Mondelez International unveiled a plan to improve the well-being of the planet and its people – from farmers to consumers. The holistic Call for Well-being strategy will significantly broaden the reach and impact of the company's worldwide programs, starting with new global nutrition targets across its product portfolio.
"We know the health of people, communities, our business and the planet are inextricably linked," said Christine McGrath, vice president of external affairs and head of the company's global well-being platform, in a prepared statement. "People around the world aspire to live healthier, better lives, but none of us can do it alone. We want to work with others to expand the conversation around well-being and bring an entrepreneurial approach to address the growing concerns around public health and the environment." The company's Call for Well-being includes a focus on four key areas of action:
Empowering consumers to snack mindfully and partnering with communities
As the world's largest snack company, Mondelez International is committed to helping people make mindful snack choices. For the first time, the company has set global nutrition targets to reach the following goals by 2020:
- Grow "Better Choice" products to 25 percent of revenue.
- Reduce sodium and saturated fat by 10 percent.
- Increase whole grains by 25 percent.
- Increase individually wrapped options of 200 calories or less by 25 percent.
In addition to evolving its product portfolio, the company plans to place calorie information front-of-pack globally by the end of 2016. These combined efforts help support the World Health Organization's goals to reduce salt and saturated fat consumption and help people better manage their calorie and sugar intake. The company is also investing $50 million in healthy-lifestyle community partnerships over the next several years, focused on nutrition education and promoting active lifestyles.
Securing sustainable agricultural supplies and reducing environmental footprint
The Call for Well-being strategy builds on the company's efforts to protect the well-being of the planet through more sustainable sourcing, operations and supplier integration. With its partners, Mondelez International is committed to:
- Helping farmers create thriving communities with a 10-year, $600 million investment in its Cocoa Life and Coffee Made Happy signature programs.
- Promoting biodiversity and good environmental practices through Harmony, the company's successful European wheat-sourcing program.
- Reducing the company's environmental footprint by cutting energy and water use, waste and greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing by 15 percent by 2015.
The company also plans to have 60 percent of its production in zero-waste-to-landfill sites by the end of 2015.
Mondelez International's sustainability practices have been recognized among leading organizations, such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In addition, the company is embedding sustainable sourcing practices into other commodities. Last December, Mondelez International achieved Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) coverage for 100 percent of the palm oil it bought in 2013 – two years ahead of schedule.
