Maple Leaf Foods Inc

In 2017, the company worked with a third-party consultant and WWF Canada to conduct a water risk assessment of its owned/leased farms and facilities in Canada. As an update, the company is currently undergoing a nature footprint assessment as well as a risk assessment to assess the company's value chain impact on nature, including water pollution and water stress throughout its value chain. The company mentions that the risk assessment is being done in line with a science-based approach that follows the Science Based Targets for Nature (SBTN) steps 1 and 2 and the Accountability Framework developed by the Accountability Framework initiative (AFi). In the engagement call with FAIRR, the company mentioned that the disclosures from the risk assessment will occur in a phased reporting approach with the rollout of the three-year strategy development.

The company does not disclose information on water quality indicators.

The company discloses the different watersheds in Canada where it has identified its owned/leased pork and chicken farms. When the risk assessment was conducted in 2017, the company determined that it had not directly caused or contributed to any negative water-related impact on environmentally sensitive watersheds. However, it recognises that some of its farms are located in areas where there are high threats to fresh water and overuse of water. During the company’s engagement call with FAIRR, Maple Leaf recognised that biodiversity is a relatively new topic for the company, which it hopes to evaluate through a nature-related risk assessment. Once the results are available, the company will also create a governance process to ensure that the board of directors becomes well-versed in the relevant nature-related risks and the strategy going forward.

The 2017 risk assessment conducted by the company included owned/leased pork and chicken farms. For the updated nature-related risks assessment, the company mentions it will include its value chain, which will presumably include all its own and sourcing farms as well. The company mentions the risk assessment conducted in 2017 included the sourced feed and feed ingredient locations in Canada. For the updated nature-related risks assessment, the company mentions it will include its value chain, which presumably include feed as well.

The company mentions 100% of the manure produced is used by local farmers as a fertiliser. In the engagement call with FAIRR, the company disclosed that it has entered into partnerships with farmers as part of its regenerative agriculture project with Nutrien. However, it does not mention whether the manure is used by feed producers.

The company does not disclose information. In the engagement call with FAIRR, the company mentioned that the main region where they operate, Manitoba, has already very strict regulations regarding waste management.

The company does not disclose information.

The company disclosed that 100% of the manure from its owned and leased hog farms is applied to a site-specific nutrient management plan developed by a certified agrologist. The company discloses that manure is managed in outdoor lagoons until it can be delivered to local farms for use as organic fertiliser. However, it does not disclose the % of lagoons that are covered. The company mentions it is exploring the option of converting manure into Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) and digestate. In the engagement call with FAIRR, the company explained that it is in the feasibility stage in terms of mapping how the digesters will be built and used.

Based on the risk assessment conducted in 2017, the company disclosed that some of its farms were located in areas where there were high threats to fresh water and overuse of water. The company discloses the findings from the assessment helped to inform the strategies the company has integrated across its operations. However, the company does not disclose site-specific plans.

The company discloses it works with local farmers to recycle manure from the animals raised by the company. 100% of the manure produced by its owned and leased hog farms is applied to fields as fertiliser with a site specific nutrient management plan developed by a certified agrologist. For a third year, the company has teamed up with Nutrien to expand its regenerative agriculture project that started in 2021. The project incentivises and educates farmers within a defined supply shed where the company sources feed grains to adopt regenerative agriculture practices. Part of the focus is to improve nitrogen management. In 2021, the project encompassed approximately 20,000 acres of farmland in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. In 2022, it plans to scale the project to 100,000 acres. Since then, the company has scaled from 19,000 acres to 160,000 acres and doubles its investments in regenerative agriculture practices year-over-year for the past 3 years. The program involves farmers who grow the company’s feed. In the engagement call with FAIRR, the company said it had a target to cover 75% of pig feed for the company’s own farms with at least one regenerative agriculture practice.

The company does not disclose information.

The company does not disclose information.

The company does not disclose information.

The company provided a response to the investor letter and responded to the engagement questions. The company met with investors within the engagement period. The company did not acknowledge the FAIRR’s assessment and it did not provide feedback.