Sustainability at Tate & Lyle Sugars
Our Journey to Sustainably Refined at Tate & Lyle Sugars
From the raw sugarcane through our whole supply chain, we are on a journey to refine and transform our business.
We have been refining cane sugar in east London since 1878, and our roots run deep. We want our business and people to continue to thrive, which is why we aim to use our influence and impact to tackle the ethical and environmental challenges across our industry.
Our Ambition
We focus our sustainability actions on the areas that are the most significant to our business and our stakeholders, and where we can have the biggest impact. Through our ongoing stakeholder engagement, we have identified decarbonisation, supplier traceability and transparency, human and labour rights and conserving resources and reducing plastic as of utmost importance to stakeholders.
How We Approach Sustainability
Our sustainability work is underpinned by 3 core principles:
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Science-based and transparent – We are committed to the SBTi and will follow their guidance as to the scale, pace and best practice for emissions reductions.
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Systematic change - We will work with others to accelerate and scale the pace of decarbonisation.
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Just and fair transition - We will build capacity and support the most vulnerable in our supply chain to adapt to climate change.
Our Sustainability Priorities
Our plan focuses on 6 main priorities which will drive our ambition to become the most ethical and sustainable cane sugar refiner in the world.
Decarbonisation
To play our part in limiting global warming to 1.5°C or below, we continue to work towards net zero global emissions by 2050. We strive to be carbon neutral in London by 2040 in our scope 1 & 2 emissions and are committed to building capacity and supporting our suppliers to eliminate scope 3 emissions by 2050.
As a manufacturing business, refining sugar requires significant energy, which is why improving operational efficiency and reducing emissions are key priorities in our decarbonisation journey.
In the short to mid-term, we will work towards our 2040 and 2050 targets through a combination of operational efficiency projects, changing our energy mix through an increasing use of renewable fuels and transitioning our vehicle fleet to alternative energy sources. Longer term, we look to switch to renewable and non-emitting fuels using technology which is not yet available at scale.
Sustainable Agriculture
We recognise that the sustainability of sugar starts in the field. We work with our suppliers to encourage them to adopt sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices that help protect soil health, biodiversity and water resources, while supporting the long-term livelihoods of growers.
By sourcing sugar certified to standards such as Fairtrade and Bonsucro, and working closely with our suppliers, we aim to support farming practices that contribute to resilient, productive and environmentally responsible agriculture.
Ethical Supply Chains
While sugar is often the economic backbone of the community where it is grown, many of these communities face common challenges of poverty, education and access to basic social services.
As a major buyer of raw sugar, we have for many years used our influence and worked with partners to improve practices and build capacity in our supply chain to support the most vulnerable to adapt to many sustainability challenges. We encourage our suppliers to certify their operations against credible, independent sustainability standards, such as Fairtrade.
Resource Conservation & Circularity
Packaging keeps our products safe for transportation and consumption, while helping us reduce food waste.
Natural resources are finite, so we aim to utilise them to the best of our abilities by minimising their use and working towards ensuring that all our packaging materials are reusable, recyclable, or renewable by 2030.
Local Community
Our business has sat at the heart of our local community in Newham for over 145 years. While our borough is one of the most diverse places in the UK, it is also one of the most deprived.
As one of the largest businesses in Newham, we are committed to making our borough an even better place to live and work through our long-standing charity partnerships, work experience programmes, and the Lyle’s Local Fund.
People & Purpose
We strive to be an employer of choice, which is our commitment to our colleagues that we will continuously strive to be the employer they choose to work with above all others.
We want to inspire, engage, develop, empower and reward our people throughout their careers. This means continually and mindfully adapting to the evolving needs and priorities of our people and the changing world beyond our gates, because we believe that an engaged, diverse, and inclusive workforce underpins any thriving business.
Together, these priorities set the direction for our sustainability journey.
At Tate & Lyle Sugars, we believe that when sustainably farmed, milled, transported, and refined, cane sugar can play a pivotal role in supporting sustainable practices in agriculture, prospering communities, and bringing joy to food and drink for all.
For more information, visit https://www.sustainablyrefined.com/.