WARWICK, ENGLAND — Pilgrim’s UK, a business unit of Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., announced plans to invest over £10 million in sustainability efforts over the next 12 months.

The investment will help Pilgrim’s UK reach its goal of becoming a net zero company by 2030.

“We want to accelerate our progress, working with the entire value chain, so that we can continue to go further and faster to becoming a net zero business and that means investing in vital sustainability projects like these to help us get there,” said Morten Knudsen, Pilgrim’s UK chief financial officer.

Projects include fully adopting LED lighting across all sites, switching to energy efficient equipment, such as replacing gas broilers with heat pumps and optimizing refrigeration systems, and implementing wind and solar projects at all manufacturing plants. Pilgrim’s UK estimates these additions and upgrades will reduce carbon emissions by 11,000 tonnes annually.

The company said its current footprint is half the industry average level of emissions in the United Kingdom for pork processors.

“The sector has grappled with significant challenges over the past few years, which we continue to help our farmer network and supply chain partners to navigate,” Knudsen said. “But our unwavering commitment to our sustainability roadmap remains at the heart of our business. We recognize as one of the leading farming and food businesses here in the UK, we have a responsibility to be trailblazers in this space, supporting our global ambitions.”