A new coalition, headed by Mars and sustainability consultancy Guidehouse has been created to speed climate preservation in the supply chain.

The Supplier Leadership on Climate Transition (Supplier LoCT) coalition, aimed at driving industry-wide action through global supply chains has also gained the backing of PepsiCo and McCormick to help suppliers develop their own science-based targets and climate action plans.

In its first year, the programme will focus on helping suppliers understand the foundations of greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions in their own businesses, including core knowledge of how to calculate their own GHG footprints and to set their own science-based targets.

Barry Parkin, chief procurement and sustainability officer at Mars, said of the new coalition: “As the world looks to rebuild from the pandemic, this will be a critical year in altering the trajectory of climate change. However, with our extended supply chain accounting for over 94 per cent of our emissions, it’s crucial we also partner with our suppliers to drive broad transformations and mitigate our collective impact on climate change.”

It comes as part of the business’ #PledgeforPlanet initiative launched in 2019, calling on its suppliers to join Mars in setting climate targets in line with the Science Based Targets Initiative, signing on to The Climate Group’s RE100 and embracing a future with renewable energy at the centre of operations. Mars is focused on engaging its largest 200 suppliers to maximise impact and catalyse change through its broader supply chain. So far, 23 of its major suppliers have set science-based targets or joined the RE100, and Mars has since engaged another 30 suppliers to set their own climate targets or to enroll in the Supplier LoCT programme.

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