Sustainability has become an important influence on purchasing decisions. Consumers are increasingly choosing plant-based options, both for their health and the health of our planet.

As a plant-based source of high-quality protein, soy is an obvious choice for manufacturers looking to further their sustainability initiatives. At Nutrition & Biosciences, we combine half a century of expertise in soy protein with practical measures that support the United Nations Development Goals. When you work with us, you have a partner who is committed to ensuring that your products give your consumers the healthier, more sustainable food they are looking for.

Supporting Sustainability

Sustainability is key at Nutrition & Biosciences. Our programs aim to reduce the environmental footprint of our value chains and create more sustainable products. One example of our commitment is the life cycle assessment (LCA) of our SUPRO® isolated soy protein (ISP) which compared the carbon footprint, land, and water use of our ISP with other common protein sources. This was the first third-party reviewed, ISO14044 compliant, LCA to be performed on an ISP, and it confirmed the low carbon footprint of our ISP as compared with dairy and meat proteins. In fact, the results suggested that replacing the beef consumed by Americans with Nutrition & Biosciences soy protein for just one day a week, would be equivalent to taking 11 million cars off American roads.

Responsible sourcing

Another aspect of our commitment to sustainability is the practices we follow when sourcing our soybeans.  As a part of our effort to minimize our carbon footprint, we source soybeans as close to our manufacturing facilities as possible. Most of our soybeans come from growers in the United States who are assessed against the U.S. Soybean Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP). We’re a member of the Round Table on Responsible Soy and, in accordance with the Soy Moratorium, only buy soybeans from suppliers who have contracted to avoid buying soybeans grown on lands deforested after July 2006 in the Amazon biome.

How We Help

Sustainability

Soybean cultivation is highly efficient and requires less water than other irrigated crops such as corn. Producing soy protein requires far less land, energy and water than animal-based proteins. According to a third-party validated Life Cycle Assessment, our soybean isolate has a carbon footprint that’s up to 80 times lower than dairy and meat proteins.

Our soy protein supports at least six of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.