ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 03, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kalera, one of the world’s leading hydroponic indoor vertical farming companies, today released its most recent Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, highlighting the company’s sustainability framework, past year achievements, and its vision for 2030.
“Kalera’s first-ever ESG Report illustrates our foundation rooted in sustainability and equity,” said Jim Leighton, President and CEO of Kalera. “We strive to operate at the cutting-edge of sustainable agriculture and contribute to the mitigation of global issues surrounding food security.”
Key takeaways from the report, which recaps efforts throughout the 2021 calendar year, include:
- Growing and selling safe, superior products. Kalera experienced zero non-compliance incidents concerning health and safety impact of its products and zero product recalls during 2021. Grown and sold locally, Kalera produces 100 percent pesticide-free and non-GMO greens.
- Growing with respect to the planet. Using closed loop irrigation systems, Kalera uses 95 percent less water than traditional field farming, as well as nearly 99 percent less land.
- Building a diverse, safe workplace. The report articulates Kalera’s efforts to provide a workplace where diversity is welcomed and celebrated. 48 percent of its managers in the U.S. are from *underrepresented groups and 25 percent of C-Level and Manager roles are occupied by women. Kalera also reports zero high consequence injuries during 2021 in part due to its employee training initiatives including up to 12 hours of safety training per employee per year.
- Growing communities. Furthermore, Kalera has donated fresh produce to several food banks and charities in Orlando, Atlanta, and Houston.
- Strengthening governance structures. To strengthen its governance foundation, Kalera established several Board of Directors committees including Nomination and Governance, Talent and Compensation, Audit, and Financing.
“We take pride in our accomplishments to date,” said Dr. Cristian Toma, co-founder and Chief Science Officer of Kalera. “Based on a solid ESG framework, we are confident the goals we have set for the next decade are attainable and are prepared to continue as a leader in the vertical farming industry.”
Kalera’s eyes are set on several targets for 2030, including becoming carbon neutral. The company additionally plans to further reduce water usage, transition to biodegradable grow media, use only widely recyclable packaging materials, and eliminate landfilling of organic waste.
“The need for safe, reliable and sustainable agriculture is more important now than ever,” Leighton said. “Kalera is a part of that solution, and we have a clear path in place that will provide the results our communities need to thrive.”
To view Kalera’s full 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report visit: bit.ly/Kalera2021ESG. For more information, visit kalera.com.
About Kalera:
Kalera is a vertical farming company headquartered in Orlando, Florida. Kalera uses technology to ensure that more people around the world have access to the freshest, most nutritious, and cleanest products available. It has spent several years optimizing plant nutrient formulas and developing an advanced automation and data acquisition system with Internet of Things, cloud, big data analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities. Kalera currently operates farms in the U.S. (Orlando, Atlanta, Houston, and Denver) as well as in Kuwait. Additional farms are in development. More information is available at www.kalera.com.
Contact:
Aparna Mehra
aparna.mehra@kalera.com
(617) 851-0608
Kate Komarzec
kkomarzec@lambert.com
(616) 916-4092
*Underrepresented categories were determined by the self-selection area on Kalera’s job application, and include African-American, Hispanic/Latinx, Native-American and Native-Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander communities.
