. Our actions, aims and ambitions linked to the "Climate", "Health" and "Society" pillars are presented in separate sections of this publication.
Our Charter seeks to collaboratively help maximise the supply chain's contribution towards the EU and UN sustainability Policies through best use of ABP and ECP and help unlock the immense business opportunities along the way.
This Charter offers our members and value chain partners a framework for making the most significant contributions through process, product and partnership innovation while providing attainable pathways to help realise the ambitions of the Green Deal, Farm to Fork and SDGs.
Our members' diversity enables them to adopt different elements of sustainability while meeting their local drivers and demands of the animal-based food value chain. Our Charter does not therefore aim to drive our members to meet common targets, milestones or performance standards – we leave it for them to define their own commitments, inspired by individual characteristics, business models and local conditions.
We hope our Charter helps guide, inform and influence decision-making and actions along the animal-based food value chain and inspires action-oriented collaboration among industry peers and beyond.
Contents
A Circular Bioeconomy
The Charter Pillars
Executive Summary
Understanding the Circular Bioeconomy
This publication provides a clear understanding of the concept of a circular bioeconomy for the animal-based food value chain. It highlights where there are sustainability benefits and opportunities through optimal utilisation of animal by-products (ABP) and edible co-products (ECP) from the value chain.
Our established, essential role in collecting and processing ABP and ECP, and returning some of the derived products back into the value chain in animal feed and fertiliser makes us a key player in closing the circular bioeconomy loop and preventing food waste from an otherwise cradle to grave linear value chain.
Our broad range of product applications, from food, animal feed, renewable fuels, oleochemicals, pharmaceuticals to fertiliser provide solutions for everyday needs.
These products and the animals they come from capture and store carbon and offer many environmental, health and societal benefits. Our central position in the supply chain gives us a fantastic opportunity to contribute to a circular bioeconomy with a sustainable, low-carbon and circular future, based on renewable and natural resources.
Our aim is to guide our members to make a significant contribution to advancing the circular bioeconomy for a modern and efficient animal-based food value chain that sustains healthy productive agriculture and human well-being and adapts to changing societal demands.
EFPRA’s Sustainability Charter is a blueprint for our members to create and share business solutions to stimulate sustainable development within the European animal-based food value chain, helping it reach the highest levels of sustainability from farm to fork. Our members are encouraged to seek out innovative forms of collaboration and partnerships and commit to implementing proportionate measures most relevant to their business.
The EU Green Deal, Farm to Fork Strategy and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) present our sector with an opportunity to apply our knowledge and creativity to provide innovative solutions that work towards a sustainable, resilient and inclusive future for all. Industry peers and animal-based food value chain partners can utilise the universal framework of the SDGs to inform their actions, identify new forms of collaboration, unlock investment opportunities and accelerate the transition to 2030.
We present our circular bioeconomy model for utilisation of ABP and ECP from the animal-based food value chain and our ambitions linked to the sustainability pillars of “Climate”, “Health” and “Society” around our central role. While we interact with most of the 17 SDGs and recognise the interactions and potential trade-offs among the Goals, we have identified seven core Goals where our sector and the value chain have the most potential to influence, create long-term value and drive sector transformation.
A clear and transparent narrative on our Sector’s most significant contributions to attaining these SDGs is provided for our stakeholders (NGOs, industry associations, governments, consumers and customers). Summaries of several case studies are included along the way with more details available on our website. We hope our Charter inspires and fosters collaboration throughout the animal-based food value chain and stimulates cross sectoral cooperation to amplify SDG impact.


The SDGs are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The animal by-products processing sector is contributing to the SDGs by providing low-carbon, bio-based solutions that are renewable and recyclable. This Charter provides us with a tool to help maximise our impact.

Case Studies
Read about how EFPRA members are creating a sustainable circular economy
Biodiesel from Category 1 & 2 Fat
Carbon Footprint Study of ABP Derived Products
PAP Nutritional Studies at Wageningen University
Pharmaceutical Applications of ABP Ingredients
Healthy Meat Protein Substitutes from Edible Co-products
Sustainable Treatment of ABP Processing Wastewater
Wärme Lyss Nord District Heating
Solar & Waste Heat Drying of Wastewater Sludge
Valorisation of Former Foodstuffs from Retail
Efficient Collection of Fallen Stock
Renewable Nitrogen Fertiliser from Process Wastewater
Heat Recovery from Hides & Skins Processing
Sharing Lessons Learned from Health & Safety Incident
Creating Sustainable Products from Porcine Bones
Sustainably Dealing with Avian Influenza Outbreak in Italy
Protecting Workers Dealing with Avian Influenza Outbreak
Recognition of Holistic Sustainability Management
Carbon & Water Footprints of Category 2 MBM Fertiliser
Performance & Welfare Benefits of Non-Ruminant PAP in Animal Feed
About EFPRA
EFPRA represents the European animal by-product industry. It works on behalf of national associations and rendering companies to ensure the role and service of the rendering industry is understood by policy-makers, related industries and the general public. We currently represent 30 members in 25 European Countries, and 4 associate members. This encompasses the processing of 18.3 millions tonnes of raw material into 2.8 million tonnes' animal fat and nearly 4.1 million tonnes' animal proteins. Our members operate 463 different lines (from food grade to category 1) in 255 processing plants and 237 intermediate (collection) plants in 21 European countries (18 EU + 3 Non-EU), this includes 31 Separate Category 2 processing plants in 12 Member states. Collectively we employ over 20,500 workers.