Maple Leaf Foods has strengthened its sustainability leadership in 2025 by delivering measurable progress in carbon neutrality, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, regenerative agriculture, circular economy initiatives, renewable energy adoption, and food security. Guided by Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)-validated climate goals, the company continues to advance its ambition of becoming the world’s most sustainable protein company while pursuing net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Maple Leaf Foods CEO Curtis Frank said: “We view sustainability not as a compliance exercise, but as a source of competitive advantage: strengthening our brands, supporting revenue growth,”
reaffirmed the company’s sustainability vision, saying, “I am proud of the progress we are making toward our Vision to be the most sustainable protein company on Earth.”
Net Zero Strategy Anchored by Science-Based Targets
Climate action remains central to Maple Leaf Foods’ long-term sustainability strategy. The company aims to maintain its carbon neutral status while reducing absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030 from a 2018 baseline. It is also targeting a 30 percent reduction in Scope 3 emissions intensity by 2030 and has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, Maple Leaf Foods sustainability report 2025 indicated.
Supporting these ambitions, Maple Leaf Foods partnered with Deloitte to deploy advanced decarbonization software that models emissions reduction pathways, evaluates sustainability investments, and identifies the most effective opportunities to reduce emissions across its operations and supply chain.
Carbon Neutrality and Emissions Reductions Continue
Maple Leaf Foods, which reported sales of $3.9 billion in 2025, maintained carbon neutrality for the sixth consecutive year, extending its position as the world’s first major carbon neutral food company since 2019.
The company reduced absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 2.1 percent from its 2018 baseline while lowering Scope 3 emissions intensity by 15.5 percent. Carbon neutral status was maintained throughout 2023, 2024 and 2025, demonstrating continued progress toward its 2030 science-based climate targets.
Regenerative Agriculture Expands to 260,000 Acres
Regenerative agriculture continued to play a critical role in reducing upstream emissions. During 2025, Maple Leaf Foods expanded regenerative farming practices across 260,000 acres within its hog feed supply chain.
Working with Indigo Ag and Nutrien, growers adopted practices including cover cropping and reduced tillage to improve soil health, enhance biodiversity, retain water, and increase carbon sequestration. Digital monitoring systems verify environmental outcomes and reward participating producers for delivering measurable sustainability improvements.
Renewable Energy and Renewable Natural Gas Support Decarbonization
Renewable energy remains an important component of the company’s climate strategy. Maple Leaf Foods continued utilizing wind and solar Renewable Energy Certificates to support lower-carbon operations.
As a founding member of the Canadian Alliance for Net-Zero Agri-food (CANZA), the company is also helping develop anaerobic manure digesters that convert livestock waste into renewable natural gas. These facilities reduce methane emissions while producing renewable energy that can be supplied to Canada’s energy grid, supporting agricultural decarbonization and cleaner energy production.
Carbon Offsets Complement Climate Action
To maintain carbon neutrality, Maple Leaf Foods invested in 30 environmental offset projects across North America. These initiatives include renewable energy generation, forestry conservation and grassland preservation projects that either prevent or remove greenhouse gas emissions.
While the company prioritizes direct emissions reductions through operational improvements, these verified offset projects continue to complement its broader climate strategy.
Circular Economy Delivers Outstanding Environmental Performance
Maple Leaf Foods continued to demonstrate industry leadership in waste reduction during 2025.
The company achieved a 97 percent company-wide landfill diversion rate while diverting 98.2 percent of food waste from landfill through rendering, biodigestion, composting and other beneficial uses.
Ten additional facilities achieved landfill-free status during the year, increasing the total number of zero-waste facilities to 13. These sites successfully divert all operational waste through recycling, reuse and resource recovery programs.
Packaging innovation also generated measurable environmental benefits. Maple Leaf Foods maintained 30 percent recycled content across its plastic packaging portfolio by weight. A redesign of Maple Leaf Lunch Kits reduced packaging weight by 40 percent by replacing paperboard sleeves with lightweight preprinted film, lowering material consumption and associated carbon emissions.
Food Safety and Responsible Production Strengthen Sustainability
Sustainability performance extended beyond environmental initiatives to food quality and operational excellence.
Maple Leaf Foods maintained zero product recalls during 2025 while approximately 430,000 food safety and quality tests were completed. Every facility remained certified to a Global Food Safety Initiative benchmarked standard.
The company also maintained 99.05 percent third-party animal welfare audit scores and continued improving sanitation performance, supporting responsible food production and consumer confidence.
Community Investment and Social Sustainability
Maple Leaf Foods continued investing in food security and community resilience by contributing $1.8 million in food products and relief during 2025, exceeding its annual commitment of $1.5 million.
The company also committed an additional $1 million to its Resilient Futures initiative. Through the Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security, cumulative investments reached $16.5 million across 45 Canadian initiatives since 2016, addressing the root causes of food insecurity and improving long-term access to nutritious food.
Sustainability Goals Remain on Track
Maple Leaf Foods continues to pursue a broad range of environmental and social sustainability goals, including maintaining carbon neutrality, reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 30 percent by 2030, lowering Scope 3 emissions intensity by 30 percent, expanding regenerative agriculture annually, improving electricity, natural gas, water, waste and landfill performance, achieving 50 percent women in management outside manufacturing by 2030, reaching 25 percent women in manufacturing management and 25 percent BIPOC representation in management by 2030, maintaining 100 percent animal welfare audit scores, recording zero food safety recalls, and contributing at least $1.5 million annually in food products to local communities.
SHAFANA FAZAL
