MONDELĒZ International is set to accelerate its action on climate change through innovations in food manufacturing, targeting ambitious sustainability goals for 2020 through an end-to-end approach, to reduce its carbon footprint. Speaking at the three-day Gulfood Manufacturing that opened Tuesday (Oct. 27) at Dubai World Trade Centre, Alan Smith, managing director for GCC-Pakistan at Mondelez International, discussed how sustainability is one of the key ingredients shaping the future of the food industry in the Middle East, alongside the role food companies can play to accelerate innovation and focus on consumer well-being. "Our Sustainability 2020 goals place us at the forefront of the fight against climate change and support our ambition to be the leader in well-being snacks, while reducing costs and generating efficiencies that accelerate our growth," said Smith. "In 2014, we were a year ahead of schedule in accomplishing our 2015 goals for packaging, greenhouse gas emissions and net waste. These new goals take our commitment a step further, using the power of our global resources and partners to drive meaningful change at scale." The sustainability goals are part of Mondelēz International's Call For Well-being, a call to action focused on four areas that are critical to the well-being of the world and where the company can make the greatest impact: sustainability, mindful snacking, communities, and safety. The new goals include reducing absolute carbon dioxide emissions from manufacturing in line with science-based targets; reducing deforestation within its agricultural supply chain; focusing water-reduction efforts in high-priority locations including the Middle East; and eliminating packaging material. By leveraging its position as the world's largest snack company and focusing where it can make the greatest impact, Mondelēz International continues to build on its heritage of leadership in sustainability. Working with leading organizations, the new goals focus on reducing key end-to-end environmental impacts – from the field through distribution. By 2020, the company will reduce its carbon footprint by adopting science-based targets to reduce absolute CO2 emissions from manufacturing by 15 percent. It will also address deforestation within the company's key agriculture supply chains, primarily in cocoa and palm oil, cut its water footprint by reducing absolute incoming water use in manufacturing, focusing on priority sites where water is most scarce. Mondelēz will also reduce waste by eliminating 65,000 tons of packaging, without contributing to food waste, and reduce total manufacturing waste by 20 percent at its facilities in the Middle East. To secure key raw materials and support smallholder livelihoods, Mondelēz International will continue to invest and expand its signature Cocoa Life program to empower 200,000 cocoa farmers in six key origins. Ultimately, the company aims to source all of its cocoa sustainably, mainly via Cocoa Life. It will also maintain its European Harmony wheat program and go beyond this by creating a global approach to wheat. "Our Sustainability 2020 initiatives on energy, water and waste reduction will improve efficiency and create the fuel to accelerate growth. The goals also support our cocoa and wheat programs to ensure we have a sustainable supply of these key raw materials," added Smith. Launched in 2014, Gulfood Manufacturing is a sector-specific trade exhibition for ingredients, processing, packaging and food logistics providers who service the rapidly growing food and beverage production industries established in the Middle East, Africa, Far East and Sub
