Month: July 2023

Mondelēz 2022 Snacking Made Right Report

“As we continue confidently into our second decade as a responsible, high-growth, pureplay global snacking company, we are prioritizing key areas of Snacking Made Right, so we can help drive innovative, more sustainable growth the right way for people and the planet.”

I am proud to say that our chocolate, biscuits, and baked snacks brands continue to bring more and more moments of enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning to millions of people around the world. This is an ongoing good growth story. A story that has at its heart our enduring purpose to empower people to snack right, and our renewed strategic focus on achieving greater sustainable growth so that we deliver our vision: to be the global snacking leader, winning in chocolate, biscuits and baked snacks.

We are working together to achieve our vision at a time of considerable change and challenges – from the war in Ukraine to rising inflation and economic uncertainty around the world, from climate change to nature loss. It is an increasingly tough world in which to make snacking right. Yet at the same time, it is also a world where the demand for snacking right continues to grow. As our 2022 State of Snacking report shows, 71% of consumers said that they snack at least twice a day, and they are looking for ways to snack more mindfully.

So there are many challenges and many opportunities for us here at Mondelēz International, and indeed for all our stakeholders, and we remain resolutely focused on driving more sustainable growth – prioritizing and accelerating to achieve this growth.

As this report shows, our strategic commitment to Snacking Made Right is fundamental to our more sustainable growth. It is our way of determining our environmental, social and governance (ESG) priorities and delivering on our mission of leading the future of snacking by offering the right snack, for the right moment, made the right way.

As we continue confidently into our second decade as a responsible, high-growth, pure-play global snacking company, we are prioritizing key areas of Snacking Made Right, so we can help drive innovative, more sustainable growth the right way for people and the planet. With that in mind, sustainability now follows growth, execution, and culture as the fourth pillar in our long-term business strategy, Vision 2030.

We are focusing on more sustainable snacking – more sustainable sourcing of key ingredients, lowering climate impact, respecting human rights, and reducing packaging waste.

We are building our pool of deep and diverse talent, making strong progress in our global diversity, equity and inclusion ambitions for our colleagues, culture, and communities.

We are evolving our portfolio to meet a range of consumer nutrition and well-being choices, while promoting mindful portions and active lifestyles.

And as with every core aspect of our business, we remain focused on strong ESG governance, with oversight from the Board of Directors (Board) and leadership from the top. We are also committed to enhancing our transparency and reporting – to increase understanding, share in achievements, and encourage greater collaboration.

Collaboration among stakeholders is critical. As this report highlights, beyond what we are doing as a company, we are partnering a great deal with others to together make snacking right – and we can continue to do a great deal more, too. I look forward to many more years of us making snacking right together as we seek to have an ever-greater positive impact for people and the planet.

Dirk Van de Put 

Chairman & CEO, Mondelēz International

Read more in the Mondelēz 2022 Snacking Made Right Report

Congratulations to the student teams from the Kamnoetvidya Science Academy Thailand, who secured first and second place in the Asia Pacific region for our global Made to Move Communities student challenge. 

Collaborating with ten Otis volunteer mentors, these students developed two innovative STEM-based solutions, including an AI flood forecasting website and a semi-autonomous flood delivery robot. Their innovations focused on creating mobility solutions aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change. 

“Thanks to the guidance and mentorship provided by Otis’ mentors, our students have developed valuable analytical, problem-solving, and presentation skills,” shared Associate Professor Dr. Boonchoat Paosawatyanyong, Principal of KVIS. “We take immense pride in our students’ accomplishments, which demonstrate the crucial role the next generation of innovators plays in shaping our communities for the better and advancing our world for the future.”

The third annual Made to Move CommunitiesTM Student Challenge from Otis Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: OTIS), paired volunteer mentors from the vertical mobility leader with 230 students across 15 countries and territories.

With the guidance of their Otis mentors, students developed innovative solutions based on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) that they believe can mitigate some of the obstacles to real-world mobility issues.

The program is also driving progress toward three of Otis’ ESG targets: impacting 15,000 students globally through STEM and vocational training, directing 50% of giving to STEM programs and dedicating 500,000 colleague volunteer hours by 2030. 

Read more about the company’s performance in the 2022 ESG Report.

At Merck, our commitment to equality goes beyond the month of June.

While there has been great progress when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights, there’s still work to be done — and we’re proud to play a role in achieving those goals. Merck has a longstanding tradition of supporting the LGBTQ+ community in our company and beyond. Here are just a few of the ways we stand by our commitment to a diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace:

01.

Offering inclusive benefits

We strive for a diverse and inclusive environment, and that means providing a safe and welcoming space for all of our colleagues. It’s more important than ever that we remain committed to creating an environment of belonging, equity and empowerment in the workplace.

In 2018, we implemented our “Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Employee Inclusion in the Workplace Policy” in the U.S. to educate our colleagues and ensure that our transgender and gender non-conforming employees feel safe, protected and welcome. In addition, we’ve made significant enhancements to our transgender-inclusive benefits. In the U.S., our medical plan offers a full range of transgender-related coverage. We also offer an adoption/surrogacy reimbursement program for employees who want to expand their families through adoption or a third-party surrogate.

Globally, transgender health coverage varies by country and is often limited due to local law or the local health care system. However, we continue to support and encourage our employees globally to elevate their voices and support efforts to effect change wherever possible.

02.

How we do business

Our company has consistently scored 100 percent and has been named “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ+ Equality” on the HRC Corporate Equality Index, the foremost benchmarking survey measuring corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ+ workplace equality. By cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce, we promote the discovery of the broadest range of possible medical solutions to address the needs of patients. 

That also extends to whom we do business with outside of our organization. Supplier diversity is integrated into our company’s vision, creating a competitive business advantage and driving shareholder value.

“Diversity is critical for innovation and scientific excellence, as well as for better decision-making and cultural agility,” says Susanna Webber, SVP and chief procurement officer. “Putting people first is firmly embedded into the core values of our company, and that is clearly reflected in our business strategy and procurement processes.”

Our goals go beyond how much we spend with small and diverse-owned businesses. We also expect our suppliers to share our same focus on diversity and inclusion, and, in this way, we help to drive diversity and inclusion on a broader, and even more global scale. 

“I did my research before I joined our company and saw that Merck openly and visibly supports the LGBTQ+ community,” says Donna Dvorak, product manager for change realization and communications. “I had a strong feeling that I would be welcome and comfortable here, and I was right!”

03.

A unique approach to employee outreach

Many companies offer resource groups for employees, but we go a step further. We’ve taken a pioneering and global approach to our diversity strategy through the creation of Employee Business Resource Groups (EBRGs), including the Rainbow Alliance.

With more than 3,500 members across 32 chapters around the globe, the Rainbow Alliance works to inspire and grow an inclusive workplace culture that supports a vibrant network of LGBTQ+ colleagues and allies through talent recruiting and development, community outreach and business integration.

“I feel proud to know that the Rainbow Alliance is having an impact on our colleagues,” says Dvorak, who is part of the leadership team for the Rainbow Alliance in the Czech Republic. “We’re opening eyes and gaining allies.”

During Pride month — and every month — we celebrate our LGBTQ+ colleagues and communities around the world.

Learn more about Merck’s Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) approach by visiting merck.com/company-overview/esg.

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