MCG giants keen to restoring biodiversity

Leading FMCG companies including Nestlé, Kellogg Company, Danone, Mars and Unilever have formed a new coalition aimed at protecting and restoring biodiversity within their supply chains and product portfolios.

The One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B) initiative launched by Danone CEO Emmanuel Faber at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York on Monday includes 19 companies with combined total revenues of around $500 billion.

The coalition is focused on scaling up regenerative agriculture practices, boosting biodiversity and increasing the resilience of food and agriculture systems; as well as eliminating deforestation and protecting high-value ecosystems.

Mark Schneider, Nestlé CEO, said protecting and restoring biodiversity “is essential to safeguard food production and food security”.

“Nestlé has for many years worked with farmers to manage their land sustainably and will continue to lead activities enhancing biodiversity,”
Schneider said.

The OP2B coalition members also include L’Oreal, Balbo Group, Barry Callebaut, DSM, Firmenich, Google , Jacobs Douwe Egberts, Kering, Livelihoods Funds, Loblaw Companies Limited, Migros Ticaret, Symrise and Yara.

Mars launches #PledgeForPlanet

Mars is going a step further to tackle climate change, with the launch of its #PledgeForPlanet initiative, which calls on suppliers to set science-based targets and embrace renewable energy.

“Climate change is a real and tangible threat to society. For example, in our business, we already see it in the risk to livelihoods for smallholder farmers who provide most of our raw ingredients,” Mars CEO Grant F. Reid said.

“Risks to the resiliency and sustainability of our supply chain and the future of the farmers we work with is top of mind. But, as a family business that thinks in generations and aspires to make a positive difference in the world, our responsibilities and our ambitions go beyond risk mitigation. We are committed to doing our part for the good of the planet.”

The initiative follows the company’s investment of $1 billion towards its Sustainable in a Generation Plan which looks beyond its own direct operations and into its extended supply chain.