OSI Group, one of the world’s leading food production companies, continues its commitment to sustainability with new partnerships and leadership roles in the industry.
Working in partnership with farmers, industry leaders and other like-minded producers, OSI continues to be at the forefront of sustainability work in all aspects of food production.
Based in Aurora, Ill., OSI was founded in 1909 by Otto Kolschowsky as a family-owned meat market and butcher shop in the Chicago area. In the 110 years since, it has expanded throughout the world and today is a top food processor, while focusing on research and development and creating customized food products for its customers.
Today, OSI operates 65 facilities in 18 countries and sells products in 77 countries.
A Commitment to Sustainability
OSI has long believed in the importance of using sustainable business practices. The company continually looks to improve its sustainability impact across its operations, the communities in which it operates, and the global supply chain.
This commitment covers three frameworks:
- Social Responsibility. OSI is committed to safe workplaces, respecting workers’ rights and providing safe, quality food to its communities.
- Sustainable Supply Chain. A focus on animal welfare ensures that animals are managed respectfully, and OSI takes a lead role in promoting animal welfare best practices. The company has committed to reducing reliance on antibiotics and other antimicrobials throughout the supply chain to preserve human and animal health.
- Environmental Stewardship. With a focus on conservation, OSI strives to be a responsible steward of natural resources to use water sustainably, protect forests and reduce waste. Recognizing the threat of climate change, OSI is committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, using energy sustainably and building resilience to changing environmental conditions throughout its business.
The OSI Global Sustainability Team includes sustainability experts and sustainability champions across OSI regions and departments. Sustainability managers in each region are charged with:
- Tracking progress toward global sustainability initiatives
- Sharing best practices
- Informing internal and external stakeholders about sustainability activities
In addition, throughout the organization, subject matter experts advise employees on sustainability measures, industry-wide initiatives and meeting established sustainability goals. Each region develops its own sustainability action plans, incorporating broader company priorities and goals.
The company has established ambitious goals it aims to achieve by 2025. These include:
- Reducing water usage intensity by 15 percent, and both energy intensity and GHG emission intensity by 20 percent
- Establishing 100 percent landfill-free facilities
- Implementing renewable energy programs across each division of OSI
- Reviewing and updating supplier expectations around deforestation
- Implementing an integrated health and safety system at all facilities to improve monitoring, education and accident reduction
- Achieving new standard minimum training hours at all facilities
- Defining key welfare indicators and training expectations for both primary processing locations and suppliers
- Auditing via third-party remote video at all OSI primary processing facilities and their suppliers
- Developing suppliers committed to antibiotic stewardship across core commodities and markets
- Aligning operating practices to industry sustainability standards for beef and poultry
- Creating corporate volunteer programs in all regions to donate 2,000 volunteer hours per year to communities
- Engaging with farmers across all core OSI commodities and regions and recognizing producers that are sustainability leaders
The company has already reported considerable progress toward its goals, including the following:
- Nearly 70 percent toward its goal of a 20 percent reduction in energy intensity
- Nearly 90 percent use of renewable energy throughout the company, driven largely by environmental work done by its European facilities
New Sustainability Initiatives and Leadership
OSI continues to play a leadership role globally regarding sustainability work. Among the most recent accomplishments:
- Claire Donoghue, OSI Europe’s operations director and head of sustainability, was named board chair of the European Roundtable for Beef Sustainability (ERBS). The ERBS, which is Europe’s largest multi-stakeholder group focused on beef sustainability, appointed Donoghue to a three-year term in July 2020. OSI was a founding member of the ERBS. In her new role, Donoghue will oversee work on a platform launched in 2018 to work with stakeholders from farmers to distributors on a range of sustainability issues, including animal health and welfare, animal medicine usage, GHG emissions and farm usage.
- OSI has established a partnership with members of the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) to help farmers and ranchers improve grazing conditions and similar practices in the Northern Great Plains of Montana. Part of a practice known as climate-smart agriculture, the sustainable grazing initiatives seek to change long-used agricultural practices to those that will improve soil health, boost rancher profitability and increase climate capture. The work is designed to reduce the impact of climate change on grazing and reduce or prevent major disruptions to local and global food supply chains. OSI and its partners are providing financial support for programs that recruit Montana farmers and ranchers to teach them sustainable grazing practices.
- OSI reached an agreement with Impossible Foods, makers of the plant-based Impossible™ Burger, to co-manufacture the company’s products. The partnership has allowed Impossible Foods to provide an ample supply of plant-based protein products, which are increasing in popularity and demand at restaurants and retail grocery outlets.