Delivers industry-low emissions, expands agroecology, and rewards farmers driving decarbonization

Cristalco, the commercial arm of Cristal Union, continues to advance sustainability standards in the sugar and alcohol sector through its flagship programme, AMPLIFY, which is emerging as one of the most ambitious initiatives in the global sugar beet value chain.

Launched three years ago, AMPLIFY brings together 9,000 farmers, 14 industrial sites, and Cristalco’s customers under a unified framework focused on continuous environmental improvement. The programme has rapidly scaled to deliver measurable outcomes across emissions reduction, agroecological adoption, and supply chain transparency.

Record-Low Emissions and Expanding Agroecology

The programme has achieved greenhouse gas emission levels 40–70 per cent below market averages, reflecting the combined impact of improved agricultural practices and industrial efficiencies. Sugar produced under AMPLIFY records emissions between 170 and 380 kg of CO₂ per tonne, significantly below European benchmarks, while alcohol emissions range between 490 and 750 kg CO₂eq per tonne, also well below industry standards.

At the farm level, 20 per cent of sugar beet cultivation within the cooperative now follows agroecological practices aimed at enhancing soil health, preserving biodiversity, and improving climate resilience. This marks a significant shift toward sustainable farming methods within large-scale agricultural systems.

Incentivizing Farmers Through Sustainability-Linked Bonuses

To accelerate adoption, the programme offers bonuses of up to 10 per cent of the sugar beet price to farmers demonstrating progress in decarbonization and agroecology. A dedicated digital tool enables farmers to assess their carbon footprint within minutes, benchmark performance, and access tailored advisory support to further reduce emissions or enhance carbon sequestration.

This approach aligns economic incentives with environmental outcomes, strengthening farmer participation while ensuring measurable sustainability gains.

Data-Driven Transparency and Independent Certification

AMPLIFY is underpinned by a robust digital infrastructure developed in partnership with MyEasyFarm, enabling precise mapping of agricultural practices and integration with industrial data to calculate product-level emissions.

All greenhouse gas data is independently verified by Bureau Veritas in line with ISO 14067 standards, while agroecological practices are certified by Control Union. This ensures high levels of credibility and allows customers to directly integrate emissions data into their ESG, CSR, and Scope-3 reporting frameworks.

Advancing Decarbonization and Water Stewardship

Cristal Union has set a Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-approved pathway to reduce agricultural emissions by 27.5 per cent by 2030, building on a 19 per cent reduction already achieved between 2019 and 2025.

The group has also demonstrated leadership in water management, reducing on-site water consumption by 75 per cent since 2010. All sugar factories under Cristal Union are now fully water self-sufficient, a first in both France and Europe, with ambitions to extend this to distilleries by 2030. Additionally, more than 7 million cubic metres of water extracted from sugar beets are redistributed annually to farmers for irrigation and fertilization.

Strengthening Sustainable Supply Chains

Through AMPLIFY, customers gain access to highly accurate carbon footprint data and a reliable supply of sugar and alcohol produced under stringent sustainability standards. The programme enables companies to significantly reduce Scope-3 emissions while supporting farmers transitioning to more sustainable practices.

With its integrated approach—spanning farm-level practices, industrial processes, and customer engagement—AMPLIFY is positioning Cristalco and Cristal Union at the forefront of sustainability in the global sugar and alcohol industry.