![\"\"](\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/11\/CIAT-Cocoa-Suitability.png\")
<\/a>Projected Level of Suitability of West Africa for Cacao Cultivation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
HIGHER TEMPERATURES, LOWER PROFITS<\/h3>\n
It is therefore unsurprising that Mars Inc., the world\u2019s largest chocolate manufacturer, is visibly stepping up efforts to combat climate change, given that the \u201cextreme concentration of the production of a commodity in one geographical region makes the global industry highly vulnerable to a regional decline in climatic suitability\u201d [2].<\/p>\n
In unveiling their \u201cSustainable in a Generation Plan\u201d [3], Mars Inc. are planting their stake in the ground to ensure that their sweet, billion dollar empire, built over the last 106 years, continues to bear fruit. The question of whether their public commitment, opposing withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement [4] and declaring that \u201cas a food business, [their] supply chain and those who work in it are threatened by [climate change\u2019s] impacts\u201d, exceeds their private intent, is yet to be answered but steps in the right direction are visible.<\/p>\n
TAKING ACTION<\/h3>\n
In its 2015 Climate Action Position Statement, Mars estimated that Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions in its value chain were equivalent to 26.2 million tons of Carbon Dioxide. Aiming to reduce this in the long term, Mars committed set out the following goals [5]:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Reducing Total GHG emissions by -27% (vs. 2015 levels) by 2025<\/li>\n
- Reducing GHG emissions linked to operations to zero by 2025<\/li>\n
- Reducing Total GHG emissions by -67% (vs. 2015 levels) by 2050<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/11\/Mars-Inc.-Glidepath-Towards-2050-Goals.jpg\")
<\/a>Exhibit 2. [5]
Mars Inc. Glidepath Towards 2050 Goals<\/figcaption><\/figure>In the short term, Mars aims to invest over $1 Billion over the next 2-3 years to tackle three key areas [5]:<\/p>\n- \n
- Achieve stronger water stewardship and more efficient land management<\/li>\n
- Increase income to improve the lives of 1 million people in their supply chain<\/li>\n
- Advance science, innovation and research into food production<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
GOING FURTHER<\/h3>\n
The issue remains to be seen whether these long term goals will be achieved, and the vagueness with which Mars has set out its short term plans begs for a much more detailed roadmap of clear actions.<\/p>\n
There are several concrete steps which Mars could take to further their efforts immediately:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Achieving the highest LEED certification [6] across all of their production plants and office across the US and achieving similar credential in production sites outside of the US<\/li>\n
- Promote conservation practices across the agricultural segment of their supply chain which accounts for 46% of their GHG emissions [5]<\/li>\n
- Move away from sourcing certain raw materials in tropical countries under risk of deforestation, by investing in synthetic or local replacements<\/li>\n
- Declare the split of emissions by country in which it operates in and report annually on progress made to cut local production emissions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
TESTING SCALEABILITY AND LONG TERM COMMITMENT<\/h3>\n
For Mars, the future of Cacao trees in West Africa, and therefore the future of their entire chocolate business is on the line. Having understood what is at stake, they are taking action, and this should be applauded.<\/p>\n
However, it must be noted that while Mars\u2019 promises are certainly a move in the right direction, their total GHG emissions are equivalent to those of a small central American country like Panama [7]. Thus their pledge will remain largely insignificant unless entire industries step up to combat climate change to the same extent.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, one might also wonder if these goals will retain their important to Mars regardless of economic conditions. A downward shift in their business in the next 35 years could truly test Mars\u2019 commitment to what they have set out to achieve. If tougher times arrives, will they continue to invest in reducing GHG out of their supply chain, or will they fold under shareholder pressure to deliver bottom line growth regardless of future consequences?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
(754 Words)<\/p>\n
[1] Michon Scott, \u201cClimate and Chocolate\u201d National Climate and Atmospheric Administration, February 10, 2016, https:\/\/www.climate.gov\/news-features\/climate-and\/climate-chocolate<\/a>, accessed November 2017<\/p>\n
[2] G\u00f6tz Schroth, Peter L\u00e4derach, Armando Isaac, Martinez Valle, Christian Bunn, Laurence Jassognec, \u201cVulnerability to climate change of cocoa in West Africa: Patterns, opportunities and limits to adaptation\u201d Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 556, June 15, 2016, http:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0048969716304508<\/a>, accessed November 2017<\/p>\n
[3] Mars Inc. Corporate Communications, \u201cUnveiling our Sustainable in A Generation Plan\u201d Mars Inc. website, September 5, <\/sup>2017, http:\/\/www.mars.com\/global\/press-center\/newsroom\/unveiling-our-sustainable-in-a-generation-plan<\/a>, accessed November 2017<\/p>\n
[4] Jamiles Lartey, \u201c’Climate change is real’: companies challenge Trump’s reversal of policy\u201d, The Guardian, March 29, 2017, https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/2017\/mar\/29\/climate-change-companies-challenge-trump-mars-staples-gap<\/a>, accessed November 2017<\/p>\n
[5] Mars Inc. Corporate Communications, \u201cCLIMATE ACTION POSITION STATEMENT\u201d Mars Inc. website, 2015, \u00a0http:\/\/www.mars.com\/global\/about-us\/policies-and-practices\/climate-action-position-statement<\/a>, accessed November 2017<\/p>\n
[6] Corporate Communications LEED Organization, \u201cHow LEED Works\u201d https:\/\/new.usgbc.org\/leed#how-leed-works<\/a>, accessed November 2017<\/p>\n