Beyond Burger and Beyond Steak Named First Climate Solutions

Your burger could now be part of the solution to climate change.

Beyond Meat announced that its Beyond Burger and Beyond Steak have become the first plant-based meat products officially recognized as climate solutions. The designation comes from the Exponential Roadmap Initiative, a United Nations-backed program that identifies products helping the world reach net zero emissions by 2050.

To qualify, products must produce at least 50% fewer emissions than the average market option. Beyond's products cleared that bar easily.

A 2025 study found that compared to a typical beef patty, Beyond Burger uses 97% less land and 92% less water. It also generates 88% fewer greenhouse gas emissions while requiring 28% less non-renewable energy.

"We believe in the power of plants to fuel our bodies and heal the planet," said Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat's founder and CEO. The company has focused on sustainability since launching in 2009, but this marks the first time an independent organization has certified plant-based meat as an official climate solution.

The certification applies to U.S. products and remains valid through February 2027. It required Beyond Meat to prove that switching from beef to their products drives meaningful emissions reductions at a global scale.

The Ripple Effect

This certification does more than validate one company's environmental claims. It creates a framework for the entire plant-based food industry to measure and prove their climate impact.

Johan Falk, CEO of the Exponential Roadmap Initiative, said recognizing these pioneering products reminds companies that scaling climate solutions matters just as much as reducing emissions. When more people choose lower-emission options, the whole food system shifts toward sustainability.

The move comes as consumers increasingly want to know the environmental footprint of what they eat. Now they have third-party verification that certain plant-based options deliver real climate benefits, not just marketing promises.

Beyond Meat also recently earned Clean Label Project Certification, becoming the first in the plant-based meat category to achieve both environmental and transparency benchmarks. The company makes its products from simple plant ingredients without GMOs, added hormones, or antibiotics.

Every bite of a certified climate solution moves us closer to a healthier planet.