Environmental

We strategically focus on both energy efficiency and emissions reducing actions. In recent years, we have invested significantly in energy efficiency projects by upgrading equipment at our plants. As we assess equipment replacement or upgrades, energy efficiency and emissions reductions remain key considerations in our capital planning and decision-making process.

Water is a vital resource for healthy communities and ecosystems. We responsibly manage the water we use and generate in our operations, and we are committed to monitoring and mitigating water risks. In 2023, our global water intensity remained consistent with our substantial improvement in the prior year.

Our facilities explore and employ a variety of water recovery and reuse processes that help increase efficiency, including:

• High-pressure and low-flow wash systems;
• Steam condensate recovery and return systems;
• Waste heat capture and reuse for evaporative processes; and
• Water conservation plans for operations in higher water-risk areas.

Although these processes differ based on the function of each facility, together, they are critical for achieving our water goals. For example, whereas our collagen and gelatin production process requires withdrawing more water than we produce, our rendering process results in a net water gain.

We help move the world toward a more circular economy. We restore purpose to millions of tons of material from the animal agriculture and food industries – helping to nourish people, feed animals and crops, and fuel the world with renewable energy.