China JV earns Impact Award

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Costa and Driscoll’s joint venture blueberry operation in China has won this year’s Impact Award in the Asia Fruit Awards, announced this week.

The joint venture, which was established in 2015, includes close to 300 hectares of blueberries in the Yunnan Province in southern China.

The Impact Award recognises a person, company or organisation that has made a significant contribution to developing the fresh produce business in Asia.

Announcing the winner, Asiafruit editor John Hey said the Costa JV had brought world-leading berry growing technologies, varieties and farming expertise to China.

“These investments have helped to set benchmarks in terms of quality standards and price realisation for domestically grown berries in China. The partners’ Yunnan-grown berries consistently sell for significantly higher prices than imported berries in China, delivering a premium experience for Chinese consumers,” Mr Hey said.

In addition to its market impact, the JV was recognised for its social and economic impact in terms of poverty alleviation in the communities where it operates.

“The development of high-value berry production in Yunnan has established a lucrative industry that local communities can benefit from in terms of job creation and farmer incomes.”

Peter McPherson, General Manager of Costa Berries International, said it was a great honour and privilege to win the Impact Award.

“Over the space of five or six years, we have managed to establish a significant vertically integrated berry business, in which we have utilised Costa’s and Driscoll’s world leading reputation as growers and marketers of premium berries,” Mr McPherson said.

“This has included the establishment of substrate and protected berry plantings in Yunnan Province, southern China.  Costa now operates across four main growing locations, with almost 300 planted hectares and more under development as we speak.

“What has been achieved to date is a great credit to all involved.

“We have had a commitment to work cooperatively and harmoniously with stakeholders including government officials, employees, local villages and the surrounding community. We have also worked closely with the local authorities to ensure that what we are doing provides benefit for the local communities. In particular, helping with poverty alleviation through providing ongoing employment.”

Mr McPherson thanked Asia Fruit Logistica and Asia Fruit Magazine for staging the Asia Fruit Awards.

“Both organisations deserve enormous credit for all they have done to promote the fresh produce industry in Asia.”

Costa supports TCFD

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Costa has declared its support for the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), joining more than 1500 organisations in demonstrating a commitment to building a more resilient financial system and safeguarding against climate risk through better disclosures.

The TCFD, chaired by Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, provides market participants with recommendations to address the financial impact of climate change on their business. By increasing transparency on financially material climate-related risks and opportunities the recommendations promote more informed financial decision-making by investors, lenders and others.

Sean Hallahan, Costa Managing Director and CEO, said Costa had committed to implementing the four key TCFD recommendations relating to governance, strategy, risk management and metrics and targets.

“We have identified the TCFD as the most appropriate framework to manage and respond to risk, but also as a tool to identify opportunities,” Mr Hallahan said.

“We have prioritised the management of climate related risk, the need for innovation and the use of new and emerging technology in the way we grow our crops,” Mr Hallahan said. 

“We have also implemented a Horticultural Innovation and Technology Committee to drive our response to climate related risks and establish quantitative targets.”

In particular, Costa is focused on water use efficiency and security, energy efficiency and security, waste reduction and investment in protected cropping.

Supporters of the TCFD span the public and private sectors and include national governments, central banks, stock exchanges, credit rating agencies, financial organisations and private sector businesses from a variety of industries.

Widespread implementation of the TCFD recommendations will provide investors, lenders, and insurance underwriters with consistent and relevant information to understand the economic risks and opportunities resulting from climate change.

Increased disclosures in line with the recommendations across sectors and geographies will help global markets make more efficient capital allocation decisions and adjust appropriately to the disruptive effects of global climate change.

For more information about the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, please visit www.fsb-tcfd.org

Media contacts:

Brigid Veale, Costa Group Public Relations and Communications Manager, brigid.veale@costagroup.com.au.

Veronika Henze, Communications, TCFD, vhenze@bloomberg.net.

Hayley Moller, Communications, TCFD, hmoller@gpg.com.

About the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures

On December 4, 2015, the Financial Stability Board (FSB) established the industry-led Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) with Michael R. Bloomberg as Chair. The Task Force currently has four Vice Chairs and 32 members in total. The TCFD was asked to develop voluntary, consistent climate-related financial disclosures for use by companies in providing information to lenders, insurers, investors and other stakeholders, which were published in the TCFD Recommendations Report on June 29, 2017. More information about the TCFD can be found at www.fsb-tcfd.org.