Behzad has built a solid foundation of knowledge in energy efficiency and environmental sustainability, aligning with our commitment to sustainable practices.
Behzad Hosseinpour is a Leader of Sustainability and Energy in the Corporate Sustainability department based out of our Mississauga, Ontario office. He is responsible for ensuring that our manufacturing plants across the network operate with energy efficiency and adhere to sustainable manufacturing standards.
With a more than decade-long career in sustainability, Behzad has continuously grown his knowledge and expertise in an area that’s so important to us at Maple Leaf Foods.
Behzad joined our Heritage plant in Hamilton, Ontario in November 2020, bringing with him a background with a master’s degree in mechanical engineering.
After joining our organization, Behzad received the 2021 Energy Manager of the Year award presented by Save on Energy. He was recognized as an innovative leader who commits to energy-efficient operations throughout his professional endeavours.
A short while later, the Heritage plant received the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification for improving efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, providing a healthier space for people, and saving money. This plant is the only LEED certified facility that’s owned within our Maple Leaf Foods network.
Behzad is a clear proponent for sustainability and an active Sustainability Hero. Read on to learn more!
What brought you to Maple Leaf Foods and what has made you stay?
I joined in late 2020 and I was excited to join because I was already working in the sustainability field, and I felt that I wanted to work for a company where sustainability is not just a talking point — it’s important to the company culture.
At the time, I saw that Maple Leaf Foods had already committed to a science-based target initiative, which back then was a big deal and not a lot of companies were doing. That told me as an outsider that this company has a sustainability vision, which is very much in line with my own values and experience.
What has made me stay is the continued commitment to sustainability and all of the effort that Maple Leaf Foods puts into combatting climate change.
I’m also quite fond of the people! I work with a great group of Team Members, whether they’re on my team as sustainability champions, or are my colleagues within the wider Maple Leaf Foods network. They are amazing people, and I really enjoy working alongside them.
What role do you play on our sustainability team?
I am a subject matter expert on electricity and natural gas – Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. I work with our plants to help them identify cost savings opportunities. Some of my responsibilities include finding energy saving projects, and then I coach and guide our teams on how to implement those projects at their sites because there is a lot of technical training with respect to energy conservation. It’s important to quantify their savings to run more efficiently at the plant level and this requires providing some trainings to them.
I’m also a member of the Sustainability Execution Team, which we put together about two years ago, and I enjoy being an active member of sustainability initiatives at Maple Leaf Foods.
What does sustainability at Maple Leaf Foods mean to you?
Sustainability is at the forefront of my own personal beliefs and is very much in line with our business strategy too. I’m proud of our Vision to be the most sustainable protein company on Earth — that’s our North Star, and it means a lot to me.
At the end of the day, we are a manufacturing business, and we have food to produce. But at the same time, we also want to be sustainable in our production practices. While we’re making our best efforts, there’s still room for improvement, of course. But I’m proud to see that we are putting thought and effort into being a more sustainable consumer packaged goods (CPG) company.
How do you practice sustainability in your everyday life — inside and outside of work?
For starters, I drive a plug-in hybrid vehicle which I think is important. I’ve also developed a habit that when I’m at work, I always shut the lights off before I leave a room. That’s something that is really important to me because I see a lot of people who leave a conference room or boardroom with the lights still on.
At home and at work, I try to separate my waste. I do try to generate less waste to begin with, but I also know if there is a place for recycling, I’ll do that because I know the impact of waste if it goes to landfill, which I try to avoid at any cost.
What do you hope for the future of sustainability at Maple Leaf Foods?
My hope for Maple Leaf Foods — and for Canada and the entire the planet — is to see that collectively we can combat climate change. Because in my view, it’s real, it’s not a hoax, and it’s happening right now.
My hope is that we can collectively make a meaningful, positive impact on our planet.
