By Peace Udugba
Rite Foods Limited has recorded significant progress in its environmental sustainability agenda, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by five per cent, halving water consumption, and improving energy efficiency in 2025 as part of its commitment to responsible business practices.
The company disclosed this during the presentation of its 2025 Sustainability Report, which highlights its performance across the three pillars of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), underscoring its efforts to balance business growth with environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
Speaking at the event, the Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Rite Foods Limited, Mr. Ekuma Eze, said the report reflects the company’s commitment to global best practices while delivering measurable value to stakeholders.
According to him, the report benchmarked the company’s 2025 performance against 2024, the year it began publishing sustainability reports.
“We are a truly world-class company and proudly 100 per cent Nigerian, with everything we do guided by global best practices,” Eze said.
He revealed that the company’s total greenhouse gas emissions declined by five per cent between 2024 and 2025, while carbon intensity per litre of beverage produced fell by between 20 and 30 per cent.
Eze added that Rite Foods achieved a 50 per cent reduction in water consumption within the review period, describing water stewardship as a critical component of the company’s sustainability strategy.
“Our water-use ratio is monitored daily to ensure we use water responsibly across our operations,” he said.
The company also improved its energy efficiency by seven per cent despite increased production volumes, reducing energy consumption to 0.41 megajoules per litre of beverage produced by the end of 2025.
In waste management, Rite Foods recorded a 27 per cent reduction in its solid waste ratio, with waste generated per litre of beverage produced declining from 10.6 grams in 2024 to 7.71 grams in 2025.
As part of its efforts to tackle plastic pollution and promote a circular economy, the company recovered about 800 tonnes of plastic waste through its recycling and environmental sustainability initiatives.
The recovered plastic waste was converted into school bags distributed to more than 2,000 pupils in schools across Ogun, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, supporting education while reducing environmental pollution.
Eze noted that Rite Foods is a top-tier member of the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance, contributing to nationwide plastic waste collection and recycling programmes.
On the social sustainability front, the company said it continued to invest in education, healthcare, employee development and community empowerment.
Among its flagship education initiatives is a programme that provides free daily meals to pupils in schools supported by the company, aimed at improving nutrition and enhancing learning outcomes.
The report also showed a 76 per cent increase in employee training hours in 2025 compared with the previous year, while recruitment from host communities rose by 4.1 per cent. Overall workforce strength increased by 6.1 per cent.
Beyond direct employment, Rite Foods said its operations have generated approximately 12,000 indirect jobs across its value chain, contributing to economic growth and livelihoods.
The company reaffirmed its commitment to youth development through its graduate trainee programme, which admitted 20 young Nigerians during the year, while 34 employees participated in volunteer community development initiatives.
Highlighting its healthcare interventions, Eze said the Rite Foods Foundation constructed a trauma centre at Apapa General Hospital at a cost exceeding ₦2 billion. He also cited the company’s World Water Day initiative, during which free drinking water was distributed to essential workers across Lagos.
On corporate governance, Eze said integrity remains one of the company’s core values, guiding its operations, decision-making processes and engagement with stakeholders.
He stated that the achievements outlined in the 2025 Sustainability Report demonstrate Rite Foods’ long-term commitment to creating sustainable value for employees, host communities, customers and the Nigerian economy while maintaining high standards of environmental, social and governance performance.
