MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, General Mills announced it has been recognized as a global leader in corporate sustainability by environmental impact non-profit CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) achieving a place on the CDP ‘A List’ for both climate change and water security. General Mills is one of only 10 North American companies to receive a score of “A” in both Climate Change and Water Security.
For the second consecutive year, General Mills was recognized for its actions to cut emissions, mitigate climate risks, develop the low-carbon economy and sustainable management of water resources based on the data it submitted through CDP’s 2019 climate change and water security questionnaires. And in 2017, the company was named to CDPs Climate A-List, Supplier Engagement Leader Board, Supplier Climate A-List.
“It’s a business imperative for us to be responsible stewards of natural resources within our walls while ensuring that same accountability across our value chain,” said Mary Jane Melendez, chief sustainability and social impact officer at General Mills. “We are dependent upon the availability, health and quality of natural resources and while there will always be more work to do, we are honored to receive this recognition for our impact and progress thus far.”
General Mills’ sustainability mission centers on promoting environmentally and socially responsible practices across the company’s value chain to protect the resources and people upon which the company’s business depends. To achieve this mission, General Mills is focused on climate change, water stewardship, regenerative agriculture and sustainable sourcing, thriving ecosystems, and protecting human rights and animal welfare.
“Congratulations to General Mills for earning a spot on this year’s Water and Climate A Lists – they are a model for true environmental leadership,” said Bruno Sarda, President of CDP North America. “Climate change and water insecurity are undeniable business risks if unaddressed and we must transition to a low-carbon economy now to avoid the worst impacts. A List companies know sustainability presents an exciting race to the top, an opportunity to innovate and rethink business as usual, proving that environmental responsibility simply makes good business sense.”
In 2019, over 525 investors with over US$96 trillion in assets and 125 major purchasers with US$3.6 trillion in procurement spend requested companies to disclose data on environmental impacts, risks and opportunities through CDP’s platform and over 8,400 responded. A detailed, independent methodology is then used by CDP to assess these companies, who receive scores of A to D- for how effectively they are tackling climate change, deforestation and water security, while those that don’t disclose or provide insufficient information are marked with an F.
“This ongoing work is an example of one of many ways we unleash our scale for good in the areas where we can have the most impact,” said Melendez.
The full list of companies that made this year’s CDP Climate Change and Water Security A Lists is available here, along with other publicly available company scores, methodology and criteria.
For more information on General Mills’ climate commitment and progress, visit the company’s website.
About General Mills
General Mills is a leading global food company that serves the world by making food people love. Its brands include Cheerios, Annie's, Yoplait, Nature Valley, Häagen-Dazs, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki, BLUE and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills generated fiscal 2019 net sales of U.S. $16.9 billion. In addition, General Mills’ share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totaled U.S. $1.0 billion.
About CDP
CDP is a global non-profit that drives companies and governments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard water resources and protect forests. Voted number one climate research provider by investors and working with institutional investors with assets of US$96 trillion, we leverage investor and buyer power to motivate companies to disclose and manage their environmental impacts. Over 8,400 companies with over 50% of global market capitalization disclosed environmental data through CDP in 2019. This is in addition to the over 920 cities, states and regions who disclosed, making CDP’s platform one of the richest sources of information globally on how companies and governments are driving environmental change. CDP is a founding member of the We Mean Business Coalition. Visit cdp.net to find out more.
