JBS is publishing an independent audit report confirming the company continues to adhere to its responsible procurement policy, in accordance with the Public Livestock Commitment.
The report shows 99.97% efficiency in the supply chain social and environmental monitoring process, which is part of the company’s cattle procurement procedure.
The data were evaluated by DNV GL, independent auditors known worldwide for their environmental work.
According to the Public Livestock Commitment, the company will not purchase raw materials from farms in areas involved in deforestation or subject to IBAMA environmental embargos, that use labor analogous to slavery, or are based on indigenous land or in environmental protection areas.
As part of the audit procedure, DNV GL analyzed a sample of over 9000 JBS cattle purchase transactions carried out in 2016 involving supplier farms based in the Amazon biome.
JBS uses satellite imagery to monitor around 59 million hectares and 437 municipal regions in the Amazon region.
“We are constantly improving our monitoring systems to maintain the highest possible sustainability standards. This reflects directly on the outcomes of audit procedures and on our communications transparency, ensuring that we are able to provide our customers and consumers with responsibly sourced products”, said Márcio Nappo, JBS’ Sustainability director.
In order to guarantee responsible raw materials sourcing, all JBS cattle supplies are selected using a number of social and environmental criteria.
Out of JBS’ 70,000 suppliers nationwide, 41,000 cattle suppliers are based in the Amazon region. The company has developed a system to monitor a wide range of social and environmental factors at each of its cattle suppliers.
The system employs satellite imagery, farm georeferencing data and information from government agencies, such as IBAMA, the National Space Research Institute (INPE) and the Ministry of Employment.
Implementing the system was a key factor in JBS being able to achieve the high compliance standards required under the Commitment.
Now, the challenge is to improve the controls and expand the analyses. “We want to further develop our controls and monitoring processes for direct suppliers and, by working in partnership with industry, government and wider society, develop new approaches that will give us effective control over the entire supply chain, to avoid procuring cattle from farms that do not meet our social and environmental criteria”, said Nappo.
To reduce deforestation associated with cattle farming, JBS also believes additional meatpacking companies should adopt social and environmental raw material procurement criteria and sign up to similar agreements and commitments. “It is important that other companies sign up to the Public Livestock Commitment, which should be an industry standard for responsible beef production in Brazil”.
-JBS