Century Pacific Food secures plastic neutral certification from PCX, WWF issue a position paper on plastic credit systems

Po-led Century Pacific Food Inc. (CNPF) has recently secured plastic neutral certifications from the Plastic Credit Exchange (PCX) for all its brands that utilize flexible and plastic packaging.

PCX is a global, non-profit organization that offers a fully integrated plastic offset platform and supports partner organizations in seeking solutions toward transparent and responsible monitoring of recovering and recycling plastic waste.

CNPF brands that are now plastic neutral are Angel Coffee Creamer, Argentina, Coco Mama, Century Quality Bangus, Fresca Tuna, Hunt’s, Home Pride, Swift, Wow, and its recently launched plant-based brand, UnMeat.

This roster now joins CNPF’s dairy brand, Birch Tree, which was certified last April 2021.

The move is part of the company’s efforts to manage plastic footprint proactively and responsibly.

The certifications affirm that CNPF brands are fully compliant with the requirements of the Plastic Pollution Reduction Standard, and are a testament to the organization’s strong commitment to developing a circular economy and minimizing plastic waste.

“This means that all these brands have successfully offset their plastic footprint from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020 by recovering an equivalent amount of plastic waste away from leaking into nature and ensuring it is processed safely into the circular economy through PCX,” said CNPF.

The certification process is facilitated by PCX and verified by the audit and assurance firm, Isla Lipana & Co.

“For years, we have been building brands that provide affordable nutrition to our consumers. Now, they can rest assured that all their favorite CNPF products are working towards becoming more and more environmentally friendly as well,” said Greg Banzon, CNPF chief operating officer.

Last January, CNPF marked its second year of being “plastic neutral,” and is one of the first Filipino companies to achieve this status. The company has been awarded 6,600 MT worth of plastic credits to offset an equivalent volume of plastic waste through its partnership with PCX.

While this appears to be a step in the right direction, it’s important that we remain critical. Plastic crediting is a relatively new system and is yet to be clearly defined. The WWF recently issued a position paper that examines some glaring issues within plastic crediting systems, particularly with the notion of being “plastic neutral.” Here’s a summary of their position:

“WWF is cautious in regard to plastic crediting because there are not yet clear standards/processes associated with this concept and, depending on how they are developed, crediting mechanisms may enable companies to claim they are taking action without making substantial changes to their business. Business as usual will not solve the global plastic pollution crisis. WWF acknowledges that, if developed appropriately, plastic crediting has the potential to drive investment towards circular systems.

WWF believes only credible plastic crediting systems that contribute to transformational change should be pursued. Plastic crediting activities may serve as an ADDITIONAL approach to robust plastic waste reduction strategies if a strong and credible standard for crediting exists and is adhered to, prerequisites are defined and met, and strong social and environmental safeguards are upheld. Any claims based on credits must be supported by transparent reporting of the company’s plastic footprint (see Transparent 2020 for an example of comprehensive plastic reporting). WWF does not support the use of the terms “plastic neutral” or “plastic neutrality” as they do not clearly convey true environmental impact.”

SOURCE: Phil Star, Green Biz