The company delivers more than 10 Million bushels of sustainably grown grain, helping companies meet climate commitments
Indigo Ag, the premier sustainability partner of the agriculture industry, is using its proprietary measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) capabilities to help consumer goods companies measure and reduce their Scope 3 emissions and water use through the agricultural supply chain.
Through its Market+ Source (Scope 3) program, Indigo connects consumer goods companies to sustainably grown crops within their existing supply chain. Indigo partners with agribusinesses to support farmers in adopting sustainable practices, the results of which are quantified through Indigo’s MRV capabilities. The company has had success working with multibillion-dollar companies over the last few seasons to deliver more than 10 million bushels of sustainably grown grains, reducing emissions by more than 15,000 metric tons and saving 6.7 billion gallons of water – enough to sustain 36 million people for a year. An additional 13 million bushels have been contracted to be delivered in 2024. Indigo has secured farmer premiums of up to 10 per cent for sustainably grown crops with minimal impact on the price of finished goods.
For The North Face and other VF Corporation brands, Indigo used its MRV capabilities to deliver more than 31,000 bales of sustainably grown cotton.
“We are excited about the positive environmental impacts regenerative cotton production can have not only for The North Face products but for our industry as a whole,” said Carol Shu, senior manager of global sustainability for The North Face. “Regenerative agriculture-sourced materials have the ability to shift the industry from simply ‘doing less harm’ to actually replenishing or having a positive impact on nature and resources. As a brand that is committed to protecting the outdoor places we love to play in, we believe this is another critical step in addressing climate change impacts in our supply chain.”
“The scientific rigour of our models and operational processes have allowed us to connect sustainability claims to the physical delivery of grain and cotton, and we are seeing incredible success,” said Ron Hovsepian, president and CEO of Indigo Ag. “This is just the beginning. With the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) guidance on Forest, Land and Agriculture finalised last year and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s guidance on the land sector and removals expected to be finalised this fall, we are well positioned to help corporations achieve their Scope 3 targets. We look forward to expanding our capabilities to include more crops and more practices to better serve more corporations.”
Indigo’s proprietary MRV capabilities use the highest scientific standards to quantify environmental benefits for companies participating in the Market+ Source program. The program currently includes corn, wheat, rice, and cotton, and will be expanding to new crops in 2024.
