Nutresa Accelerates its Transition to Circular Economy

• By 2030, 30% of the containers and packaging materials placed on the market will be reused.
• An ambitious project led by ANDI will turn around the management of packaging and containers and will engage businessmen, governments and citizens with the protection of the planet.
• The project has been joined by 100 companies – from 19 sectors – in a long-term commitment.
• Looking ahead to the end of 2020, Grupo Nutresa seeks to reduce its consumption of packaging material by 12%.

Medellín, August 16, 2019. Within the framework of the 4th Colombian Business Congress held in Medellín, Grupo Nutresa adhered to Vision 30/30: Container and Packaging Management, an initiative of the National Association of Businessmen (ANDI), which promotes the transition to circular economy, a central element of green growth and part of the sustainability agenda of international organizations, governments and companies.

Vision 30/30 is the most representative container- and packaging- management project in Colombia and the region. In addition to achieving the joint corporate goals established by companies in this area, its purpose is to lead the necessary actions for regulatory compliance established in Resolution 1407 of 2018 from the Colombian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, which sets commitments and goals for the use of containers and packaging placed on the national market by the industry.

It is expected that by 2030, companies will comply with the reuse of 30% of the material used in containers and packaging. The first measurement will be made with a cutoff date as of December 31, 2021, with an advance of 10%. As of this date, gradual compliance and coverage goals will be established.

The objective of this ambitious plan is that by 2030, Colombia has thousands of participating companies, millions of tons of waste reused, hundreds of municipalities covered, thousands of recyclers involved, millions of Colombians participating, and significant investments in the promotion of circular economy nationwide.

To make this possible, Vision 30/30 has been structured for more than three years, with an emphasis on three areas:

1. To establish the model to use containers and packaging that strengthens the recycling chains already established in the country, and explore new alternatives that complement and optimize the model.
2. To prepare the Corporate Governance model for the creation of the entity that will lead the actions towards regulatory compliance and represent the interests of the business sector.
3. To create transversal working groups to advance the strengthening of the container and packaging-material value chains, as well as develop a strategic agenda that promotes the closing of the cycle in a cost-effective way.

The project, which already has the commitment from more than 100 companies from 19 sectors, responds both to the sustainability and corporate strategies of the business sector, as well as to the expectations of citizens and the new models of sustainable cities.

Grupo Nutresa’s adherence to Vision 30/30 strengthens its commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and products – one of its six Strategic Sustainability Priorities – and especially to reduce the consumption of packaging material by 12% by 2020. This commitment points to the fulfillment of SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption).

Likewise, the Company is constantly working on the development of a more-sustainable product portfolio across its life cycle through the inclusion of eco-design principles and extended responsibility in its packaging; explores alternatives for closing the cycle with the different actors in the chain; and strengthens their work in projects to close the cycle around packaging materials that do not yet have this condition.

Carlos Ignacio Gallego, Grupo Nutresa CEO, expressed in the Circular Economy Panel that preceded the official presentation of Vision 30/30: “Grupo Nutresa understands sustainability as a capacity to prosper based on the identification and integral management of risks and opportunities with the possibilities of generating value in the future. Taking advantage of initiatives such as Vision 30/30 is a great opportunity to dare to cooperate and have common goals for the development of the country”.