Mondelēz International has once again been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for both the North America and World indices. The DJSI is a globally recognized independent benchmark that conducts comprehensive assessments of a company's economic, environmental and social performance with a strong focus on long-term value creation for shareholders.
Mondelēz International improved its overall score to reach the 95th percentile of its industry. The company also achieved perfect scores of 100 in health and nutrition, raw material sourcing and water-related risks.
"The Dow Jones Sustainability Index is a gold standard for sustainable business," said Christine McGrath, Vice President, Sustainability, Well-being and Public & Government Affairs. "We believe our growth is directly linked to enhancing the well-being of our planet and its people, and we focus on areas where we can have the biggest impact, like well-being snacks, sustainable agriculture and reducing our environmental impact. It's satisfying to see the progress we are making in these areas recognized in our DJSI assessment."
For the 2017 assessment, the world's largest 3,500 companies from developed and emerging markets were invited to take part. Only companies scoring among the top 10 percent per industry were eligible for the World Index, while companies in the top 20 percent per industry were eligible for the North America index.
Mondelez, in its 2016 Impact for Growth Progress Report, reported a 7 percent fall in absolute CO2 emissions from manufacturing, 18 percent less water used at priority locations where water is most scarce and a 20 percent increase in the reach of Cocoa Life, the company's sustainable cocoa sourcing program.
The report also describes how the company met ahead of schedule targets to increase the number of individually wrapped portion-control options and increase whole grain by 25 percent, further validating its ambition to be a global leader in well-being snacks.