Thursday 8 October 2020

Mars reaches milestone of operating with ‘deforestation-free’ palm oil supply chain

Confectionery and food giant Mars has announced it is now operating with a 'deforestation-free' palm oil supply chain.

The company says it has reduced the number of mills it sources from and has begun only awarding longer-term contracts to suppliers who commit to its environmental, social and ethical expectations.

Mars plans to cut the number of palm sourcing mills from 1,500 to fewer than 100 by 2021 and hopes to further halve that in 2022.

The firm notes it also uses satellite mapping to monitor the use of land - which it says enables it to assess evidence and carefully select the suppliers and mills it sources from.

Grant Reid, Chief Executive Officer at Mars Incorporated, said: “Business can and must be powerful change agents for social and environmental change in order to have resilient, reliable supply chains and a more equitable and sustainable world."

Last year the European Commission concluded palm oil is environmentally damaging.