CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, US — Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) plans to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 25% and its energy intensity by 15% by 2035, after successfully meeting goals set in 2011 ahead of schedule.
“Every single day, ADM is focused on keeping its employees healthy and safe while simultaneously ensuring we are continuing to support the world’s food supply,” said Juan Luciano, chairman and chief executive officer. “At the same time, we believe it remains vitally important that we continue to plan for the future and remain good long-term stewards of our company and our planet. We know that the health of our natural resources are critical to our future. Consumers around the world know it as well, and they are making it clear that they expect their food and drink to come from sustainable ingredients, produced by companies that share their values. We care deeply about our partners, our customers, our employees, our shareholders, and the planet, and that is why we are setting these ambitious emissions and energy goals for ourselves. Our future will be stronger for these goals.”
In 2011, ADM released its 15x20 plan committing to per-unit improvements in energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water and waste to landfill by 2020. It met the goal ahead of schedule and worked with WSP Global to conduct a feasibility study to help shape a new set of commitments to battle climate change.
WSP’s study, which can be read here, identified several pathways including:
• Purchasing renewable electricity;
• Increasing use of biomass fuels;
• Transportation fleet changes; and
• Equipment changes in some locations.
“Our new goals are ambitious yet achievable,” Luciano said. “The greenhouse gas emissions we’ll save will be the equivalent of those from charging every single smart phone on the planet 250 times. This is going to have a real impact, and is a key way in which we’re going to continue to give our customers an edge in meeting the market challenges of today and tomorrow.”
ADM’s new goals are only one element of a wide-ranging plan to pave the way on sustainability. In 2019, ADM’s board formed a new committee on sustainability and corporate responsibility, offering guidance, leadership and oversight at the highest level for sustainability and corporate citizenship efforts. The company is increasingly using technology – such as satellite imagery – as it maps its supply chains. In December, ADM was shortlisted as a Sustainability Champion by the Food Ingredients Innovation awards for its work promoting and supporting sustainable agricultural practices among more than 12,000 smallholder farmers in Brazil and Paraguay.
