Evaluation of General Mills’ and Kellogg’s GHG Emissions Targets and Plans: Independent Assessment conducted by Winston Eco-Strategies for Oxfam’s Behind the Brands Initiative

Overview

Extreme weather is threatening food supply chains around the world. The food and agriculture sector has a significant stake in mitigating climate change but is also responsible for up to 25 percent of total global emissions. The largest food and beverage companies have responded to the challenge, in part by setting targets to reduce emissions, mostly from their own operations.

Oxfam’s Behind the Brands campaign has encouraged the ‘Big Ten’ food and beverage companies to take on two emerging best practices: to set their goals based on how fast science tells us we need to cut emissions (science-based targets); and to set goals for their supply chains as well. General Mills and Kellogg have put in place climate change plans and goals that cover the period up until 2020. Both companies have also committed to set supply chain targets that address agricultural emissions.

To ensure accountability, Oxfam commissioned an independent evaluation of the progress these companies have made in fulfilling their commitments. This evaluation provides an assessment of whether the GHG reduction targets set by the companies are: in line with credible science-based target methodologies; include upstream Scope 3 agricultural emissions; and whether the companies have the implementation plans and organizational processes in place to actually achieve these targets.