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Erin C. is a dynamic leader in global sustainability, with a particular focus on the food and agriculture sectors. She currently works at Dole, leveraging her expertise to drive sustainable practices and innovations. Her work focuses on circular innovation, aiming to reduce waste and promote the continual use of resources in a sustainable manner. Her expertise lies in internal change management, decarbonization and understanding the effects of climate change on food and agriculture. This year, she is particularly focusing on global Scope 3 decarbonization efforts for Dole.
I n this interview, Erin C. shares her insights on driving Scope 3 emissions reduction, adapting industrial farming to erratic weather patterns and leveraging technology to enhance agricultural productivity. She highlights the importance of a SaaS platform in supporting accurate emissions measurement and discusses the role of teamwork and stakeholder alignment in accelerating sustainability efforts. Driving Scope 3 Emissions Reduction My daily work revolves around collaborating with various stakeholders within the company. Currently, Dole aims to achieve net-zero emissions, and we are extending our efforts to measure Scope 3 emissions. In the agriculture industry, Scope 3 emissions are not limited to Dole’s plantation boundaries—they also include emissions from the growers we sourced from. Each day, we work with different stakeholders to collect and improve the required data to calculate these emissions. Our goal is to analyze the data to identify where the highest emissions occur and work with internal stakeholders to develop strategies for reduction. This process involves negotiating and securing buyin from stakeholders, helping them understand the importance of reducing emissions and how doing so benefits the company as a whole. We leverage a SaaS platform that allows us to measure and calculate emissions. This platform provides clear measurements and dashboards accessible to all company stakeholders, increasing awareness of processes that generate higher emissions. Using this data, we can explore ways to reduce emissions, improve operational processes and minimize costs across different stages of production. Adapting Industrial Farming to Erratic Weather Patterns With climate change comes erratic weather patterns that directly impact industrial farming. The regular schedule of applying agricultural inputs is often disrupted by frequent rainfall and intense sunlight, which affect how plants absorb nutrients. Over time, these unpredictable weather conditions can push farming operations off course, making it challenging to ensure crops receive adequate nutrients for optimal growth and meet harvesting deadlines. In response, we are focusing on pushing for the collection of data to measure soil and weather patterns for better farming. This information allows us to improve farm management practices, helping us adapt to changing conditions and maintain productivity while achieving our desired yields. Leveraging Technology to Enhance Agricultural Productivity Advancements in drone and satellite imaging have significantly improved how we monitor crop health. These technologies provide aerial overview of farmland, eliminating the need for physical inspections of each plot. Spatial and drone imagery plays a crucial role in boosting productivity by offering real-time insights into crop growth and overall field conditions. In addition, soil health management is vital for ensuring optimal plant growth. Collaborating with microbiology experts to analyze soil microbiomes helps maintain soil quality, promoting the production of healthy and abundant crops. This scientific approach ensures that soil ecosystems support long-term agricultural success. Furthermore, we are looking to integrate IoT to enhance productivity through real-time soil monitoring. Sensors and measurement devices provide instant data on soil health without requiring manual checks at every plot. This technology allows for more efficient farm management, improving both productivity and profitability. These technological advancements collectively drive smarter, more sustainable farming practices, ensuring long-term success and profitability for agricultural businesses. How A Saas Platform Supports Emissions Measurement The carbon management SaaS platform provides a vast, granular emission database we need to measure the variety of products and information within our company and value chain. An emission database that provides precise and granular numbers will reduce the risk of over or under-emission declarations and also prevent the risk of implementing a reduction strategy on lower-priority projects. “It’s Essential To Guide And Support Colleagues Who May Not Have A Background In Sustainability. Often, We Need To Provide Them With A Clear And Compelling Purpose—Helping Them Understand How Their Contributions Not Only Benefit The Company But Also Contribute To A Broader Sustainability Initiative” Secondly, the platform’s algorithms play a crucial role. Since Dole is not a SaaS company, we lack the technology to develop the algorithms required for these calculations. The platform offers the expertise and technological capabilities needed to measure our emissions more accurately, consistently and precisely. Additionally, the platform allows us to assess the impact of our current projects, determining whether they effectively reduce carbon emissions. This capability is vital as it provides a comprehensive overview of our entire value chain and offers insights into the return on investment (ROI) of our sustainability initiatives. By measuring the emissions reductions achieved, we can evaluate whether the investments made in these projects are viable for long-term implementation. Furthermore, collaborating with experts from the SaaS platform enables us to identify and address data gaps, supporting our progress toward mature greenhouse gas (GHG) measurement practices. This partnership aligns with our goal of achieving Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validation, ensuring that our emissions measurement processes meet global standards. Accelerating Sustainability through Reporting and Industry Competition With the ongoing global discussions surrounding climate policies, it is evident that many countries and companies recognize that managing climate change is essential for long-term business success. The rise of international sustainability reporting frameworks, such as the ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board), has led to widespread adoption in countries like Singapore and Japan. These frameworks encourage companies to become more aware of their environmental impact, measure key sustainability parameters and integrate these practices into their operations. As more companies embrace sustainability reporting, industry competition further accelerates this shift. When industry leaders adopt sustainable practices, their peers are often motivated to follow suit, fostering an environment of continuous improvement. Additionally, evolving customer expectations for environmentally responsible products and services are pushing companies to align their sustainability efforts with market demands. Government regulations also play a pivotal role in this transition. For example, Singapore’s increasing carbon tax and mandatory emissions reporting for listed companies serve as catalysts for businesses to reduce their carbon footprint. This regulatory pressure directly impacts organizations like Dole, which has an office in Singapore, driving them to assess their carbon emissions and enhance sustainability initiatives. In summary, the combined influence of government policies, industry competition and customer demand creates a powerful ecosystem that propels companies toward more sustainable practices. This collective momentum supports environmental stewardship and strengthens long-term business resilience and competitiveness. Driving Sustainability through Teamwork and Stakeholder Alignment It comes down to teamwork. When we talk about sustainability on a global scale, it requires collaboration from numerous internal stakeholders. It’s essential to guide and support them, especially since many of our colleagues may not have a background in sustainability. Often, we need to provide them with a clear and compelling purpose—helping them understand how their contributions not only benefit the company but contribute to a broader sustainability initiative. This sense of purpose can be a strong motivator, encouraging stakeholders to actively participate in these initiatives. Secondly, we sometimes encounter obstacles at the leadership level. It’s crucial to demonstrate how sustainability can support the company’s profitability. Effectively communicating this connection is key to gaining leadership buy-in and ensuring that the entire team is aligned and committed to advancing the sustainability projects we aim to implement within the company. As I move forward, I anticipate using data to better connect the dots between sustainability and profitability so that we can truly achieve the three pillars: planet, people, and prosperity.
