June 12//Press Release -- PureCircle has expanded its sustainability program and set what it says is an ambitious 2020 goal to reduce carbon, water, waste and energy use across its supply chain from farm to sweetener.

These goals, said the company, mark a significant commitment to making a positive impact on the food and beverage industry’s environmental footprint and helping to tackle the global obesity challenge.

PureCircle’s efforts will enable a cumulative reduction of the food & beverage industries’:

* Carbon emissions by 1 Million (1,000,000) metric tons by 2020
* Water consumption by 2 Trillion (2,000,000,000,000) liters by 2020
* Calories in global diets by 13 Trillion (13,000,000,000,000) by 2020

When setting these commitments, PureCircle drew from the work it has undertaken to measure its carbon and water footprint. PureCircle says it was the first in the stevia industry to measure and publish results of the carbon and water footprint from farm to sweetener. In fiscal 2012, it completed its second carbon footprint, which together with the 2011 study formed the basis for the 2020 goals. These goals are said to show that PureCircle stevia has a significantly lower environmental footprint than other natural mainstream sweeteners (high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), beet and cane sugar) based on publically available benchmarks.

Building on the progress the company has already made to reduce its carbon emissions and water use, the 2020 goals lay out PureCircle’s commitments to have zero untreated waste to landfill and support 100,000 farmers by 2020.

“It is PureCircle’s vision to lead the global expansion of stevia as the next mass volume natural sweetener that is grown, processed and delivered in a way that respects people and the planet,” said Ajay Chandran, global marketing and sustainability director. “Our 2020 goals demonstrate this vision in action. Our customers and consumers can be assured of our long-term commitment to further embedding sustainability principles and practices across our integrated supply chain, which will result in improved products with a reduced impact.”

“As the world’s largest stevia producer and supplier, we recognise the unique role we can play in helping the food and beverage industry to reduce its impact on the environment and tackle the global obesity challenge, with our goals articulating the significant role we can play in this respect.”