General Mills Taking the Lead to Cut Greenhouse Gas

With the U.S. government dragging its feet with regards to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, a huge company has decided to do something about it. General Mills announced in September 2015 its ambitious goal of cutting emissions at its facilities, suppliers and growers by 28 percent by 2025.

This 10-year goal is the first of its kind, as General Mills wants growers to try to limit their greenhouse gas emissions, in addition to its own plan to transition to better sustainability practices at its facilities. The idea is to help mitigate climate change from fork to table. The food giant hopes other companies follow suit, especially since other large manufacturers, such as Nestle, Mars and Unilever, have already agreed to reduce emissions from their plants.

General Mills plans to invest $100 million in several key areas of the fight against global warming. Part of that money is aimed at improving energy efficiency at its own plants globally, while another portion of the investment buys 250,000 acres of organic fields across the planet by 2020.

The largest obstacle to this plan revolves around entities General Mills cannot control. Up to 92 percent of carbon emissions come from farms, transportation companies and other activities beyond the reach of the food manufacturer's control. The firm wants to partner with suppliers to become more energy-efficient in ways that encourage sustainable agriculture, make milk production more environmentally friendly and support better farming techniques. In-house changes include better use of packaging, smarter logistics and more fuel-efficient vehicles.

The cereal giant owns several brands dependent on agriculture, including its line of cereals, Green Giant vegetables, Yoplait, Pillsbury and Betty Crocker. Progresso and Haagen-Dazs also use products grown on farms as raw materials. Organic farming and agricultural innovations help preserve soil fertility, mitigating the effect of flooding and insect infestation, so farms are better prepared to cope with dry seasons. Better management of dairy farms cuts down on methane emissions from cows.

Global warming threatens the core business model of General Mills since agriculture could face several problems as companies try to find sustainable manufacturing models. Unstable weather patterns could lead to droughts, while other parts of the planet may turn into agricultural boons as resources shift. As many as 70 percent of manufacturing firms stated that they have some kind of sustainability initiatives in the works aimed at reducing energy consumption and improving carbon emissions. While some companies have adopted sustainability measures to save money, others are responding to the increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly products.

The industry leader believes its plan is the only one that targets suppliers of raw materials, in addition to its own facilities, in terms of sustainability improvements and investments. If other companies follow the example of General Mills, the fight against global warming receives an even bigger boost. Consumers also benefit by eating products that are better for the environment, as well as for their stomachs.

Photo courtesy of Mike Mozart at Flickr.com