As one of the largest cereal companies in the U.S. and Canada, and as a key player in the food CPG industry, it’s on us to protect our environment and prioritize environmental sustainability in our daily operations – from how we make our cereal to the transportation process between our facilities and your cereal bowl.
Watch the video below to learn about how Post is using alternative energy sources to reduce the company’s environmental impact – with programs for water reduction, energy usage reduction, electric transportation and waste management.
While sustainability has taken on an increasingly significant role in the last 20 years, it’s become a huge discussion point between companies and consumers alike in the last five years.
According to Todd Person, plant technical director at Post Consumer Brands, Post’s environmental sustainability program primarily focuses on reducing the usage of our current sources of energy – water and electricity.
Water Reduction
Post has been working to reduce the amount of water used for cleaning and sanitation purposes across all locations for several years and it continues to be an ongoing initiative.
Electricity Reduction
Post’s plant in Northfield, Minnesota, recently implemented a major capital investment program where lights were replaced with LED, changing every single light in the factory – which not only improved worker productivity as a result of better visibility, but it also reduced our energy production by 10% in the Minnesota plant.
Electric Transportation
Using electric transportation sources such as the electric terminal tractor helps us reduce pollutants from diesel.
“We have the electric vehicle truck or the spotter truck at the distribution center. Our campus is perfect for that because we have the Campbell Mill, Ames Mill, and both our distribution centers within a mile of each other. The electric vehicle is well suited for that kind of environment,” says Jim Sebring, warehouse supervisor at Post Consumer Brands.
Waste Management
All Post Consumer Brands distribution centers, manufacturing plants and corporate offices have waste management programs in place. In fact, our Niagara Falls plant has been a zero food waste to landfill facility for over five years!
Brian Weiss, sustainability advocate & operations lead at Post Consumer Brands, states that “being a farming community, farmers and the local economy are very dependent on animal feed. Leftover ingredients from our cereal production process can be used as animal feed. We’re giving them a cheap and easy solution. That’s both an environmental sustainability win and community outreach right there!”
Future Sustainability Programs in 2022 and Beyond
We’ve really just scratched the surface of where we can go with our sustainability programs. Each of our locations continue to innovate in ways that protect our environment.
For example, our Northfield plant is pursuing a program that will recycle water used in the plant’s boiler system. That will save 65,000 gallons of water a day in our Northfield facility alone.
“I think we all have to remember that we all play a part in it even though it may feel small. If Post can reduce its energy usage by 20% this year and next, we’re going to start to have a major impact on the environment in the U.S. and the world,” says Todd Person.
There’s a lot of traction around sustainability initiatives, and Post has worked hard to ensure we’re doing our part. With employees that genuinely care about making a difference in the world and addressing issues tied to climate change, we’re able to shape our programs and set goals that everyone on the team is excited about reaching!
Learn more about various environmental sustainability initiatives at Post.