Mondelēz International, a global snacking powerhouse, has detailed the important steps it has taken to meet key well-being metrics in the areas of mindful snacking, sustainability and safety, backed by its Middle East operations.

The first ‘Well-being Progress’ report has highlighted how the company has advanced its well-being efforts by providing consumers with mindful snacking options, securing a sustainable agriculture supply, reducing its environmental footprint, partnering with communities to promote healthy lifestyles and ensuring that people make and enjoy the snacks it makes are safe.

Irene Rosenfield, chairman and CEO, said: “Our business success is directly linked to enhancing the well-being of the people who make and enjoy our products and to supporting the communities where we grow our ingredients.  It’s this belief that inspired our Call For Well-being.

“We’ve made important progress in answering this call.  Yet we realise there’s still more to be done.  We’ll continue working with our employees, partners and communities to develop solutions that help create lasting change.”
 
The Call For Well-being brings together employees, partners and suppliers to co-ordinate actions in the four key areas that support its global strategy to protect the well-being of the planet.
 
In the Middle East and across the globe, 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.
 
Vishal Tikku, Middle East area director of Mondelez, said: “Our plants in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are committed to reducing the company’s environmental footprint by cutting energy and water use, waste and greenhouse emissions from manufacturing by 15 per cent by next year.”

“We take seriously the nutrition responsibility that comes with being the world’s largest snack company. By developing new products, improving the nutrition profile of our portfolio, and empowering consumers with clear information — including calories front-of-pack — we can help people become more mindful about what they’re eating. That’s what we mean by mindful snacking”, he added.

Last year, 22 per cent of revenue was from Better Choices products – on target to meet goal of delivering 25 per cent of revenue from Better Choices by 2020. The firm is on target to increase individually wrapped portion control options by 25 per cent by 2020, said the report.

About 10 per cent of cocoa, 56 per cent of coffee and 44 per cent of West European biscuits were sustainably sourced.  The firm also established third-party verification for the ‘Cocoa Life’ programme that will measure its impact on farmers and their communities.

Mondelez has achieved a goal to have 100 per cent of palm oil RSPO (roundtable on sustainable palm oil) - two years ahead of its 2015 commitment, said the report.

It is on target to reach global goals to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) and water use in manufacturing by next year, while more improvement is needed to reach goal of reducing energy use in manufacturing by 15 per cent by 2015, it added.

The report stated that it is on target to meet goal to invest $50 million in lifestyle community partnerships, with an allocation of $25 million to programmes covering 10 countries last year.

The firm is also on target to achieve FSSC 22000 (Food System Safety Certification) for all internal manufacturing facilities by next year, having achieved 75 per cent certification of all manufacturing sites last year. - TradeArabia News Service