Mondelēz International marks high CDP environmental performance rating

Global confectionery and snacking group Mondelēz International has marked a key milestone in gaining strong ratings in the CDP non-profit environmental performance data organisation, writes Neill Barston.

The business was rated A for its climate performance, along with an A- for its policies towards forest management, and a further A- in regard to its management of water across its operations.

Though the company scored highly, environmental challenges remain within its supply chains, including for cocoa sourced from Ghana and neighbouring Ivory Coast in West Africa, which remain impacted by broader industry-related deforestation. 

In response, the company has set out its long-running sustainability programmes covering its relationships with producing nations, including for its palm oil used widely in snacks and confectionery series, with forest loss linked to such activities remaining a key issue for the sector at large.

Major study scope
As Mondelēz noted, it was among just a handful of companies to gain A grades of a total of more than 22,000 businesses across industries, which according to CDP, which is reportedly the largest independent organisation of its kind, the overall total of businesses responding represents over half of the global market capitalisation.  

The company asserted that the insights emerging from the released data, along with broader national government figures, can help deliver  substantial economic co-benefits.

Significantly, Mondelez was far from the only confectionery business to have submitted data, with Barry Callebaut being rated A for climate, A- for forests and B for water management.

For its part, Ferrero scored B ratings across the board, while there were some notable omissions from the findings, with Mars Incorporated not being scored, and Hershey in the US not disclosing data.

As Confectionery Production has previously covered, the emergence of major legislation on the horizon, including the much-delayed EUDR deforestation regulations and related corporate due diligence laws relating to enhancement of social rights within supply chains has prompted a key response across the industry, shifting momentum towards delivering compliance.

Discussing its submissions, Mondelez noted that through disclosing data, it is assisting in providing information to promote positive change for the wider environment.

As the company noted, the A grades achieved demonstrated its approach to mature environmental governance, comprehensive disclosure, and meaningful progress towards environmental resilience. We’re proud to be joining thousands of companies working to build an Earth-positive future.

Susanne Alig-Mathis, Vice President, Sustainability at Mondelēz International, commented: “More importantly, we are proud of the cross-functional team at MDLZ spanning Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance and Sustainability who remain focused on key topics, implementing programs, and ensuring our data and disclosures reflect the great work across our global operations.

“Sustainability is embedded in our growth strategy and business processes, and we continue to evolve with the wider corporate environmental landscape top of mind.”

Sherry Madera, CEO of CDP believed its latest analysis of global industry performance revealed positive momentum.

She said: “Markets are sending an unmistakable signal: clear, consistent environmental data is indispensable for sound decision-making. The momentum behind disclosure in 2025 shows that organizations of every size and sector recognize the value of transparent information to strengthen resilience, support innovation and unlock investment.

“CDP’s A List reflects the leading examples of this ambition, but the real story lies in the global commitment to making environmental data visible and actionable. As investors, policymakers and companies rely ever more heavily on these insights, disclosure remains one of the most powerful drivers of Earth-positive progress.”