Towards net zero: Mondelēz’s journey

Christine Montenegro McGrath from Mondelēz International has unveiled new initiatives aimed at achieving net zero emissions within the company's food product supply chain and operations. As the proprietor of leading snack options globally, ranging from chocolates to crisps and sweets, Mondelēz International is acutely aware of its environmental footprint.

The snack and confectionery giant is dedicated to reaching a net-zero emissions goal by 2050, a commitment supported by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Since its association with the SBTi two years prior, Mondelēz has formally committed to a time-specific plan that aligns with both the initiative’s framework and the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

Christine Montenegro McGrath, who serves as the Senior Vice President and Chief Global Impact and Sustainability Officer at Mondelēz International, commented on the journey towards Net Zero. "Our journey is marked by transformative actions and notable progress. Achieving Net Zero, however, demands global collaboration across various industries and sectors, fostering innovative and cooperative solutions that accelerate our collective efforts," she stated.

"Our strategy focuses on utilising established models and existing solutions, while leveraging our influence and scale to foster technical innovation, public-private partnerships, and investment to spur innovation."

Reducing emissions across beloved food product lines

Mondelēz, the company behind renowned brands such as Cadbury, belVita, Daim, Grenade, Mikado, Oreo, and Toblerone, is adopting a cohesive approach to decarbonise its supply chain. The company is implementing a series of initiatives aimed at understanding and reducing emissions from its diverse product range.

For cocoa, through the Cocoa Life programme, Mondelēz has educated around 220,000 farmers in Good Agricultural Practices, distributed approximately 6.7 million trees, and surveyed around 246,000 farms within Cocoa Life communities, as of 2022. Additionally, as a founding member of the Cocoa and Forests Initiative (CFI) in Ghana, Mondelēz is actively working with the Asunafo Region's landscapes initiative to promote environmentally friendly cocoa production and agroforestry.

In Europe, the company has adopted advanced farming practices under its Harmony Ambition 2030 initiative, focusing on regenerative agriculture. This includes working with farmers to diversify crop rotations and utilise decision-making tools for optimal fertiliser use. The Harmony Academy platform, a smartphone app, supports farmer training in regenerative practices and soil health. Moreover, Mondelēz has initiated the first-ever Harmony Tour, offering specialised on-site training.

In dairy, Mondelēz is working with suppliers to implement greenhouse gas reduction initiatives at the farm level, achieving CO2 equivalent emissions reductions of approximately 6-10% compared to baseline levels.

Challenges in reducing operational emissions

Operationally, reducing emissions is a critical focus. Mondelēz has outlined further actions across its operations, including efforts to reduce its manufacturing footprint's emissions, transitioning to bioenergy as an alternative to fossil fuels, and engaging in renewable energy power purchase agreements (PPAs).

To enhance renewable energy use, the company is increasing the adoption of renewable electricity in its manufacturing facilities through PPAs, solar array installations, and sourcing renewable energy credits (RECs) from wind and solar sources.

Improvements in manufacturing efficiency have begun with investments across multiple European operations to upgrade manufacturing facilities and integrate technologies such as electric ovens, significantly reducing natural gas consumption.

The company has also started transitioning to cleaner energy alternatives in select operations.

Sustainable impact through logistics

Mondelēz is concentrating on sustainable logistics initiatives, including new investments in mobility, exploring alternative transportation methods, and reducing emissions from warehousing.

Collaborating with Indian Railways and utilising coastal waterways are seen as avenues for enhancing efficiency, enabling more direct transportation routes, and better leveraging electrified systems.