14 DAY TRIAL // Greenpeace might still be a long way from convincing Procter&Gamble to green up its ways, but at least the organization can take pride in having managed to get Mars, Inc., the maker of M&M's, Snickers, and Twix to cut all ties with palm oil suppliers guilty of forest destruction.
On its website, the organization says that, this past March 10, Mars, Inc. officially committed to a zero-deforestation policy that targets its palm oil sources.
More precisely, it would appear that the company has agreed to see to it that all the palm oil it uses to make the products it markets is legally produced and is not linked to conversion of high conservation value areas, peatlands, or tropical rainforest.
According to Greenpeace, the deadline that Mars, Inc. has set for itself when it comes to cutting all ties with palm oil suppliers linked to forest destruction is the year 2015.
“Today Mars promised to remove forest destruction from all of its products by the end of 2015,” the organization writes on its website.
“Mars joins a growing list of companies that are committing to cleaning up their supply chains: Nestle, Unilever, L’Oreal, Ferrero,” it further details.
Apart from promising to only use sustainability-sourced palm oil, Mars, Inc. aims to also implement strict criteria concerning labor standards and human rights, information made available to the public says.
Thus, the company explains that, in the case of palm oil plantation development, informed consent must be obtained from communities living in the region of the planned expansion.
Should some suppliers refuse to abide by these new work standards, Mars, Inc. is determined to cease collaborating with them.
“We will only work with palm oil suppliers that share our values and our commitment to transforming the palm oil supply chain, and we will require that by the end of 2014 they confirm their commitment to comply with [our] sourcing charter.”
“These measures will help ensure a genuinely sustainable pipeline where all material is sourced from companies whose mills only produce sustainable palm oil,” Mars, Inc. says.
Greenpeace expects that, now that the maker of Snickers, Twix, and M&M's has agreed to implement a zero-deforestation policy, Procter&Gamble will soon launch a similar initiative, if not because it truly cares about being an environmentally friendly company, then at least to get some good publicity for a change.
“It's time P&G finally becomes proud sponsors of rainforests and commits to No Deforestation,” the organization stresses.