We are committed to maintaining a responsible and sustainable sugar supply chain, while creating opportunities for our people and rural communities. We recognise the importance of sustainably managing our operations so that present needs are met, without compromising future generations.
We believe sustainability is about planning for the future and so we constantly monitor the prevailing economic and political climate, as well as the environmental and social impacts of our business, so we can continue to meet the challenges that lay ahead.
We continue to focus on measures that minimise our impact on the environment, such as optimisation of our energy and water demands, and reduction of our waste footprint. We recognise this commitment in our Sustainability Policy.
As part of our Sustainability Policy, we:
- promote and foster a culture of sustainability with our employees, contractors, visitors, suppliers, customers and community;
- seek continuous improvement of our sustainability performance by setting measurable objectives aimed at the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the promotion of resource and energy efficiency;
- identify and assess risks and opportunities related to the impacts of climate change across our business;
- conduct our operations in compliance with all applicable legislation, licences, codes of practice and industry standards;
- share and regularly report on our sustainability performance with our employees and other interested parties; and
- implement, maintain and continuously improve the processes supporting certification to our chosen sustainability standards.
We’re dedicated to developing products and implementing technologies that are better for our environment and support a sustainable future for our industry, customers and the community. For example, sugarcane production on our farms is based on practices that limit erosion, minimise chemical application and reduce run-off into waterways.
The sustainable management of our branded products is a key priority for our refineries. Sugar Australia is leading the industry on commitments to optimise packaging material efficiency, label products with disposal and recovery information, and investigate opportunities to divert onsite waste from landfill. Chelsea's long history of supporting sustainable operations includes pursuing multiple projects that limit energy consumption, maximise water efficiency and reduce solid waste generated onsite.
We're also Australia’s leading producer of renewable energy from biomass. Our eight Queensland sugar mills operate on renewable energy generated onsite by using bagasse from the raw sugar production process. We export enough excess electricity to the Queensland grid to power more than 68,000 Australian homes for 12 months.
At our distillery in Sarina, we manufacture ethanol as part of a renewable cycle. Our ethanol is made from molasses – a 100% Australian renewable feedstock derived from the sugar manufacturing process. This ethanol is produced for the Australian fuel market and also to meet the demands of a wide range of industries and applications.
During the ethanol manufacturing process we produce a co-product called dunder, which we use to make a range of liquid fertiliser and stockfeed products. The liquid fertilisers are applied to a variety of crops throughout North and Central Queensland, including sugarcane, horticulture and orchards. The application of Bio Dunder® liquid fertiliser products on Queensland sugarcane paddocks represents a full renewable cycle, as our liquid fertilisers originate from the production of Queensland raw sugar. Our liquid stockfeed supplements are a renewable source of natural protein and essential amino acids for livestock.
We strive to ensure sustainability is an integral part of our business model, across all of our business units. We also comply with sustainability criteria set by our federal and state governments.
