Sustainability

Recognized as leaders in energy reduction and environmental stewardship ABA Members are dedicated to sustainability initiatives.

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WHY IS IT AN ISSUE?

ABA and its Members are committed to continuously improving the baking industry’s sustainability practices while simultaneously achieving business goals. ABA Members are focused on careful stewardship of the resources required to provide baked goods to America's families.

Bakers' ENERGY STAR Challenge

ABA has teamed with the Environmental Protection Agency to promote the ENERGY STAR® Challenge for the baking industry, a national call-to-action to improve the energy efficiency of America’s industrial facilities. The Challenge recognizes participating manufacturers that improve their energy efficiency by 10 percent or more within five years.

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A timeline of ABA-Member ENERGY STAR Certified plants

In 2016, EPA and ABA recognized the first Energy Star Certified commercial bakeries in the United States.
In June 2016, ABA completed the baking industry’s Commercial Baking Energy Performance Indicator (EPI) benchmarking tool.
In 2013, ABA began work on the baking industry’s second energy tool that will assist bakers in benchmarking themselves against the industry.
In January 2013, ABA completed the first ENERGY STAR® tool: “Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Savings Opportunities for the Baking Industry”

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2019 EPA ENERGY STAR certification

American Bakers Association member facilities represent 43 of the 95 manufacturing plants recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR certification for their superior energy performance in 2019. Only plants in the top 25 percent of energy performance nationwide can earn the ENERGY STAR

Environmental Protection Agency

ABA'S POSITION ON SUSTAINABILITY

ABA recognizes that continuous improvement of sustainable practices throughout the baking industry will require multi-faceted strategies and the integrated effort of various stakeholders.
Basic elements are located within the bakery’s four walls: improving energy efficiency, improving water efficiency, improving recycling, and evaluating greenhouse gas emissions/ “carbon footprint.”
Long term goals for the ABA Energy and Environment Professionals Group include expanding the program to life cycle analysis.
Further, ABA engaged with the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® program in 2011. In 2011 ABA signed a Memo of Understanding with EPA which would include the development of several energy intensity tools that could be used by the commercial baking industry.