Cold Storage Giant Cuts Emissions 21% in Four Years

A company that moves food safely across the globe just proved that massive climate progress doesn't require shutting down operations. Americold Realty Trust, which runs temperature-controlled warehouses worldwide, cut its carbon emissions by more than a fifth while keeping food safe for millions of people.

The numbers tell a powerful story. Between 2021 and 2025, Americold reduced its Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 21%. That happened while the company's facilities operated 24/7 to keep perishable food at safe temperatures.

The secret? Smart investments and daily discipline. Americold poured more than $23 million into energy efficiency projects, including LED lighting upgrades and automated refrigeration controls that adjust temperatures precisely when needed.

The company generated 30,822 megawatt hours of renewable energy across its network. Forty-six facilities now run entirely on carbon-free electricity, proving that even energy-intensive operations can tap into clean power.

But the real innovation happens on the ground. Americold's teams completed 912 "Energy Waste Walks" in 2025, where staff systematically check facilities for efficiency improvements. More than 90% of locations now capture real-time utility data, allowing engineers to spot problems before they become wasteful.

"Reliability and efficiency are core to how we design and operate our facilities," said Brian Dunn, Americold's Senior Vice President of Facilities and Engineering. His teams constantly look for spots where environmental performance and operational excellence overlap.

The company also exceeded its waste diversion goals, keeping 24.4% of waste out of landfills. Safety improved dramatically too, with injury rates running more than 40% below industry averages for refrigerated warehousing.

The Ripple Effect

When a major infrastructure company cuts emissions this significantly, the impact spreads far beyond its own walls. Food producers and retailers who depend on Americold's network can now report lower supply chain emissions. The company's success demonstrates that cold storage, one of the food system's most energy-intensive segments, can decarbonize without compromising reliability.

Third-party validators took notice. The Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark named Americold a Sector Leader for the Americas in 2025, recognizing the company's portfolio-wide energy management.

CEO Rob Chambers frames sustainability as resilience, not just reporting. "For our customers and shareholders, that translates into a dependable network that consistently fulfills our mission-critical promise to deliver food safely and reliably," he said.

The cold chain keeps food fresh from farm to table, operating continuously across continents. Americold just showed that this essential infrastructure can get cleaner while getting better at its core job.