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Bel Canada says it will invest CAD 3.7 million (approx. $2.7 million) over five years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its Canadian milk supply, targeting a 30% cut linked to production of Mini Babybel at its Sorel-Tracy plant by 2031.

The programme, run in partnership with Quebec agri-environment consultancy Logiag, will work with 34 dairy farms to measure, verify, and reduce on-farm emissions through customised sustainability roadmaps and the adoption of low-carbon practices.

Emission reductions will be validated using SustainCERT’s methodology.

The initiative is expected to cut around 12,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent over the period, roughly the same as the annual emissions of 10,000 passenger vehicles.

Dairy production represents approximately 35% of Bel’s total emissions, making it the largest single upstream contributor to the company’s carbon footprint.

“This partnership with Logiag is therefore a natural next step for us, with the intention of supporting producers toward long-term agricultural resilience and acting as a generator of positive value in Canada,” Bel Canada CEO Cristine Laforest said. "...This project enables us to achieve our objectives in a concrete way, while complementing the efforts already underway within the Canadian dairy industry.”

The investment is part of parent company Bel Group’s wider climate strategy, which includes a 25% reduction in indirect greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain and sourcing all milk and fruit from farms transitioning to regenerative agriculture by 2030.

“At Bel, true sustainability lies in taking concrete steps with our suppliers," Simon Bonnet, head of sustainable raw material sourcing at Bel Group, commented. "This initiative reflects the scale and seriousness of our commitment to reducing emissions in the dairy sector.”

Canada’s dairy sector is facing increasing scrutiny over greenhouse gas intensity, with multinational buyers incorporating sustainability metrics into procurement.

By targeting farm-level interventions rather than energy efficiency in processing alone, Bel is seeking to reduce Scope 3 emissions embedded in its milk supply while maintaining long-term supplier relationships.

The Sorel-Tracy facility, opened in 2020, produces more than 90% of Bel Canada’s products locally. The company said this is its largest sustainability initiative in Canada to date.