General Mills of Minneapolis will sustainably source 100 percent of its 10 priority ingredients by 2020, the company announced this week. Those 10 ingredients, which include oats, wheat, corn, dairy, fiber packaging, cocoa, vanilla, palm oil, sugar cane and sugar beets, represent 50 percent of General Mills’ total raw material purchases.
“As a food company, we know that the vitality of our business depends upon access to high-quality ingredients,” said Jerry Lynch, vice president and chief sustainability officer at General Mills. “We also know where we can have the greatest impact from an environmental standpoint. We believe that through sustainable sourcing, we can create the most long-term economic, environmental and social value.”
About two-thirds of General Mills’ greenhouse gas emissions and 99 percent of its water use occur outside the company’s operations, primarily in agricultural settings. To discover the best approach to sustainable sourcing, General Mills is working with industry partners and non-governmental agencies including Field-to-Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, Bonsucro, The Nature Conservancy, CARE and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
“By understanding their environmental risks, prioritizing where the company can have the greatest impact and committing to sustainable sourcing, General Mills can have a significant impact,” said Dave McLaughlin, vice president of agriculture, World Wildlife Fund (WWF). “The company has an opportunity to take a leading role in the move toward global sustainable agriculture, while addressing critical issues like ecosystem health and water scarcity.”
I don’t see mention of GMOs, and if they will source non-GM foods or not. So I’m not too excited by General Mills big news, at this time. GMOs are not a part of my diet, so I don’t eat General Mills products now. Doubt that I will in the future, either.