Hort Innovation, the premier grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australia’s horticulture industry, recently released the highly anticipated 2023/24 Australian-grown Horticulture Sustainability Framework.
Everything Hort Innovation does is built on their vision to create a prosperous and sustainable Australian horticulture industry built on innovation. Their role is to advance Australia’s $16 billion horticulture industry by investing in research and development, marketing and trade to build a prosperous and sustainable future for growers.
They collaborate and partner with a diverse array of Australian and international stakeholders and co-investors including government, leading scientific institutions, technology, and consumer strategy experts to anticipate and address future challenges and opportunities in the evolving horticulture landscape.
Creating a sustainability framework for Australian horticulture:
People, natural resources, communities and thriving businesses are core to the sustainability of Australian-grown horticulture. Horticulture’s many industries produce fruits, vegetables, nuts and greenlife that are essential for the health and wellbeing of people, communities and landscapes.
Hort Innovation has worked with Australian horticulture’s industries and stakeholders to develop the 2023/24 Australian-grown Horticulture Sustainability Framework. It is a process for understanding and measuring the many elements of sustainability of Australian-grown horticultural production and setting goals for the future.Initially launched in 2021, this 2023 revision incorporates industry and supply chain feedback and aligns with emerging policy and market drivers for sustainability measures and data.
Sustainability priorities, commitments and data needs of key supply chain companies, customers and investors evolved substantially over the past two years and new sustainability policies have emerged internationally. These changes and feedback from industry led to this 2023 revision.
Why a sustainability framework for horticulture?
In the globalised supply chain, consumers are showing an increasing interest in understanding more about where their food and greenlife products come from and how they are produced. Companies in horticulture’s supply chain and their shareholders, markets and investors are seeking evidence of high standards of product safety, workplace ethics and environmental care in order to report on their own sustainability commitments.
Hort Innovation’s Strategy 2019-2023 committed to developing a sustainability framework for Australian horticulture, to help the sector proactively manage emerging issues now, and in the future and set benchmarks to show progress over time.
How can the Horticulture Sustainability Framework be used?
This sustainability framework provides a logical process to review how Australian horticulture is tracking on the sustainability issues that matter to its stakeholders. Australian horticulture, its industries and businesses can use it to:
- Measure and track the sustainability of their production systems.
- Work towards safe, ethical and environmentally sustainable production practices.
- Find simplified ways to gather or model data on the sustainability metrics of production systems to meet supply chain needs and reduce burden on individual growers.
- Work together on common challenges across the sector.
- Target research.
- Tell their story of sustainable production.
- Protect and grow access to investment and finance.
- Strengthen relationships and transparency with stakeholders.
Each horticultural industry will determine how they will use this framework. Some industries have started using the information to develop their own industry approach. Industries may choose to set industry specific targets and timeframes. Hort Innovation has used the sustainability framework in its investment planning processes.
The 2023/24 Australian-grown Horticulture Sustainability Framework:
The 2023/24 Australian-grown Horticulture Sustainability Framework comprises four fundamental pillars, each centring on distinct key themes:
Nourish and Nurture:
- Healthy, nutritious food
- Greenlife
- Safe, traceable, quality
People and Enterprise:
- Productive, profitable growers
- Human rights
- Safe work
- Diversity and capability
- Governance
- Thriving communities
Planet and Resources:
- Sustainable agricultural practices
- Water
- Biodiversity and pollinators
- Biosecurity
- Pest and disease management
Climate and Waste:
- Emissions
- Energy
- Climate adaptation
- Food waste
- Waste
Targeting Climate and Waste Goals: Fresh Produce Industry Packaging Objectives:
Within the ‘Climate and Waste’ segment of the 2023/24 Australian-grown Horticulture Sustainability Framework, there are two pivotal horticulture objectives directly addressing waste management and packaging concerns.Tar
Goal: W.7 Packaging is minimised, recyclable, compostable or reusable
Indicators:
- W.7.1 % of horticultural packaging that is recyclable, compostable or reusable
- W.7.1 Days of shelf-life extension provided by packaging
Goal: W.8 Reduce, reuse or recycle on-farm waste and input supply packaging
Indicators:
- W.8.1 % producers with a waste management plan
- W.8.2 Volume organic farm waste to landfill
- W.8.3 Volume organic farm waste diverted to composting for reuse
- W.8.4 Volume inorganic farm waste
- W.8.5 Regional distribution of reuse and recycling facilities for plastic waste from farms (drip tape, films, bunch bags, input supply packaging etc)
- W.8.6 Proportion of input supply packaging that is reused, recycled or composted.
These specific waste focussed goals, along with all of the goals in the 2023/24 Australian-grown Horticulture Sustainability Framework align with the Australian agricultural sustainability framework, the United Nations Sustainable Development global goals and the GRI Agriculture reporting standard used by many customers, as well as the alignment with horticulture’s existing industry led programs.
