Farming with nature Sustainability report 2022/23
total hectares owned
farms and forests
different countries
annual crop tonnes
The Ingleby vision and mission
Our vision is to be world-leading regenerative farmers.
We farm to produce good, healthy food, and also to protect the environment for future generations.
As farmers, we play an important part in solving some of the most pressing global challenges we face today. We want to farm with nature – not against it. We believe farming done right can help the planet, and we aim to live up to this task every day, in everything we do.
We apply regenerative farming principles and constantly improve our soil. We preserve and enhance the biodiversity on our farms, and work towards sustainable consumption and production. We treat our people, animals and communities with care and respect. Because the way we choose to farm today echoes for generations.
“If you want to build a really good farm, it takes more than one generation.”
- Andrei Pavel, CEO
Chief executive’s statement
It is difficult to talk about farming nowadays without mentioning climate change, even when it might sound repetitive. The sector is already experiencing negative impacts from higher temperatures, more variable rainfall, invasive pests, and more frequent extreme weather events, which will worsen as climate change accelerates.
During the recent reporting period, we have been hit by severe weather in all our nine operating countries. We faced it all: cyclones, excessive rains, floods, droughts, heatwaves, hail, frosts, you name it. Our overall strategy of being diversified across countries and regions is protecting us from climate impacts and market movements but does not insulate us from them.
To adapt to the climatic conditions, our focus is on building resilience across our farm systems and diversifying our individual farm income streams. Our farms are already in excellent conditions, which is a result of our long-term perspective allowing us to focus on building up soil quality, soil organic matter, crop diversification and reduce erosion – all long-term endeavours which require long-term commitment.
We set our 2030 commitments four years ago, during which we have made a lot of learnings. Some tools or trials worked well, some not so well, and some not at all. The first few years, we harvested the low hanging fruits, if you will. Spot spraying, for example, has been extremely effective in bringing our use of synthetic pesticide usage down.
After the first “big wins”, we expect diminishing effects as we get closer to our goal. Our most important asset in this matter is our mindset. An innovative, curious mindset, not afraid of failures or setbacks. A mindset craving continuous learning and improvement, sharing best practices and failures with peers and like-minded.
We are on a journey towards regenerative farming, and the journey itself can be as important as the end goal. For us, the journey is about becoming better farmers, to farm with nature, to be innovative and to use new technologies to deliver against our commitments.
Andrei Pavel Chief Executive Officer
Our farms & forests
We are long-term owners of land, managing horticulture, pastures, arable and mixed farms in nine countries across four continents. As of June 2023, we own and manage 102,031 hectares worldwide of which we protect 32% as natural habitats, including 2.8% as water habitats.
We strive to farm with nature
Our 2030 commitments
Overall, we are committed to farm with nature. While farming is such a wide and complex concept, we have established one specific commitment for each of five main areas.
To make these five commitments actionable, we have set ourselves some challenging goals. For example, to become synthetic pesticide-free and climate positive by 2030. These goals are not easy tick-offs, but something that requires hands-on work and substantial changes on how we farm. We are pushing boundaries, investigating and testing technologies that still are under development. Basically, we are re-learning how to farm. It is hard work, but also great fun and exceptionally rewarding!
Our biodegradable 2019/20 Farming with Nature report
About this report
This year, we are publishing our Farming with Nature report online instead of printing it on paper. Although we previously printed on cradle-to-cradle certified paper with biodegradable ink, we still strive to avoid using paper an ink. On top of that, our stakeholders are spread widely across the globe – so there is a lot of emissions to be saved by not shipping the report near and far. We do acknowledge that accessing an online version of this report requires electricity use by the reader as well as by the hosting facility, but we expect that impact to be much lower than by printing and shipping.
Colophon
This report is based on the consolidated worldwide data relating to harvests of the financial year from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023. All production and social data reflect the harvests of the 2022/23 financial year, although for some regions, these data reflect activity occurring during 2021/22. We use science-based indicators for production, resource use efficiency, employee health and safety, and community outreach – all to promote good governance, sustainable production and to reduce risks.
With this report, Ingleby Farms & Forests ApS reaffirms its support of the Ten Principles of the United Nations Global Compact in the areas of Human Rights, Labour, Environment and Anti-Corruption.
In this, our ninth annual Communication on Progress, we describe our actions to continually improve the integration of the Global Compact and its principles into our business strategy, culture and daily operations.
We are also committed to sharing this information with our stakeholders.
Farming with Nature 2022/23, 1. edition
Ingleby Farms & Forests ApS, Slotsgade 1A, 4600 Køge, Denmark
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