Grupo Bimbo participated in the Fifth Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The company presented the best practices and the results in sustainability reached in the countries where it operates.

Created in 1991, the GEF is a global association formed by 183 countries whose goal is to address environmental challenges on a global scale and to promote initiatives in sustainable development. The Assembly, held in Cancún, Quintana Roo, proved to be an adequate forum for a dialogue about environmental initiatives between leaders of the private and public sectors.

Throughout its existence, Grupo Bimbo has strengthened its efforts in social responsibility. The organization’s current social responsibility program “Sembrando Juntos” relies on four pillars – Wellbeing, Planet, Community and Associates – each of them addressed at promoting the construction of a positive and lasting relationship with the community surrounding us and with the planet. The pillar called Planet – the environmental branch of the program – is aimed at reducing our environmental footprint through 4 courses of action: carbon footprint, water footprint, waste management and natural capital.

Along these lines, Grupo Bimbo has globally implemented some of its best practices such as waste management, rainwater collection systems and centers for residual water treatment. Moreover, the company has significantly reduced its CO2 emissions through a strategy of energy efficiency consisting of incorporating renewable energies and vehicles with green technology to its operations.

The panel “Financing green growth”, was chaired by the Deputy Minister of the Treasury and Public Credit, Fernando Aportela, joined by Li Yong, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, among others. Daniel Servitje, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Grupo Bimbo underscored the importance of promoting the use of renewable energies.

Daniel Servitje also said that “regarding renewable energies, we are on the right track. Since the sector was opened in 1992, the private participation in the generation of energy has been increasingly dynamic and, today, we have an adequate environment for the development of this type of projects”. In this context, he mentioned two projects of the organization, which have had great impact for being environmentally beneficial and globally relevant.

Grupo Bimbo was the first company of the food industry to have a wind farm. Located in the Mexican state of Oaxaca and inaugurated in 2012, the Piedra Larga wind farm supplies electric energy to most of Grupo Bimbo’s operations in Mexico. Additionally, the company opened its first ecological sales depot in downtown Mexico City. This depot has 73 vehicles powered by electrical engines, a large part of which were designed by Grupo Bimbo’s technicians. Now, the organization is ready to apply this experiences to the other countries where it operates.

Both initiatives, together with the best practices aimed at reducing both electrical and thermal energy, have prevented the company from producing more than 320 thousand tons of CO2 to the atmosphere. This amount is equivalent to nine times the absorption capacity of “La Marquesa” green space.

In accordance to its Vision 2015, Grupo Bimbo has a strong commitment with the development of initiatives aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of its operations along its value chain, in each of the 21 countries distributed in three continents where it operates.