USA – Mondelēz International has joined two leading initiatives focused on tackling plastic waste and pollution, as the chocolate and confectionery maker accelerates its efforts to reduce its impact on people and the planet.
Mondelēz has joined the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment and the UK Plastics Pact and has additionally become a participant of the New Plastics Economy Initiative.
The initiatives share a collective ambition to address plastic waste and pollution at its source, by moving toward a circular economy where plastic stays in the economy and out of the environment.
The announcement marks an important step forward in Mondelēz International’s ambition to create positive impact for people and planet and achieve zero-net waste packaging.
Christine Montenegro McGrath, VP of Sustainability at Mondelēz said that the announcement advances the company’s leadership role in calling for and participating in sector-wide collaboration to identify and scale up innovation, harmonize packaging formats to make recycling easier and improve waste management infrastructure.
“We believe that sector-wide initiatives, in collaboration with government, are key to reducing the impact of packaging on our planet,” Christine said.
“Through our partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and in joining The UK Plastics Pact, we are accelerating our work toward creating zero net waste packaging and improving recycling globally, and we are fully committed to their vision.”
The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment has set ambitious 2025 targets which Mondelēz International, along with signatories from government, business and other organizations, has formally endorsed.
As part of the Global Commitment, Mondelēz will work towards taking action to eliminate problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging by 2025 and ensuring that 100% of its plastic packaging is reusable or recyclable.
The initiative also requires the company to use 5% recycled content (by weight) across all plastic packaging used and further take action to move from single-use towards reuse models where relevant.
As a member of the UK Plastics Pact, Mondelēz International commits to working towards delivering the UK Plastics Pact 2025 targets including eliminating unnecessary and problematic packaging and plastic products.
The company has also committed to ensuring all plastic packaging is recyclable in practice and to using recycled plastic in its packaging wherever possible.
The Oreo, Milka and Cadbury brands owner said that the initiatives support its ambition to create zero net waste packaging and furthers reinforces the company’s 2025 sustainability goals.
By 2025, the company has set packaging innovation targets to ensure 100% of packaging is designed to be recycled, contains on-pack recycling information and contributes to the company’s commitment to reduce CO2 emissions.
Today, the confectionery giant claims that 93% of the company’s total packaging, including both plastic and non-plastic, is designed to be recycled.
