Creating Better Days for those in Need

Today, the world faces a significant crisis ? more than 900 million people will face a future of food insecurity brought on by our growing population, climate vulnerability and malnutrition across the world.

It makes me incredibly proud to work for a company that has been actively working on these issues for more than 100 years. Our founder, W.K. Kellogg, taught us that a critical part of running a good business is also doing good for society. It is this purpose-led lens that still drives what we do today, with a focus on making sure that our company and business practices deliver benefits to people, our communities and the planet.

Yesterday, we announced a new corporate responsibility platform Kellogg’s? Better Days. The new programme builds on the successes from our current Breakfasts for Better Days? global cause initiatives. 

In the last 10 years alone, globally, we’ve provided 3 billion servings of food to people in need, supported 329,000 farmers through climate-smart agriculture programs and reduced greenhouse gas emissions to the equivalent of taking 510 million kilometres off the road. 

Continuing our journey to drive growth through purpose, this next-generation Kellogg’s? Better Days global commitment will help end hunger and create Better Days for 3 billion people by the end of 2030 by addressing the interconnected issues of food security, climate and wellbeing, and is aligned with the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (U.N. SDGs)

Globally, we will do this by:

• Nourishing 1 billion people with our foods, delivering nutrients of need and addressing hidden hunger; 
• Feeding 375 million people in need through food donations and expanded child feeding programs; 
• Nurturing the planet as we support 1 million farmers, especially women smallholders and workers; 
• Conserving natural resources all along the value chain, from responsibly sourcing ingredients and reducing food waste, to providing recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging; 
• Encouraging employee volunteerism, ensuring an ethical supply chain and supporting diversity and inclusion; and
• Living by our founder’s values by advocating on behalf of hungry children everywhere and engaging 1.5 billion people to help address the important issue of food security. 

In Australia and New Zealand, we will continue our focus on supporting Aussies and Kiwis in need, and delivering a sustainable and responsible value chain for the future.

BETTER DAYS - TACKLING FOOD INSECURITY

Often we think of food insecurity as an issue in developing markets, but according to Food Bank, around 4 million Australian’s have experienced food insecurity in 2018 - many of who are categorised as having very low food security. It’s devastating that in an economy like ours, people are still struggling, and it seems things are getting tougher for many individuals and families, especially in rural and regional areas.

Over the last few we have been working closely with a number of key partners to deliver on our Breakfast for Better Days? commitments including The Clontarf Foundation, United Way, Auckland & Wellington City Missions and Food Bank. These partnerships have already helped create millions of better days for families in need.

I am really proud of the impact we’re making, having donated approximately 25 million serves over the past 5 years.

BETTER DAYS - FOR OUR FARMERS

In Australia, there are hundreds of farming families continuing to do it tough through the once-in-a-century droughts we are currently experiencing. We’re very proud that we have been sourcing 100% of our grains from Aussie farmers for 90 years, and are still doing so today. Even though the ongoing drought is taking its toll on supply, we continue to support our farmers by buying all of our grains locally. 

Last year, we also made two donations to Rural Aid and the R U Aware We Care campaign to deliver much needed support to farmers across drought stricken NSW.

We’re committed to working with our suppliers to find long-term solutions in the face of the changing climate we live in to ensure that there is a future for Aussie grain and produce farmers in Australia.

BETTER DAYS - FOR THE PLANET

To help reduce the impact of our company on our environment, we’re continuing to make changes throughout our business and across key areas including conserving natural resources and responsible sourcing.

In 2018, we made a commitment that 100% of our packaging will be reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025, and we’re well on our way to achieving this.  Today, around 98% of our packaging is recyclable – either via kerbside for our cereal and snack cartons or through REDCycle for cereal bags and snack wrappers.

Together with this, we’re also making sure that our own house is in order. At the end of last year, we removed all single use plastic from our offices and our factory. This change meant that we were no longer sending over 600,000 items to landfill, each year, which I am incredibly proud of.

At our Botany factory, we’ve been dedicated to reducing energy, water and waste for well over a decade now. Despite being one of our oldest factories in the Kellogg networks, opening its doors over 90 years ago, it is one of our most efficient. Over the last two years, we’ve reduced water usage by 20 percent and energy use by 11 percent since 2015 and, last year, we sent only 5 percent of our waste to landfill.

As we move forward with the new Better Days commitments?, we’ll continue to work closely with our partners and suppliers to address the complex challenge around food security across Australia and New Zealand, to help improve livelihoods and protect the planet we all share.