MCLEAN, VA: Food manufacturer Mars has set a science-based climate target to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 while challenging its 20,000 suppliers to drive change across its full value chain, including Scope 3 emissions. The company has also pledged to link the level of executive pay with climate action as it eliminates deforestation and transitions to 100 percent renewable energy.

However CEO and president Grant Reid warns the “blah, blah, blah” cited recently by climate activist Greta Thunberg is in danger of undermining corporate and political credibility:

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The scale of global intervention must be bolder and faster. Climate change is already impacting the planet and people’s lives.

To mitigate this real and tangible threat, the science tells us net zero targets must be broad in their reach, capturing emissions across the entire value chain and plans need to have material, interim targets. We can’t wait decades to see progress.

However, all too often, this simply isn’t the case – and the gaps that exist in some net zero commitments risks undermining their credibility, and even more importantly, the climate action movement. We can’t allow that to happen.

To deliver meaningful impact and ensure it is fit for purpose, our net zero target covers our entire GHG footprint, from how we source materials through to how consumers use our products and, we’re mobilizing our entire business around taking action now and hitting interim targets every five years.

This is going to be a significant challenge, and it we won’t be able to achieve net zero without the collaboration of our Associates, suppliers, customers, consumers and industry partners. It’s so important that we work together to drive scale and reach.

We need to overhaul the supply chains that power global business and put an end to deforestation and the conversion of natural ecosystems to drive meaningful change now. We can’t use long-term ambitions as an excuse for inaction and delay.

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Mars says it has cut emissions in its full value chain by 7.3 percent since 2015, despite the business continuing to grow, and is on-track to achieve an interim target of a 42 percent reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 2025.