Australian Agricultural Sustainability Framework:
MATERIALS & RESOURCES
P7. Finite resources are safeguarded in circular economic systems.
C13. The use of inputs and resources that cannot be reused or recycled is minimised.
C14. Renewable sources of inputs are prioritised.
C15. Residues and waste are reused or recycled.
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:
SDG 12.5 By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
GRI Agriculture:
13.8 WASTE
Anything that a holder discards, intends to discard, or is required to discard. Waste generation, management of significant waste-related impacts, waste diverted from disposal, waste directed to disposal.
How Naturpac supports these Climate and Waste goals
Naturpac stands firmly committed to advancing the objectives outlined in the 2023/24 Australian-grown Horticulture Sustainability Framework. Through our innovative packaging solutions, we actively contribute to the achievement of the Framework’s waste reduction goals.
Embracing the principle of “Packaging is minimised, recyclable, compostable, or reusable,” Naturpac consistently develops packaging options that not only enhance the shelf-life of fresh produce but also prioritise environmental sustainability. By offering packaging that extends the days of shelf-life while remaining recyclable or compostable, we ensure that growers and consumers alike can enjoy the benefits of packaging without compromising our planet’s health.
Gold, Silver and Bronze standards
We work with all industry governing bodies to ensure not only the products in our range adhere to mandates, but also that we are constantly striving to refine and improve these mandates.
All products that are part of Naturpacs packaging range meet the following assessment criteria:
Supply Chain Compatibility:
J-Tech Systems and Naturpac have over 50 years of expertise in supply packaging provision. Naturpac lines are selected based on how non disruptive and collaborative their introduction can be.
For a better earth:
Above all else, every line that is introduced into the Naturpac range must support a common goal. It must be For a Better Earth. The materials, processes, producers and partners must all be working to this common goal.
Our product range has then been divided into three types of packaging standards:
Gold standard: Truly Compostable:
Gold Standard is the goal. Long term we must strive for truly compostable solutions.
Silver standard: Truly Biodegradable:
The Naturpac Silver standard represents our biodegradable range. This tier is a stepping stone from goodness to greatness.
Bronze standard: Truly Recyclable:
The Naturpac Bronze standard range includes an industry leading range of recyclable alternative packaging options.
The Horticulture Sustainability Framework goals are in line with APCO Australia’s National Packaging Targets:
The 2025 National Packaging Targets are supported by Australian industry and government to deliver a sustainable approach to packaging. They apply to all packaging that is made, used, and sold in Australia.
The Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is the organisation charged by government to facilitate the delivery of the 2025 Targets, to be achieved by 31 December 2025.
First established in 2018, the 2025 Targets require a complete and systemic change to the way Australia creates, collects, and recovers product packaging, and are an important step on Australia’s journey towards a circular economy for packaging.
They were developed following industry and government consultation and are in line with ambitious sustainable packaging initiatives being delivered globally.
The 2025 APCO Australia National Packaging Targets are:
- 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging
- 70% of plastic packaging being recycled or composted
- 50% of average recycled content included in packaging
- The phase out of problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging
Naturpac wholeheartedly supports the APCO targets, as they align closely with our mission to promote sustainable packaging solutions. By embracing these targets, we not only contribute to the achievement of the Horticulture Sustainability Framework goals but also actively participate in Australia’s journey towards a circular economy for packaging.
Towards a Greener Path: Embracing Sustainability in Australian Horticulture with Naturpac:
The 2023/24 Australian-grown Horticulture Sustainability Framework sets a comprehensive roadmap towards a more sustainable future for the horticulture sector.
With a focus on waste reduction and packaging sustainability, exemplified by the two key goals outlined, the Framework aligns industry efforts with global sustainability initiatives.
By embracing these objectives, stakeholders and leaders across the supply chain, including us here at Naturpac, can work together to foster a more environmentally responsible and resilient horticulture industry for generations to come.
Together, we can make a lasting impact on the future of packaging in Australia and beyond.
Naturpac, for a better earth.
Want to learn more about Naturpac?
Naturpac are an eco friendly packaging company in NSW, Australia created by J-Tech Systems to bring a new level of farm produce sustainable packaging to the fresh produce industry. Environmental packaging and sustainable produce packaging are Naturpac’s specialty with a focus on recycled packaging, recyclable packaging, biodegradable packaging and compostable packaging.
We are passionate about sustainability education, especially sustainability education in schools and for children to help young consumers of today shape the world for tomorrow.
At Naturpac we offer a broad range of fresh produce packaging supplies that are environmentally friendly. If you are in the fresh produce industry check out our range here.
