New Supplier Leadership on Climate Transition collaborative guides suppliers on science-based targets and renewable energy to reduce emissions

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Guidehouse, a leading global provider of consulting services to the public and commercial markets, has joined forces with Mars, Incorporated, McCormick & Company, and PepsiCo for the formation of the Supplier Leadership on Climate Transition collaborative (Supplier LoCT), an initiative to help engage suppliers in climate action and solutions.

Recognizing the impact that global supply chains have on the health of the planet, the collaborative aims to mobilize collective climate action by providing suppliers with resources, tools, and knowledge to support their own climate journeys.

“Emissions reductions are now essential, and global supply chains contain some of the most significant and difficult-to-reduce emissions. While organizations across the world have made bold commitments to science-based climate reductions, most are struggling to deliver progress, and the clock is ticking,” said Britt Harter, Guidehouse’s sustainability lead and partner in the firm’s Energy, Sustainability, and Infrastructure (ES&I) segment. “We have joined forces with Mars, McCormick, and PepsiCo to demonstrate our combined leadership and go beyond target setting to drive real action.”

Through the collaborative, the organizations will mentor and train suppliers in emissions reduction strategies and recognize their achievements. In turn, supplier progress will accelerate the ability of Mars, McCormick, and PepsiCo to deliver against their individual science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in their full value chains. These targets were set to align with the overall goals of the Science Based Targets initiative and RE100 to limit global warming to be consistent with the established goal of the 2015 Paris Agreement.

“Suppliers play a critical role in combatting climate change and in helping brands reach their climate targets,” said Matthew Banks, communication director of Supplier LoCT and associate director in Guidehouse’s ES&I segment. “The Supplier LoCT collaborative is a true team effort across companies and sectors to reduce supply chain emissions. We will enlist more brands and suppliers to join us in our mission, which is aligned with what scientists indicate is required to mitigate the worst impacts from climate change.”

To help suppliers advance their sustainability journeys, Guidehouse will leverage its 30+ plus years of experience in sustainability consulting. In future years, it will also rely on its newly launched sustainability management platform, Guidehouse Papaya^TM, to track progress. The co-founding business participants will tap into their own experiences in reducing their environmental impacts:

• Mars, Incorporated is committed to reducing absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 27% by 2025 and 67% by 2050 from a 2015 base year.
• McCormick & Company is committed to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 20 % by 2025 from a 2015 base year and to reducing absolute scope 3 GHG emissions 16% by 2030 from a 2017 base year.
• PepsiCo is committed to reducing absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 75% and scope 3 GHG emissions 40% by 2030 from a 2015 base year.

“As the world looks to rebuild from the pandemic, this will be a critical year in altering the trajectory of climate change. It’s never been more vital for global businesses, suppliers, and key actors to come together in this time of crisis, and protect the health of our planet and global communities for generations to come,” said Barry Parkin, chief procurement & sustainability officer at Mars, Incorporated. “By forming this collaborative and actively engaging our suppliers on sustainability, we believe we can drive a meaningful, truly global impact.”

“People, planet, and communities have been at the heart of our Purpose Led Performance for many years, supported and championed at the highest levels within McCormick,” said Michael Okoroafor, VP Global Sustainability and Packaging at McCormick and Company. “This collaborative LoCT partnership further demonstrates our commitment to sustainability and doing right for our planet. We are looking forward to engaging our suppliers on this journey to mitigate the climate change impact, and benefit the world around us.”

“PepsiCo has learned a great deal on our journey to a science-based, net-zero target,” said Roberta Barbieri, vice president of Sustainability at PepsiCo. “Our suppliers’ climate action is critical to achieving our goal, and it’s collaborative efforts like these that will help ensure what we’ve learned is shared with our entire supplier base.”

Other industry organizations, including FMI, the Food Industry Association, and sustainability nonprofit Ceres, applaud the collaborative’s efforts to convene suppliers on this important topic.

“Pre-competitive collaborations like this are a critical component to industry progress toward science-based targets,” said Marjorie DePuy, senior director, Supply Chain & Sustainability at FMI. “Every company’s supply chain practices are important in the drive to reduce overall GHG emissions.”

“With leading companies increasingly setting science-based targets, we see growing demand for peer-to-peer learning focused in particular on scope 3 emissions in corporate supply chains,” said Steven Clarke, director of Corporate Clean Energy Leadership at the sustainability nonprofit Ceres. “The challenge goes beyond motivating ambition that cascades through supplier tiers; meaningful impact will depend on building suppliers’ capacity to act.”

About Guidehouse’s Energy, Sustainability, and Infrastructure Segment

With more than 700 consultants, Guidehouse’s global Energy, Sustainability, and Infrastructure segment is the strongest in the industry. We are the go-to partner for leaders creating sustainable, resilient communities and infrastructure, serving as trusted advisors to utilities and energy companies, large corporations, investors, NGOs, and the public sector. We’ve solved big challenges with the world’s 60 largest electric, water, and gas utilities; the 20 largest independent power generators; five of the 10 largest oil & gas majors; the 20 largest gas distribution and pipeline companies; European governments; and the US federal government’s civilian agencies involved in the country’s land, resources, and infrastructure. We combine our passion, expertise, and industry relationships to forge a resilient path toward sustainability for our clients. We turn vision into action by leading and de-risking the execution of big ideas and driving outcomes for our clients that enable them to reach their ambitions through transformation. For more information, please visit www.guidehouse.com/esi.

About Guidehouse

Guidehouse is a leading global provider of consulting services to the public and commercial markets, with broad capabilities in management, technology, and risk consulting. We help clients address their toughest challenges and navigate significant regulatory pressures with a focus on transformational change, business resiliency, and technology-driven innovation. Across a range of advisory, consulting, outsourcing, and digital services, we create scalable, innovative solutions that prepare our clients for future growth and success. The company has more than 9,000 professionals in over 50 locations globally. Guidehouse is a Veritas Capital portfolio company, led by seasoned professionals with proven and diverse expertise in traditional and emerging technologies, markets, and agenda-setting issues driving national and global economies. For more information, please visit www.guidehouse.com.

About Mars, Incorporated

For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ more than 130,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL™, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, Pet Partners™, and VCA™. We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive. For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com. Join us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

About McCormick & Company

McCormick & Company, Incorporated is a global leader in flavor. With over $5 billion in annual sales across 160 countries and territories, we manufacture, market and distribute spices, seasoning mixes, condiments and other flavorful products to the entire food industry including e-commerce channels, grocery, food manufacturers and foodservice businesses. Our most popular brands include McCormick, French’s, Frank’s RedHot, Stubb’s, OLD BAY, Lawry’s, Zatarain’s, Ducros, Vahiné, Cholula, Schwartz, Kamis, DaQiao, Club House, Aeroplane and Gourmet Garden. Every day, no matter where or what you eat or drink, you can enjoy food flavored by McCormick. Founded in 1889 and headquartered in Hunt Valley, Maryland USA, McCormick is guided by our principles and committed to our Purpose – To Stand Together for the Future of Flavor. McCormick envisions A World United by Flavor where healthy, sustainable and delicious go hand in hand. To learn more, visit www.mccormickcorporation.com or follow McCormick & Company on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About Ceres

Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies and nonprofits, we inspire action and drive equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.

For more information, contact:

Lindsay Funicello-Paul
Guidehouse
781.270.8456
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For organizations interested in working with Supplier LoCT, contact:

Matthew Banks
Guidehouse
202.973.3203
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