In the bustling heart of Phileo’s global headquarters, we sit down with Céline Garat, the company’s passionate CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Officer, to discuss the organization’s unwavering commitment to creating a more sustainable future.
Céline, thank you for taking the time to share your insights with us today. As Phileo’s CSR Officer, you play a crucial role in driving the company’s sustainability initiatives. Can you tell us a bit about your mission and the key focus areas you’re tackling?
My mission at Phileo is to ensure that sustainability and environmental responsibility are at the forefront of everything we do. While the Lesaffre group has identified three major challenges – decarbonizing industrial activities, protecting agricultural crops, and embracing circularity – my role is to tailor these priorities to Phileo’s unique position within the animal nutrition industry.
One of the key focus areas I’m particularly passionate about is promoting sustainable production through our innovative product lines, such as Actisaf® for ruminants and Safmannan® for poultry. By conducting comprehensive Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) on these solutions, we’re able to quantify their positive environmental impact and empower our customers to make more informed, sustainable choices.
Can you tell us more about the LCA work you’ve been leading on Actisaf® and Safmannan®, and how these products are contributing to Phileo’s sustainability goals?
The LCA studies we’ve conducted on Actisaf® for dairy and beef cattle, as well as the more recent work on Safmannan® for poultry, have been incredibly insightful. These assessments have allowed us to clearly demonstrate the environmental benefits of our natural, microbial-based solutions compared to traditional feed additives.
For example, our Actisaf® products have been shown to improve rumen function and feed efficiency in ruminants, leading to a reduction in methane emissions and a lower carbon footprint per unit of animal protein produced. Similarly, Safmannan® has been proven to enhance gut health and performance in poultry, ultimately reducing the environmental impact of poultry production.
By sharing these LCA findings with our customers, we’re empowering them to make more informed, sustainable choices that align with their own environmental commitments. It’s a win-win situation – our customers can improve the sustainability of their operations, while Phileo contributes to the broader goal of reducing the carbon footprint of the animal nutrition industry.
In fact, our commitment to sustainability has recently been recognized by EcoVadis, the international rating agency that assesses companies’ corporate social responsibility. In 2022, Phileo received the silver medal from EcoVadis, placing us among the top 15% of companies globally in terms of CSR performance. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team in integrating sustainability and ethics into the core of our business.
Another key initiative I’ve been leading is the development of Phileo’s comprehensive CSR roadmap, which is based on the One Health approach – healthy people, healthy animals, and a healthy planet. This roadmap outlines our strategic priorities, targets, and action plans across all aspects of our operations, from environmental protection to social responsibility and ethical governance.
It’s clear that these product-specific sustainability initiatives and the CSR roadmap are a key part of your mission. What other areas are you focused on to drive Phileo’s sustainability agenda forward?
In addition to the work on Actisaf® and Safmannan®, and the development of our CSR roadmap, I’m also heavily involved in integrating sustainability considerations into our product development and customer engagement processes. This includes collaborating closely with our Regulatory, Quality, and Product Application teams to ensure that environmental impact is a core factor in every decision we make.
I’m also passionate about fostering a culture of sustainability across the entire Phileo organization. This involves raising awareness, encouraging employee engagement, and empowering our teams to explore innovative, sustainable solutions. After all, every single member of the Phileo family has a role to play in achieving our ambitious sustainability goals.
Céline, it’s clear that you and your team are truly making a difference. What’s your vision for the future, and how can your colleagues across the organization contribute to this mission?
My vision is for Phileo to be recognized as a global leader in sustainable innovation, setting the standard for the animal nutrition industry and inspiring our partners to join us on this journey. But we can’t do it alone. Every single member of the Phileo family has a role to play, whether it’s through their daily operational decisions, their engagement in our continuous improvement initiatives, or their willingness to challenge the status quo and explore new, more sustainable solutions.
I encourage all of our colleagues to stay curious, to ask questions, and to bring their unique perspectives to the table. Together, we can unlock the full potential of our 27UP strategy and cement Phileo’s reputation as a responsible, forward-thinking leader in the animal nutrition space.
Céline, thank you for your passion, your dedication, and your unwavering commitment to creating a more sustainable future. It’s clear that Phileo is in good hands with you at the helm of our CSR efforts.
