The fruit juice producer beckers bester was founded by Bertha Becker in 1932 in the village of Lütgenrode in Lower Saxony, Germany. Today, the company has stayed true to its family values and is run by the fourth generation of the family under Becker’s great-grandson, Sebastian Koeppel. Producing 46 million litres of juice annually, the family company is one of Germany’s largest fruit juice producers. As per the company’s vision of a ‘green and peaceful planet’, both investments and procurement are focussed on sustainability. The company has engaged in carbon accounting since 2015; since 2020, it does the same for emissions generated by its products. beckers bester has achieved a climate neutral status in both areas. beckers bester articulates its commitment actively and transparently, and receives positive feedback because of this. CEO Sebastian Koeppel uses his contacts to raise awareness of the Alliance’s activities among other companies as well. The mid-year relaunch of the beckers bester website showcased the company’s collaboration with the Alliance.
In 2020, beckers bester supported the Jari Valley REDD+ project in Brazil, which is certified in accordance with the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) and Climate, Community and Biodiversity (CCB) standards. The wooded valley is home to a large number of animal and plant species and – like other regions in Central and Southern America – is under considerable pressure from exploitation. Land is increasingly being sold and cleared of trees to create grazing pasture for cattle or to set up palm oil plantations. The project now protects an area of forest covering 920,000 hectares from deforestation and ensures it is sustainably managed. This will result in a reduction of almost 20 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over the duration of the 30-year project. The project also contributes to the conservation of biodiversity and secures the habitat for the local population. Over 300 families in the region are directly affected by the project. They have been included in the measures to protect the forest and gain access to the jobs that come with long-term job security.
Over the past year, beckers bester has offset 13,000 tonnes of greenhouse emissions. When selecting projects, the company looks to establish a connection to the project or to the country where the project is active – beckers bester obtains not-from-concentrate orange juice from Brazil for juice production, for example. In addition, the projects not only need to help protect the climate but also biodiversity – and involve the local population.
Photo credits: beckers bester, ClimatePartner
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