Greenwashing questions haunt beef giant JBS
In a recent interview at the New York Times Climate Forward event, Gilberto Tomazoni, CEO of JBS, the world’s largest meat producer, faced a barrage of critical questions about the company’s stance on deforestation, transparency, and its claims of reducing emissions as it seeks to enter the New York Stock Exchange.
The interview highlighted a range of concerns and skepticism about JBS’s environmental practices and sustainability commitments.
State of play. The conversation focused on JBS’s supply chain emissions and allegations of greenwashing. Critics have sharply criticized the company for its lack of transparency regarding emissions from its vast supply chain, which includes beef, pork, and poultry.
- While JBS proudly touts itself as the first major global protein company to set a net-zero emissions target, it faces relentless scrutiny from environmental advocates. At the heart of the issue is the company’s failure to have its emissions targets independently verified by a reputable third party.
- In addition, JBS has not reported its supply chain emissions for the year 2022, raising questions about the company’s commitment to transparency.
By the numbers. A study found that JBS generates more annual emissions than the entire country of Italy. This total increased by 51 percent between 2016 and 2021 — from 280 to 421.6 million tons of carbon equivalent.
- Alex Wijeratna, senior director...
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