Actively contributing to the world’s SDGs
In 2015, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals offered the world a blueprint towards achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. The 17 goals target poverty, hunger, education, gender inequality, clean water and other critical issues.
We actively contribute to the better health of people and the planet in partnership with nature and are committed to achieving our ultimate goal of 100% sustainable horticulture and agriculture in the future. In doing so and sharing our knowledge, we contribute towards improving the world’s food security and safeguarding the environment.
How do we contribute to SDGs?
Controlling pests and diseases in the greenhouse using predatory mites and wasps; making plants more resilient by using fungi in the soil, and introducing bumblebees to improve pollination, have all, directly and indirectly, enabled a significant reduction in the use of chemicals in horticulture and agriculture. We not only fight pests and diseases, but actively improve plant health, the health of people working in horticulture and agriculture, and the health of consumers who have access to residue-free produce.
Key SDGs in which we are active:
SDG 2 – Zero Hunger
Recent figures reveal that more than a billion people go hungry every day. Global statistics also show that 30 to 40% of horticultural and agricultural crop production is lost to pests and diseases every year. Our portfolio of biological solutions offer growers an array of safe, sustainable solutions that combat pests and diseases. We offers macro and micro-biological alternatives to pesticides and artificial fertilizers for growers to produce residue-free fruit, vegetables and other crops.
Our products work both above ground and around the root system in a holistic approach that promotes plant health, the health of growers and their workers, and that of consumers.
We actively promotes integrated crop management practices in both the developed world as well as smallholders in less developed countries, sharing our knowledge with not-for-profit organizations, research centres and academia to reach growers in all corners of the world. Amongst other social projects, the Koppert Foundation provides training in integrated pest management to ‘plant doctors’ who advise local growers on sustainable plant protection practices.
SDG 9 – Industry innovation and infrastructure
Innovation is part of our DNA. The ongoing drive to discover and utilize natural principles forms the core of our activities. Our strength lies in our ability to turn this knowledge into practical applications which contribute to finding sustainable solution to prevailing problems in horticulture and agriculture.
Although we are primarily known for our products, our company is essentially a knowledge company. Our Research & Development has frequently been the source of biological solutions that were subsequently adopted worldwide. Ground-breaking discoveries include the introduction of bumblebees for natural pollination, beneficial macro and microorganisms to control pests and diseases and boost plant health and growth, and biocontrol technologies such as drones for the detection of pests and diseases and the release of biocontrol products, and associated technologies such as the monitoring scout-app, Natutec Scout.
SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production
With an estimated 9 to 10 billion people to feed by 2050, and with increasing pressure on dwindling natural resources to provide sufficient safe food for the world’s growing population, growers will need to significantly reduce crop losses and food wastage. Introducing biological solutions such as natural predators and beneficial microorganisms minimizes the use of pesticides and artificial fertilizers, reducing pollution and our carbon footprint.
Through the Koppert Foundation, we help smallholders improve their yields. Together with a number of Dutch companies, we have been part of the ‘Seed2Feed’ project in Kenya. The programme shows farmers how they can increase their yields by using biocontrol and move away from pesticides. As a result, farmers have increased their yields sustainably, reducing poverty and pollution in the area.
Sustainability has been an ongoing process at Koppert which received extra impetus and investment in recent years in terms of streamlining procedures and making our production processes, use of resources, packaging and transportation more sustainable. All our employees were also drawn into this process which aims to make social sustainability part of Koppert’s DNA.
SDG 15 – Life on land
We are a driver for change in agriculture and horticulture. We directly or indirectly played a role in making growers and other stakeholders in agriculture aware of the risks involved in using chemicals for pest and disease control, fertilization and other farming procedures. We do this by developing sustainable alternatives that come from nature itself, using macro and microorganisms to restore and promote sustainable farming practices and support biodiversity.
Our microbial Natugro, Trianum and Panoramix programmes promote plant health to strengthen the crop and improve its resistance to drought or water stress, increase nutrient absorption and protect the crop from harmful diseases. Microorganisms promote plant resilience and optimize the relationship between the root system and the soil. In recent years, our extensive know-how of microorganisms, biostimulants and pheromones has inspired countless solutions that have improved plant resilience to stress, pests and diseases.
SDG17 – Partnerships for the goals
Building partnerships is one of our core values. Collaboration is in our DNA. We cannot do this on our own. We know that in order to get closer to realizing our mission and vision, we need to work together. That is why we are open to building relationships, externally as well as internally.