Mondelēz pledges to 100% sustainable wheat in UK
The manufacturer hoped to increase the amount of sustainable wheat used in its European biscuit production from 60% of the total amount used last year – about 160,500t.
Through the programme expansion, annual production of wheat under the sustainable conditions set out by the Harmony charter would increase to over 254,000t by 2022. This would cover the volume of wheat needed to produce the company’s entire European biscuit portfolio.
‘Impact of their food choices’
Hubert Webber, Mondelēz executive vice president, said: “European consumers increasingly equate high-quality products with sustainable production. They’re aware of the impact of their food choices on the environment and have high expectations of manufacturers to take their share of responsibility.
“As Europe’s largest biscuit baker, we can play a role in tackling challenges like climate change and resource shortages by promoting sustainable farming practices and improving biodiversity in our supply chain. In doing so, we contribute to creating a fairer, more transparent and integrated supply chain, in which good quality for consumers means a good impact on farmers and society”.
First launched ten years ago in France and co-created along the wheat supply chain with farmers, cooperatives and millers, the Harmony programme’s partner farmers follow sustainable practices in the cultivation and processing of wheat in return for a premium on their crop.
Reduction in pesticide use
The programme has led to a 20% reduction in pesticide use in Harmony fields between 2009 and 2016. Today, Harmony involves 1,700 farmers, 13 millers and 21 cooperatives across six markets – Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Poland and Spain.
Romeo Lacerda, president of biscuits at Mondelēz Europe, added: “It’s a movement that connects everyone involved in our supply chain with others seeking to increase the positive impact we can make on our environment and biodiversity.
“By bringing non-government organisations and farmers to work together, we can implement farming practices that are both effective and pragmatic. In doing so, we can act as a catalyst for positive change.”
