{"id":8199,"date":"2016-11-02T22:22:40","date_gmt":"2016-11-03T02:22:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/a-look-inside-the-worlds-largest-beef-producer-is-jbs-slaughtering-cows-or-the-environment\/"},"modified":"2016-11-03T15:43:32","modified_gmt":"2016-11-03T19:43:32","slug":"a-look-inside-the-worlds-largest-beef-producer-is-jbs-slaughtering-cows-or-the-environment","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/a-look-inside-the-worlds-largest-beef-producer-is-jbs-slaughtering-cows-or-the-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"A Look Inside the World\u2019s Largest Beef Producer: Is JBS Slaughtering Cows \u2013 or the Environment?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Beef Production\u2019s \u201cSteak\u201d in Climate Change
\n<\/u><\/strong>Beef is one of the largest contributors to climate change primarily due to (i) deforestation for cattle pasture and (ii) livestock emissions.<\/p>\n

(i) via Deforestation
\n<\/em>Land-clearing related to beef production is the largest contributor to deforestation<\/u><\/strong>, accounting for nearly 60% of forest loss<\/strong> in studied areas of prevalent tropical forest loss [1].<\/strong>\u00a0 This impact is amplified in South America, where beef production contributed to 71% of the deforestation seen from 1995 – 2005 (See Figure 1) \u00a0[2].<\/strong>\u00a0 Clearing and burning forests subsequently create\u00a0an estimated\u00a015% <\/strong>of CO2<\/sub> emissions [3]<\/strong> due to the:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Loss of CO2<\/sub>-absorbing trees and<\/li>\n
  2. Subsequent massive release of heat-trapping carbon previously stored in trees.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"climate-pic2\"<\/a>
    \n(ii) via\u00a0Livestock Emission
    \n<\/em>In addition to requiring significant land use, cattle also go through a fermentation process of plant-based foods in a specialized stomach prior to digestion.\u00a0 This process emits polluting gases including methane, through belching and flatulence.\u00a0\u00a0Research estimates that livestock emits 7.1 GTCO 2<\/sub>-eq per annum, representing 14.5%<\/strong> of human-induced greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions.\u00a0 Beef and cattle milk production represent 4.5 GTCO 2<\/sub>-eq per annum or nearly\u00a065%<\/strong>\u00a0of the livestock sector’s emissions<\/strong>\u00a0(See Figure 2) [4]<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    \"figure-2\"<\/a><\/p>\n


    \n\"mcdonalds-pic\"Why Should JBS Care?
    \n<\/u><\/strong>Addressing the link between beef production and global warming must be a fundamental part of JBS’s strategy going forward. \u00a0They must consider this link when answering key operational questions such as “What suppliers do we partner with? ” or “What systems do we need to invest in to help us meet our sustainability goals?”<\/p>\n

    JBS\u00a0will continue to face pressure from its customers – who are attempting to adapt their own policies in the face of climate change – to provide sustainable beef products. \u00a0For example, McDonalds, a JBS customer, recently committed to only sourcing deforestation-free beef as part of its corporate sustainability program [5].<\/strong>\u00a0 As of 2013, 40% of McDonald\u2019s green-house gas emissions came from its beef supply chain<\/u><\/strong> vs. 30% from its stores [6]<\/strong>.\u00a0 As McDonalds and other corporate clients react to consumer and stakeholder pressure to build sustainability plans, JBS and other suppliers must also be agile in adapting its own policies, processes and products.<\/p>\n

    At the same time, activist groups and consumers are placing higher scrutiny onto the beef industry.\u00a0 Articles like the Time\u2019s \u201cHow A Vegetarian Diet Could Help Save the <\/em>Planet\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>[7]<\/strong> are\u00a0building public awareness to the link between beef and climate change. \u00a0As an industry, JBS must be able to provide customers comfort or alternative solutions.<\/p>\n

    The Present: What is JBS Doing Now?
    \n<\/u><\/strong>JBS outlined a detail sustainability plan and rated land management as the company’s top current significant item.\u00a0(see Figure 3)[8]. \u00a0<\/strong>JBS has pursued several initiatives to address the\u00a0link between its business and climate change.<\/p>\n

    Figure 3:<\/strong>
    \n\"jbs\"<\/p>\n

    Select Actions Taken:<\/u><\/p>\n