Kellogg Company took another step forward in its commitment to climate action by announcing new, ambitious science-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets. 

Sharing its worldwide goals at the New York Times Energy for Tomorrow Conference in Paris, Kellogg Company plans to cut GHG emissions by 65 percent across its own operations, known as Scope 1 and 2, and, for the first time work with suppliers, known as Scope 3, to help reduce their emissions by 50 percent by 2050.

“Kellogg is more than a business. We care about nourishing people with our foods, feeding those in need, nurturing our planet, and living our founder’s values,” says John Bryant, Kellogg Company chairman and CEO. “People care about their food, where it comes from, the people who grow and make it, and that there’s enough for everyone. We must live our values and communicate with transparency to earn our seat at millions of tables every day.”

“Science shows that climate change will reduce food productivity and food security at the same time our world’s population is growing and requiring us to feed more people with fewer natural resources,” Bryant continues. “That’s why Kellogg is working on multiple fronts to address the risks climate change poses. Today, we’re joining others in Paris taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit the earth’s temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius.”

Kellogg Company recognizes that upstream agriculture emissions and manufacturing are the largest sources of emissions in the company’s supply chain and is focusing efforts on reductions in these two areas. Since 2008, Kellogg Company has already reduced GHG emissions from its manufacturing facilities by around 12 percent.

The targets announced are an extension of the 2020 global sustainability goals Kellogg Company set in August 2014, when the organization announced commitments to: further reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its own operations; increase the use of low carbon energy; and expand commitments into our supply chain by requiring all key suppliers to measure and publicly disclose their own emissions and reduction targets.

Supporting smallholder growers and farmers with Climate Smart Agriculture Kellogg Company has already committed to supporting 15,000 smallholder growers by 2020 to increase adoption of Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). And, by 2030, the company will have supported the livelihoods of 500,000 farmers through partnerships, research and training on CSA.

“We recognize the interconnected and inter-reliant nature of our business with suppliers, farmers, customers, consumers and governments,” Bryant says. “These types of commitments require cooperation across the full supply chain. That is the only way we can truly be successful.”

The methodology for Kellogg Company’s new goals is based on the Science Based Targets, a joint initiative by CDP, the UN Global Compact, the World Resources Institute, and WWF.

“Global temperatures are increasing. Science has confirmed that we must limit the rise to below 2 degrees Celsius in order to avoid the most serious consequences for people, the environment and economies worldwide,” says Pedro Faria, technical director of CDP and spokesperson for the Science Based Targets Initiative. “We applaud Kellogg for taking this critical step to not only reduce its own emissions, but to work closely with its suppliers to do the same.”

As announced earlier this week, 75 percent of the company’s direct suppliers will report progress annually through CDP Supply Chain by 2020.