The release of the Protein PACT's 2023 Continuous Improvement Report marks a significant milestone in the ongoing journey toward sustainability within the meat industry. It's a testament to the collective efforts of industry leaders, and CAT Squared is proud to play a key supportive role in these transformative endeavors.
CAT Squared Training Manager Lyle Helton has served as the project manager responsible for onboarding NAMI's meat-industry members to the reporting platform. NAMI's member companies play a crucial role in reporting essential KPI data from their manufacturing plants. This data serves as a standard baseline for driving continuous improvement within their businesses. Regarding the year-two Protein PACT report, Lyle shared his perspective, stating, "The report clearly demonstrates that the protein industry is actively harnessing the collected data to fuel a continuous improvement drive within their operations."
The Protein PACT Initiative: A Path to Sustainability
The Protein PACT (People, Animals, and Climate of Tomorrow) initiative represents a collaboration of partners across the animal protein industry. Its primary goal is to accelerate the entire sector's progress toward global sustainable development goals, focusing on the well-being of people, animals, communities, and the environment.
Central to the Protein PACT initiative is the commitment to transparent baselines, ambitious targets, data-driven verification, and comprehensive communication. This multifaceted approach allows the animal protein industry to demonstrate its unique role in promoting healthy diets and sustainable food systems.
CAT Squared's Role as a Supportive Partner
CAT Squared supports the Protein PACT initiative by facilitating the critical data-collection process. Our industry-tailored solution has empowered the collection of high-quality data, enabling the creation of meaningful Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the North American Meat Institute (NAMI).
As part of this partnership, our team has worked closely with reporting teams representing some of NAMI's most prominent U.S. members. Together, we have achieved remarkable milestones in the second year of the meat sector's data collection and reporting on key focus areas for continuous improvement.
Key Achievements
Our collaborative efforts have yielded exciting results. The number of companies submitting data to the Protein PACT initiative grew by nearly 60% in the second year, covering more than half of all establishments operated by Meat Institute members.
Notably, 93% of the Meat Institute's largest member companies, those with over 2,000 employees, actively submitted data. This high participation rate reflects commitments and actions that collectively cover an estimated 90% of meat sold in the United States.
Driving Supply Chain-Wide Sustainability
The metrics and goals outlined by the Meat Institute closely align with on-farm efforts in beef, pork, poultry, and feed. This alignment has set the stage for supply chain-wide sustainability initiatives, which are crucial for achieving broader sustainability objectives.
Meat Institute President and CEO, Julie Anna Potts, emphasizes the importance of these initiatives, stating, "98% of American households purchase meat, putting our sector undoubtedly at the center of sustaining healthy diets, healthy communities, and a healthy planet for generations to come."
A Sustainable Vision for the Future
One of the key targets set by the Meat Institute is to have 100% of its members establish science-based emissions reduction targets by 2030. To date, 14 Meat Institute general members and 10 supplier/allied members have set or publicly committed to set such targets, verified by the Science-Based Targets Initiative.
As part of this ongoing commitment to sustainability, the Meat Institute and the UN Global Compact Network USA jointly released a practical tool to help meat companies conduct emissions surveys. This tool represents the initial step in the journey towards setting science-based targets.
Contributing to Food Security
The meat industry's dedication extends to aiding families facing food insecurity. Meat Institute members donate tens of millions of dollars and meals to food banks and charities across the country every year. In 2022, the majority of companies reporting data contributed to food banks and charities.
These contributions are not merely statistics; they translate into tangible support for communities in need. Examples include Bob Evans Farms' partnership with Mid-Ohio Food Bank, Hormel Foods and Tyson Foods' support for communities affected by wildfires, Smithfield Foods' assistance to Florida communities after Hurricane Idalia, and Swaggertys' ongoing donations to local food banks and charity organizations.
Continuing Commitment toward Sustainability
The collaborative efforts within the Protein PACT initiative, driven by industry leaders and supported by CAT Squared, are accelerating progress toward a sustainable future for the meat sector. As we move forward, our commitment to transparency, ambitious goals, and data-driven verification will continue to play a vital supportive role in shaping a more sustainable and responsible industry.
We invite you to explore the 2023 Continuous Improvement Report to gain deeper insights into the remarkable strides being made in the pursuit of sustainability within the meat industry. Together, we are shaping a brighter and more sustainable future for all.
