Two U.S. subsidiaries of Brazilian meat processing company JBS are the subject of a lawsuit filed by the New York attorney general accusing the businesses of using misleading statements and marketing regarding their environmental commitments.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, claims JBS USA Food Company and JBS USA Food Company Holdings have assured consumers they are taking substantial actions to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and mitigate the impacts of their agricultural practices on the environment, despite documented plans that indicate the company intends to increase production in a manner that will increase its carbon footprint.
New York Attorney General Letitia James accused JBS of “greenwashing,” most notably regarding its net zero by 2040 pledge that she alleged the company has “no viable plan” to achieve.
“When companies falsely advertise their commitment to sustainability, they are misleading consumers and endangering our planet,” said James in a press release. “JBS USA’s greenwashing exploits the pocketbooks of everyday Americans and the promise of a healthy planet for future generations.”
The release cited multiple examples of JBS marketing that touted its environmentally friendly actions, despite the company having not calculated its total GHG emissions before doing so and thus having “no way of knowing whether they could successfully reduce those emissions to net zero by 2040.”
“The company’s ‘net zero’ commitment is not feasible given the current scope of the JBS Group’s business operations and its plans to significantly increase beef production,” the release continued.
The lawsuit seeks to require JBS to cease its net zero by 2040 advertising campaign, conduct a third-party audit of its compliance with New York’s consumer protection statutes, pay disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, and agree to penalties of at least $5,000 per violation.
JBS did not respond to a request for comment.
Last year, an environmental advocacy group said it filed a whistleblower complaint with the Securities and Exchange Commission accusing JBS of issuing $3.2 billion worth of “misleading and fraudulent” sustainability bonds connected to its net zero campaign.
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