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Groups Urge Investors, Grocers to Drop Brazil’s JBS on Rising Emissions

Groups Urge Investors, Grocers to Drop Brazil’s JBS on Rising Emissions

Environmental groups are calling on JBS SA’s investors and customers to drop the world’s largest meat supplier, claiming its greenhouse gas emissions are rising.

The Sao Paulo-based company’s emissions increased by 51% over the past five years along with a sharp increase in the number of animals it slaughtered, according to estimates from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) released Thursday along with Mighty Earth -- both of which describe themselves as nonprofit organizations. 

JBS said in a statement that the report uses flawed methodology and grossly extrapolated data to make misleading claims, including the use of its processing capacity to estimate the firm’s emissions. The meatpacker also said it has been working with globally recognized leaders in the area to benchmark, agree on and audit science-based emission reduction targets.

While JBS made a commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2040, it provides little detail and fails to include emissions from farms and feedlots that are not owned by the company but are part of its supply chain, as well as pollution related to deforestation, according to the report. Those emissions, which are categorized as scope 3, represent up to 97% of the company’s footprint, the same study says.

The company also said it has been working to improve emissions disclosure to meet best practice international standards, as well as independent third-party verification of progress toward its net-zero goal.

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