Towards a more sustainable planet one step at a time

We do not just make every effort at Pavo to guarantee the health of our horses, but believe it is also important to contribute to a happier world. The Pavo Planet Programme drives us to make the processes within our company and produce our products as sustainably as possible without jeopardising our high-quality. When taken individually, they may all seem small steps, but we are not afraid of stating that we have now taken a large step when taken as a whole. Please do take a peek.  

1. Refill packs

What is most visible to the consumer is, of course, our refill packs.  They are available for a number of our supplements and balancers. You can continue to refill your supplement bucket lifelong. We use less plastic by using refill packs. This is better for the environment and also for your wallet.  Our goal is to offer even more of our products in refill packs in the future. 

2. Packaging material 

We are the only company in this sector that only uses FSC® paper. You can recognise this from the FSC® logo on the packaging. FSC® stands for Forest Stewardship Council®. It is an international certification system for sustainable forest management. We do not just use sustainable paper, but where possible we use 2 layers of paper for our feed bags instead of three. This represents savings of approximately 20% in the paper for our packaging. All plastic packaging that is still needed is, moreover, made of 100% recyclable plastic. 

3. Sustainable soya

We joined Nevedi (De Nederlandse Vereniging Diervoederindustrie; The Dutch Animal Feed Industry Association) together with our parent company ForFarmers. Nevedi checks how soya is cultivated through certification with production requirements. These requirements, for example, are related to deforestation, working conditions, land use and ownership and the use of crop protection products. Pavo is a member of Nevedi and, therefore, uses 100% sustainable soya in accordance with the FEFAC (European Feed Manufacturers' Federation's soya sourcing guidelines), which means that all Pavo products that we produce ourselves in the Netherlands contain 100% sustainable soya.

4. GMO-free raw materials

Yes, genetically modified (GM) crop technology is often used to obtain higher yields when extracting raw materials, but this genetically modified crop technology does not (normally) occur in nature and has consequences regarding health and sustainability. Due to our high requirement to become more and more sustainable and boost the health of your horse, we have consciously decided not to use genetically modified raw materials in our feeds.

5. Research

Within the horse sector, many options have remained unutilised in ensuring a sustainable equine industry. Research projects into sustainability can play a big role in implementing various changes. Therefore, we are a partner in various research projects. Our partners within this context are, for example, the Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences and Utrecht University.  

6. Optimising logistics

Until the start of 2024, webshop orders and products for dealers were shipped from two different locations. By centralising stock at one location at Nunner Logistics, products can be managed more efficiently and there is better monitoring of the shelf life and therefore less waste is produced. A great sustainability drive has also been started in the transport and shipment fields by eliminating unnecessary transport movements and committing to efficient routes.

7. Contributing to biodiversity

A "bee highway" is an innovative concept that has the goal of creating and linking habitats for bees and other pollinators. This network of flowering plants along green areas, gardens, parks and other urban and/or rural areas is essential for biodiversity and the retention of eco systems. Bee highways generally support a sustainable environment by promoting nature's balance and reducing harmful practices.To build the Pavo Bee Highway, we have been sending a pack of sunflower seeds to our clients with every webshop order as from week 18. 

8. Donating instead of throwing away

Klepperstall e.v., a German animal welfare organisation, received a generous feed donation from Pavo for its rescued horses. This stable offers a loving home to approximately 80 horses. Pavo's support does not just contribute to the welfare of the horses, but also to the sustainability of the organisation. The feed that we donate is definitely not past the sell-by date, but does not meet the standards of at least half a year before reaching its shelf-life date for our feed in stores. 

9. Ahiflower as a sustainable alternative

Pavo's Ahiflower contributes towards tillage and is a sustainable alternative to fish oil! Ahiflower is a plant that produces an oil that is rich in good omega fatty acids (EPA, DHA and SDA). In addition, it is regenerative cultivation, which means that it contributes during the cultivation process to the soil, the activity of pollinators and biodiversity. Ahiflower therefore helps to supplement the organic substance and restore damaged biodiversity in the soil. 
Annually, one hectare of Ahiflower produces just as much omega oil as 450,000 anchovies.