For the first time and as part of its Real Foodprint results, Chipotle has reported the estimated environmental impact of its ingredient sourcing standards across all digital orders in 2025. The fast-casual chain’s Sustainability Report estimates that in 2025:
- 10,060 metric tons of carbon emissions were avoided, driven by sourcing ingredients from suppliers with more sustainable farming and production practices.
- More than 616 million gallons of water were saved.
- 2,230 acres of organic land were supported by partnering with farms that meet organic growing standards.
- 46,503 acres of soil was improved through regenerative practices. In 2023, for instance, Chipotle made two investments from its Cultivate Next venture fund to include Kansas-based Greenfield Robotics, which deploys autonomous robots to fields to help farmers by manually removing weeds and reducing reliance on chemicals to do so.
- 9,465 kilograms of antibiotics were avoided.
Real Foodprint is Chipotle’s “sustainability impact tracker” that estimates how practices like sourcing ingredients compare to industry averages. The tool calculates the environmental impact of each ingredient based on data about similar sourcing practices and translates it into estimates. Metrics for Real Foodprint are provided by HowGood, an independent research company with a sustainability database for food products and ingredients.
Chipotle added the sustainability tracker to its app in October 2020. It tracks five categories: Less Carbon in the Atmosphere (measured in grams); Gallons of Water Saved; Improved Soil Health (measured in square feet); Organic Land Supported (measured in square feet); and Antibiotics Avoided (measured in milligrams).
When it launched, Chipotle said it was the first brand to provide customers with detailed information about how each ingredient used on a menu impacts the environment. Shortly after, Panera began identifying the carbon footprint impact of each of its menu items.
A year later, Chipotle announced its carbon footprint reduction goal in late 2021, aiming to shrink its greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 from a 2019 base year.
The Real Foodprint results are part of Chipotle’s broader 2025 Sustainability Report Update, which details continued progress across its three pillars: People, Food & Animals and the Environment.
- On the People side, Chipotle said it promoted more than 23,000 internal employees last year. It also raised more than $10 million for local organizations and nonprofits. And, it launched the Benefits and People Data Center of Excellence, which the company describes as a “specialized HR data analytics unit” designed to better support and retain employees.
- For Food & Animals, Chipotle said 100% of ingredients sold in U.S. restaurants met Chipotle’s Food with Integrity standards last year. Those standards include food without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. The company also purchased more than 50 million pounds of locally grown produce, invested over $43 million in local food systems across the U.S., and achieved its goal of donating $5 million by the end 2025 to support the future of farming. As part of that goal, Chipotle donated $2 million across four leading universities: The Ohio State University, Cal State Monterey Bay, Colorado State University, and the University of Florida, to support the future of farming. These donations are funded from the chain’s initiative to contribute 5% of profits from its sales of Tractor Beverages.
- For “Environment,” Chipotle reduced its Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 17% compared to baseline last year, sourced 81% renewable electricity for restaurant operations, and avoided 2.2 million cases of corrugate in its supply chain.
Also last year, Chipotle brought a marketing focus back to its sustainable agriculture practices and their importance within the chain’s system through a new short film titled, “Unfolded.”
The film premiered on Roblox, and depicted industrial farms transformed into vibrant, polyculture farms with diverse and organic crops, symbolizing Chipotle’s efforts to support farmers who prioritize sustainable agricultural practices. The short film showcases agrivoltaics, for instance, which is the practice of using land for both agriculture and solar energy production.
In addition to responsible sourcing and sustainable agriculture practices, the chain also introduced a “responsible restaurant design” in 2023, with all-electric features from the kitchen to the solar panel rooftop. As the company aims to double its footprint to 7,000 units, the new restaurant design is likely to come heavily into play with its 2030 emissions reduction goal in mind.
“Our 2025 Sustainability Report reflects the meaningful progress we’re making across our Food with Integrity standards, our people and our environmental goals,” Chief Corporate Affairs and Food Safety Officer Laurie Schalow said in a statement. “From responsibly sourced ingredients to investments in our team and communities, we remain focused on creating a more sustainable and resilient food system while continuing to ‘Cultivate a Better World.’”
As part of its new report, Chipotle has also announced new sustainability goals, including:
- Increase operational diversion rate by 5% by 2030.
- Support 50,000 acres of agricultural practices that promote the well-being of soil and water by 2030.
- By 2030, source 30% of U.S. rice from farms using efficient irrigation systems.
According to a recent Deloitte survey, 83% of companies increased their sustainability investments throughout the past year. Schalow has said in a previous interview that Chipotle has a bit of an advantage as more companies lean into this work, having adopted the “food with integrity” slogan in 2001 to illustrate its sourcing mission.
Contact Alicia Kelso at Alicia.Kelso@informa.com
Follow her on TikTok: @aliciakelso
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