Munich, Germany – January 22, 2026 – IFCO has announced new 2030 environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals aimed at helping customers save and avoid 1 megaton of carbon emissions annually by 2030, building on record environmental savings achieved in 2025.
The retailer-focused reusable packaging provider said customers avoided and reduced more than 803 million kilograms of CO₂e in 2025 by replacing single-use packaging with IFCO’s reusable transport packaging. The results form the foundation of IFCO’s new 2030 ESG strategy, “Thriving with Purpose,” which focuses on scaling circularity across global fresh food supply chains.
“Our record 2025 results show that circularity at scale works,” said Mike Pooley, CEO of IFCO. “The 2030 ESG Goals build on this momentum, setting ambitious but achievable targets that are fully embedded in how we operate and grow our business globally.”
Verified environmental savings in 2025
According to IFCO, its 2025 Sustainability Certificates provide customers with verified, customer-level data on environmental savings achieved through the use of IFCO reusable packaging compared with single-use corrugated alternatives. The assessments are based on life cycle analyses aligned with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards and reviewed by independent third parties.
Global savings reported for 2025 include:
803,500 tonnes of CO₂e, equivalent to driving around the Earth approximately 157,700 times
56.7 million cubic meters of water, comparable to 22,700 Olympic-size swimming pools
16.6 million gigajoules of energy, equal to the annual energy use of nearly 800,000 households
1.44 million tonnes of solid waste, equivalent to the annual waste generated by 2.9 million people
74,450 tonnes of food waste avoided, representing an estimated 118.9 million meals
The savings were achieved through IFCO’s SmartCycle™ pooling system, which supplies reusable plastic containers (RPCs) for fresh produce, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and bakery products.
2030 ESG goals: business, planet, and society
IFCO’s 2030 ESG roadmap is structured around three pillars—business, planet, and society—and includes a series of measurable targets intended to scale the environmental and social impact of its reusable packaging model.
Key goals include helping customers avoid 1 megaton of carbon emissions per year by 2030, delivering near-term Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) targets by 2031, and working toward a validated net-zero SBTi target by 2030. IFCO also aims to achieve 100% renewable electricity across key service center partners and reusable packaging manufacturers by the end of the decade.
Additional commitments include maintaining zero waste to landfill each year, upcycling all products into new reusable items at end of life, and reducing reliance on virgin plastics through material innovation. On the social side, IFCO plans to partner with food banks globally to support the delivery of 500,000 tonnes of food by 2030, strengthening food security while reducing waste.
“These new targets reflect a broader vision of sustainability,” said Iñigo Canalejo, Vice President ESG and Strategic Marketing at IFCO. “While circularity remains central, our focus also highlights creating shared value for people, communities, and the planet.”
Building on prior ESG progress
IFCO said its new 2030 goals are based on progress it has already made in recent years. Under its previous ESG strategy, the company reduced carbon emissions per crate by 37%, cut water use per crate by 10%, and switched its own operations to 100% renewable electricity.
Looking ahead, IFCO said it will track progress on its 2030 goals with the same level of discipline it applies to financial performance. The company said its approach is shaped by European sustainability reporting rules, its own assessment of the most important environmental and social risks and impacts, and widely used international standards, with additional guidance drawn from the B Corp framework.
Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
