Barbara van Hoorn
Barbara van Hoorn is our Global Key Account and Sustainability Manager. Barbara loves being outdoors. She enjoys hiking and trail running, but while she appreciates our planet's beauty, she also sees the stress and pressure we humans subject it to.
"I feel the need to do my part to better take care of our planet"
01 | What role does sustainability play in your day-to-day job?
Barbara: "My role within FrieslandCampina Professional involves making customers aware of their sustainability issues. If a company comes to us for advice on how to address this important topic, we can discuss the various ways in which FrieslandCampina can provide support."
02 | Is sustainability an important pillar in the strategy of FrieslandCampina?
Barbara: "It is a vitally important pillar, which we approach from different angles and across all disciplines. Sustainability is increasingly becoming a prerequisite for being able to market our dairy and non-dairy products. But sustainability is not just a buzzword to us."
03 | What actions have been taken to reduce the carbon footprint?
Barbara: "In terms of our own milk from member farmers, we have been taking carbon measurements since 1990, and have achieved an impressive 355 reduction since that time. We are switching to renewable, green energy sources, both in our logistics and our production processes. By 2050 we want to achieve net climate-neutrality. Our 2030 climate targets we are in line with the maximum 1.5 degrees Celsius warning set out in the Paris Climate Agreement. By 2025, 100% of our packaging will be recyclable/reusable and by 2025 we also aim for 100% sustainably sources agricultural raw materials and 95% traceable (selected) raw materials."
04 | How can we help customers meet their sustainability targets?
Barbara: "We understand that our customers need solid sustainability data to back their own goals. We guarantee reliable, certified and audited trustworthy data as we measure and monitor everything that happens on our member farmers' sites. Our track & trace systems are unique and allow us to ensure there is no double counting and that everything we do is fully traceable from grass to glass."
05 | Can you give us a concrete example on a use case?
Barbara: "We recently signed an agreement with a large confectionary company to help them reduce the CO2 footprint on the milkfat they source from us. With another leading confectionary manufacturer, we looked at the use of additives to reduce emissions, and the criteria at each point in the chain that would define the success of this idea. By working together in partnership, we learn more about why sustainability is important for customers, and the chain as a whole."