While you may know the massive manufacturer Mars for its association with candy, its ties with other major food products have set the company on a path to create more sustainable supply chains.
According to Sustainability Magazine, Mars, which owns Ben's Original, a popular rice product, is teaming up directly with rice farmers to help implement more environmentally conscious farming methods.
"We need systemic change across our supply chains, with governments, industry, and farmers all playing a role," Alastair Child, Mars' chief sustainability officer, told the publication. "We know we can't do this alone and so we want to bring our partners and peers along, as only large-scale change will deliver on our collective goals."
In 2018, Mars began its foray into pollution issues in rice production through the Sustainable Aromatic Rice Initiative in Thailand.
The program has many aims, including "training on Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) standards, integrating digital farming solutions, robust record-keeping, efficient water management like alternate wetting and drying, and optimal use of farming input," according to Sustainability Magazine.
In the six years since its inception, this program has effectively implemented sustainable rice production methods for 1,450 farmers in Thailand.
While rice is a vital part of much of the world's diet, rice crops contribute around 8% of planet-warming agricultural pollution, according to the Asian Development Bank. The hope is that with more initiatives like this one, we can see this number decrease.
"We're firmly committed not just to targets in a distant future but to delivering progress now," Child added, per Sustainability Magazine.
Other major manufacturers have taken steps to curb their environmental impact. REI and Intuit have teamed up to launch a massive solar farm with the intention of promoting renewable energy. Meanwhile, last year, PepsiCo has announced plans to integrate an electric fleet of semitrucks into its shipping operations to curb the dirty fuel pollution from typical diesel-run vehicles.
|
Should the government be paying us to upgrade our homes?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 💰 
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Cool Picks
