​Arla signs up for international sustainability and health partnership with international non-profit initiative EAT

Arla has partnered with the EAT international non-profit initiative, reaffirming its commitment to sustainability and healthy-eating. EAT is working to bring researchers, organisations, politicians and companies together to enable us to feed the world's fast-growing population in a healthy and sustainable manner. Other large companies, organisations and research institutions, such as Harvard and Berkeley, are also members of EAT.

By 2050 there will be over 9 billion people in the world, which will place significant demand on the world’s resource and challenge how food supports the health of the global population. EAT was established as a global non-profit initiative in 2013 to meet these challenges - bringing together researchers, organisations, politicians and companies, to find new solutions in the overlap between food, health and sustainability.

"Arla is one of the world's leading producers of dairy products and therefore a key player in terms of finding solutions to ensure food supply for the maximum number of people, while minimising the drain on the world's resources. There is a need to feed the world's growing population – a huge challenge in itself – while also promoting health through food products produced in a sustainable way. This can only happen if the world's food producers are on board. We are therefore extremely pleased that Arla is now joining in partnership with EAT," says Gunhild A. Stordalen, founder and Director of EAT.

The partnership with EAT builds on Arla's work with sustainability and health
For many years, Arla has focused on sustainability throughout its entire supply chain, from farmer to production and transport to consumers. For example, Arla farmers aim to reduce the climate impact per kilo of milk leaving the farm by 30% by 2020, compared to 1990 and only sustainable soy is used in cow feed. Last year Arla introduced a new green milk carton made of renewable raw materials such as forest fiber and plastic from renewable sources, which has 20% lower greenhouse gas emissions than traditional cartons leading to savings of 336 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. The aim is to reduce the cooperative's total greenhouse gas emissions by one quarter in 2020, compared to 2005. So far, Arla has reduced its total climate impact by 16% – despite a significant increase in production.

Arla is also continually working to reduce salt, sugar and fat in its products. For example, in Denmark alone, Arla has shed 500 tonnes of sugar from its yogurt products over the last two years, and the salt content in classic Danbo cheese has been reduced by 11% over the last seven years. Arla recently launched a general health strategy aimed at promoting healthier food habits among consumers.

"Partnerships are a key element of Arla's sustainability ambitions and health strategy, because the challenges the world is facing can only be resolved together. As a food producer, we wish to take responsibility for contributing to sustainable solutions to global health-related problems such as e.g. malnutrition. The new partnership with EAT is therefore a natural extension of our work with health and sustainability," says Hanne Søndergaard, Chief Marketing Officer at Arla Foods, who is responsible for the partnership with EAT. She adds:

"In general, the partnership between Arla and EAT comprises three elements: Arla can draw upon EAT's international insight and knowledge, Arla can share experiences and solutions with EAT, drawing on Arla's practical experience with health and sustainability, and finally, EAT and Arla aim to contribute via joint initiatives to the development of new insights and solutions that promote sustainable food production and contribute to better health among the world's growing population.”

The next step if the partnership will be to launch specific projects, for example to encourage better eating habits.

Facts about EAT and Arla's partnership with EAT

• Arla has become a partner of the EAT international non-profit network/initiave.
• EAT is working to bring researchers, organisations and companies together to enable us to feed the world's population in a healthy and sustainable manner – even in 2050 when there will be over 9 billion people around the globe. Other large companies, organisations and research institutions, such as Harvard and Berkeley, are also members of EAT.
• In general, the partnership between Arla and EAT comprises three elements:

1. Arla can draw upon EAT's international insight and knowledge.

2.Arla can share experiences and solutions with EAT, drawing on Arla's practical experience with health and sustainability.

3.EAT and Arla aim to contribute via joint projects to the development of new knowledge and solutions that promote sustainable food production and contribute to better health among the world's growing population.

Find out more about EAT at www.eatforum.org

Examples of Arla's work with sustainability and health

• Arla is pursuing 2020 strategies within sustainability and health.

• In the area of sustainability, the strategy covers:

o Sustainable milk production, for example through sustainable animal feed, better resource utilisation and farmer training

o Climate, for example the target of a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from processing, transport and packaging in 2020

o Energy and water, for example a target of using 50% renewable energy in production facilities in 2020

o Zero waste, for example a target of 100% recyclable packaging in 2020

• In the area of sustainability, Arla has so far reduced its total climate impact by 16% compared to the 2005 level – despite a significant increase in production.

Read more about Arla's work on sustainability at: http://www.arla.com/company/responsibility/

Read more about Arla's work with health at: www.arla.com/company/healthy-living/our-health-strategy

For further information, please contact:

Dag Hvaring, Senior Director Partnerships, EAT

Tel.: +47 9015 3848, Email: dag@eatforum.org

Erik Aasheim, Communications Director, EAT

Tel.: +47 4022 4747, Email: erik@eatforum.org