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Mondelēz furthers its sustainability commitment
Mondelēz International has joined two initiatives focused on tackling plastic waste and pollution, as the company accelerates its efforts to lessen its environmental impact on the planet.
The confectionery, food, and beverage company is now a signatory of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, as well as a participant in the New Plastics Economy Initiative, and a member of the UK Plastics Pact. The initiatives share a collective ambition to address plastic waste and pollution at its source, by moving towards a circular economy where plastic stays in the economy and out of the environment.
Joining these initiatives furthers Mondelēz International’s 2025 sustainability goals which are focused on making snacks with less energy, water and waste. As part of its ambition to achieve zero-net waste packaging by 2025, the company has set packaging innovation targets to ensure 100% of packaging is designed to be recycled, contains on-pack recycling information and contributes to the company’s commitment to reduce CO2 emissions. Today, 93 percent of the company’s total packaging, including both plastic and non-plastic, is designed to be recycled.
Mondelēz has committed to take action to eliminate problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging by 2025 & ensure 100% of plastic packaging is be reusable or recyclable / Picture: Mondelēz
Christine Montenegro McGrath, vice president of sustainability and global impact at Mondelēz International, said: “We believe that sector-wide initiatives, in collaboration with government, are key to reducing the impact of packaging on our planet. Through our partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and in joining the UK Plastics Pact, we are accelerating our work toward creating zero-net waste packaging and improving recycling globally, and we are fully committed to their vision.”
The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment has set ambitious 2025 targets which Mondelēz International, along with signatories from government, business and other organizations, has formally endorsed. As part of the Global Commitment, Mondelēz International will work towards the following:
– Take action to eliminate problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging by 2025
– 100% of plastic packaging to be reusable or recyclable
– Use 5% recycled content (by weight) across all plastic packaging used
– Take action to move from single-use towards reuse models where relevant
Sander Defruyt, lead of the New Plastics Economy Initiative at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, said: “Our vision is for a world where plastic never becomes waste or pollution. It will be a challenging journey, but by coming together we can eliminate the plastics we don’t need and innovate, so the plastics we do need can be safely and easily circulated – keeping them in the economy and out of the environment.”
As a member of the UK Plastics Pact, which is the first in a global network of Pacts which are aligned with, and support the New Plastics Economy initiative, Mondelēz International commits to working towards delivering the UK Plastics Pact 2025 targets by:
– Eliminating unnecessary and problematic packaging and plastic products
– Ensuring all plastic packaging is recyclable in practice
– Using recycled plastic in our packaging wherever possible
Marcus Gover, chief executive of WRAP, the organisation behind the Pact, added: “We are delighted to have Mondelēz International sign up to The UK Plastics Pact. Through our first-of-a-kind Pact we are working together with governments, citizens and business to transform the way we make, use and dispose of plastic so that we retain its value, but prevent it from polluting the environment.”