USA – Multinational agricultural trader and food processor, ADM has advanced its sustainability commitments with new ambitious plan to reduce its absolute global greenhouse gas emissions by 25% and energy intensity by 15% by 2035.
The Chicago-based company noted that the new goals follow on its original 2011 sustainability plan, in which the company committed to per-unit improvements in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water and waste to landfill by 2020.
Among ADM’s goal was to reduce emissions intensity by 15% over the 2010 baseline by 2020.
After meeting those goals ahead of schedule, the company says that it engaged WSP Global, one of the world’s leading engineering professional services firms, to conduct an in-depth feasibility study to help shape a new set of commitments to combat climate change.
According to a statement issued by the company, WSP’s study identified several pathways toward success, including purchasing renewable electricity, increasing use of biomass fuels, transportation fleet changes and equipment changes in some locations.
ADM’s Chairman and CEO Juan Luciano said that the greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets will enable the company to save the equivalent of those from charging every single smart phone on the planet 250 times.
Luciano believes that this is going to have a real impact adding that its a key way in which ADM is going to continue to give its customers an edge in meeting the market challenges of today and tomorrow.
“Every single day, ADM is focused on keeping its employees healthy and safe while simultaneously ensuring we are continuing to support the world’s food supply,” Luciano said.
“At the same time, we believe it remains vitally important that we continue to plan for the future and remain good long-term stewards of our company and our planet.
“We know that the health of our natural resources is critical to our future. Consumers around the world know it as well, and they are making it clear that they expect their food and drink to come from sustainable ingredients, produced by companies that share their values.
“We care deeply about our partners, our customers, our employees, our shareholders, and the planet, and that is why we are setting these ambitious emissions and energy goals for ourselves. Our future will be stronger for these goals.”
ADM maintains that the new goals are only one element of a wide-ranging plan to pave the way on sustainability.
In 2019, the company’s Board formed a new committee on Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility, offering guidance, leadership and oversight at the highest level for its sustainability and corporate citizenship efforts.
The company reveled that it is increasingly using technology – such as satellite imagery – as it maps its supply chains.
ADM is already working to promote and support sustainable agricultural practices among more than 12,000 smallholder farmers in Brazil and Paraguay.
