Last week, Kellogg became the second major food and beverage company to commit to cut greenhouse gas emissions from their supply chain. After a three month campaign coordinated by Oxfam America’s Behind the Brands and the work of more than 238,000 supporters, the Raisin Bran icon has promised to adapt their business model to prepare for the threats posed by climate change. Kellogg’s decision comes just a month after General Mills decided to address their own greenhouse gas emissions.
Kellogg’s plan is to rely on current science to cut emissions across all its operations to help keep the projected global temperature rise below two degrees celsius. This will require Kellogg to adjust its production across all levels of the supply chain, but will mandate a heavy focus on agriculture, where much of their greenhouse gas emissions arise.
According to the timeline as outlined by Oxfam America, by September of 2014, the company will release the names of their major suppliers of high emissions products, including top three suppliers of palm oil and of sugar cane. Kellogg will join the Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP), an advocacy business coalition designed to work with policy makers to pass energy and climate laws, and sign their Climate Declaration.
If Kellogg follows their new Climate Policy, Kellogg will take steps between now and 2020 to achieve zero net deforestation for soy, palm oil, and timber. By 2015, Kellogg should release their exact greenhouse gas reduction target for each piece of their supply chain and their plan to achieve reductions by 2020.
Oxfam’s campaign relied heavily on grassroots support, particularly from Richard Oswald, a farmer in Missouri who helped start the petition that gathered over 200,000 signatures and pressured Kellogg and General Mills to change their ways. Oswald explained the benefits for corporations to focus on climate change in agricultural production, stating that “huge opportunities await corporations able to position themselves for enlightened and concerned consumers. Anything that is ultimately good for the earth is good for people.”
