Dive Brief:
- A group of 114 companies, including Coca-Cola Enterprises (European bottling partner for Coca-Cola), Kellogg, General Mills, Unilever, and Nestle, have committed to setting targets for cutting carbon emissions in their supply chains within the next two years as part of the Science Based Targets Initiative.
- Coca-Cola Enterprises, Kellogg, and General Mills have already had their targets approved.
- Kellogg said it would reduce its emissions intensity by 15% per ton of food produced by 2020 versus 2015, according to the joint statement.
Dive Insight:
Kellogg had already committed to reducing carbon emissions throughout its supply chain in 2014, which then included a pledge to responsibly source its top 10 ingredients by 2020 and an additional 15% decrease in energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions.
"It's a core business issue in terms of, can we have enough access to foods over time?" Diana Holdorf, chief sustainability officer at Kellogg, said at a gathering of these businesses in Paris. "Security of supply is critical to our business."
"As a global food company, we recognize the significant impacts climate change can have on our business if left unaddressed. That’s why we are taking action across our value chain," Ken Powell, chairman and CEO of General Mills, said in a statement. "However, we understand that no one company, industry or government will mitigate climate change. It is an urgent and shared global challenge. Real progress toward more sustainable emission levels will require unprecedented collaboration and collective innovation."
More companies are recognizing the importance of sustainability. PepsiCo has proven this approach's effectiveness by generating more than $375 million in savings since the company established its sustainability goals in 2010.