10% lower climate impact – This is how Hailia reduced its carbon footprint

Hailia, a Finnish company developing sustainable solutions in the fishing industry, focuses on utilizing fish raw materials for food that have previously been used for secondary purposes. With the help of Biocode, Hailia managed to reduce the carbon footprint of its Pulled Small Fish product launched in 2023 by 10%.

Background

Minna Kaunisto, Quality Manager at Hailia, explains that from the founding of the company, there has been a commitment to ensuring the lower climate impact of wild fish products. It was essential to provide concrete figures to support this commitment.

Hailia’s products are targeted for large kitchens, and with the recent inclusion of climate impacts in Nordic dietary guidelines alongside nutritional considerations, there has been an increased demand for clarity regarding the carbon footprint of products.

Expertise in carbon footprint calculation was not available internally within the company, thus requiring external expertise and appropriate tools.

Hailia chose Biocode based on a recommendation from another company in the field. The user-friendly interface and pricing were convincing factors in the final decision to purchase.

Data Collection and Carbon Footprint Calculation

The carbon footprint calculation process at Hailia proceeded swiftly. The most time-consuming aspect was gathering data from various stakeholders to inquire about emission factors.

Once the process was clear, and the necessary figures were obtained, the actual calculation using Biocode was straightforward. Allocation of water and electricity consumption required some consideration, but overall, the software was easy to use, and assistance was available from Biocode when needed.

Minna Kaunisto, Hailia

In carbon footprint calculation, variables with significant climate impacts are calculated using more precise data.

“A great aspect of the calculation was that the relevant raw materials and factors were examined closely. As emission factors were determined, we gained new insights into our raw materials. It’s clear that all companies need to adopt this mindset; calculation and analysis of figures,” Kaunisto remarks.

During data collection, it was observed that not all suppliers were equipped to provide accurate emission data. Hence, having generic emission factors in the tool, which could be adjusted to better reflect one’s operations, proved beneficial.

Taking Action Based on Results

The carbon footprint of the product was relatively low, at 1.66 kgCO₂e/kg. In Biocode’s category for fish and fish products, it falls into the highest A class, with an upper limit of 3.2 kgCO₂e/kg. The primary raw material, herring, is an environmentally friendly source of protein.

Despite the already low carbon footprint, Hailia quickly took action to further reduce climate impacts within its production process. During the calculation, it was noted that nitrogen used as an aid in freezing had a significant emission share in Hailia’s production. Following the initial results, nitrogen was replaced with a lower-emission alternative, resulting in a 10% reduction in the carbon footprint of the Pulled Small Fish product.

In addition to using the results to improve internal operations, they are also utilized in customer communication, brochures, and website. It’s crucial that responsible messaging is backed by figures calculated using life cycle assessment methods. Kaunisto succinctly summarizes this, “Guarantees behind the statements.”