The US arm of Brazilian multinational JBS faces a lawsuit from the State of New York for allegedly deceiving customers about its environmental impact reduction plans. JBS has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040, but New York attorney general Letitia James claims the company lacks a viable plan to reach this goal and has been making misleading environmental claims.
According to the lawsuit, JBS USA made its “Net Zero by 2040” commitment without calculating the majority of greenhouse gas emissions from its supply chain. In response, a JBS spokesperson stated that the company takes its commitment to sustainability seriously and will continue working with partners to reduce its environmental impact.
Dr. Pope, managing director of knowledge and collaboration at Trinity AgTech, believes that the legal challenge emphasizes the importance of having tangible evidence and credible plans before setting environmental targets. She states that businesses in the food sector must back up their environmental efforts with rigorous evaluations to avoid risks associated with greenwashing.
Trinity AgTech, a company offering precision agriculture software for the food and farming supply chain, emphasizes the need for credible tools to support sustainability claims. Dr. Pope stresses the importance of working towards net zero emissions while building resilient supply chains and ensuring economic prosperity for farmers and rural communities.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK has established a Green Claims Code to penalize businesses that make unsubstantiated sustainability claims. Dr. Pope warns against relying on outdated carbon calculators that may not meet modern standards and urges businesses to avoid greenwashing practices.
