BOULDER, COLO. — Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC) has shared its 2023-2024 list of top-performing accredited pet industry companies. The group represents businesses who have publicly published sustainability or corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports that show the highest baseline scores in reference to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
There are 17 SDGs spanning a wide range of environmental, social and governance issues. Targets include eliminating poverty and hunger, achieving gender equality, responsible consumption and production, climate action and others.
PSC’s 2023-2024 Top Performers are:
- dsm-firmenich and Veramaris
- Ahlstrom
- Aker Biomarine / QRILL
- Canna Companion
- Fera Pet Organics
- Mondi Jackson, LLC
- Petcurean
- Portland Pet Food Company
- TC Transcontinental Packaging
- West Paw
All companies on this list have been accredited by PSC. According to the organization, accredited brands “go above and beyond with their sustainability performance,” and are defined by their dedication to transparency, third-party verification and continuous improvement.
Read more about PSC accredited brands through the organization’s Sustainable Brands Booklet and Sustainable Suppliers & Manufacturers Booklet.
Recent feats from Top Performers
Veramaris is a joint venture of dsm-firmenich and Evonik working to provide fish oil alternative ingredients for use in pet food. The venture’s flagship ingredient received Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) status from the US Food and Drug Administration in late 2020.
Packaging supplier Ahlstrom was accredited by PSC in May 2023, and recently received a recyclability certification for its FluoroFree® solutions from Western Michigan University.
QRILL Pet by Aker Biomarine, another fish oil alternative ingredient company focused on krill meal for use in pet food, received PSC accreditation in February 2022. Earlier this year, the Aker Biomarine shared results from a study involving the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences that showed krill meal was more effective at raising Omega 3 levels in Alaskan Huskies compared to fish oil and flaxseed.
In Fera Pet Organics’ 2022 Sustainability Impact Report, the holistic pet supplement brand shared its progress toward four key SDGs: Gender Equality, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Life Below Water.
Petcurean recently upgraded its membership status with PSC to the highest tier. As an Icon-level member, the Canadian pet food manufacturer aims to support PSC and the pet industry at large as it seeks to advance industry-wide sustainability priorities, including eco-friendly packaging, sustainable ingredient sourcing, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Portland Pet Food Company is focused on upcycling ingredients to create its pet food and treat products. In 2022, the brand shared it had upcycled more than 68,000 lbs of ingredients in the previous year alone, including wild-caught salmon, yams, spent grain from breweries, bacon and eggshells.
TC Transcontinental recently invested $60 million in a biaxially oriented polyethylene (BOPE) packaging production line to create mono-material, recyclable, flexible solutions with greater heat resistance. The investment is expected to help TC Transcontinental “address sustainability shortcomings in existing offerings,” according to Alex Hayden, senior vice president of R&D, innovation, sustainability and ESG at the company.
Read more about sustainability efforts in the pet food and treat industry.
