Amazon to join Mondelēz International and Mars as a founding member of the Climate Resolute Coalition - Group Aims to Accelerate Progress on Climate by focusing on Gender Equity and Women's Leadership

WASHINGTON and LONDON, June 9, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amazon to join Mondelez and Mars in the Climate Resolute Coalition (CRC) that was launched in November 2021 at COP26 in Glasgow. This coalition, organized by The Mara Partners and Kite Insights, taps the power of vast global supply chains to demonstrate how and why increasing agency, incomes and decision-making for women throughout supply chains is a catalytic — if often overlooked -- climate strategy.

"We are honored to join the Climate Resolute Coalition (CRC) as a founding member," said Kara Hurst, Vice President of Worldwide Sustainability at Amazon. "Climate change continues to disproportionately impact women and girls. Amazon is committed to supporting the long-term health and economic resilience of women throughout our value chain, and promoting women's leadership in the design of climate solutions as we continue to work toward reaching net-zero carbon across our operations by 2040. Through CRC, we will partner on actions to advance gender equality and reduce carbon emissions in supply chains around the globe." 

Cathy Pieters, Vice President, Sustainable Ingredients and Cocoa Life at Mondelēz International, the first CRC member, said: "As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Cocoa Life – our flagship cocoa sustainability program - we reflect on just how much our longstanding focus on women's empowerment in cocoa communities has been instrumental to make a real difference and amplify our impact. We see firsthand how there can be no lasting progress on tackling climate change without lifting the voices of women at each and every table. We invite all companies to join us in this transformative journey."

CRC was formed to flip existing power dynamics. Evidence shows that as women's incomes and influence rise, climate outcomes improve, underscoring the value of companies focusing on gender equity and women's leadership in their supply chains as an innovative climate strategy alongside their other climate efforts . CRC is a cross-industry group comprised of supply chain practitioners and other experts that seeks to enable companies to innovate and test new approaches that put women at the center of climate solutions and raises awareness of the important role gender equity can play in creating more sustainable and resilient supply chains.

Lisa Manley, Vice President, Sustainability at Mars said: "We are thrilled to have Amazon join us as one of the Climate Resolute Coalition pioneers because the momentum we need to reach our sustainability goals will require unprecedented levels of collaboration and working together to unlock opportunities for women will supercharge innovation and action to address climate change and many other sustainability challenges."

Over time, CRC members will be able to contribute to a field-building research agenda, establish new business cases for gender and climate action, and scale transformative social and climate impacts. Gender equity is among the top solutions to climate change, however it is estimated by the World Economic Forum that it will take 136 years to close the gender gap – a timeline that must be accelerated for gender equity to serve as a meaningful climate strategy. CRC invites additional like-minded companies, experts, donors, and governments to join this effort to leverage the power of global supply chains to unlock economic opportunities for women. 

The Mara Partners is a research, training and strategic dialogue organization that works to structure equitable solutions to environmental and human rights challenges through its pioneering Integrated Gender and Climate Framework. Our global team helps design, convene and lead equitable dialogues that harness the power of global supply chains to accelerate progress on climate change by raising the incomes-- and voices -- of women worldwide.

Kite Insights is a diverse, highly analytical and internationally minded team that prepares organisations and their people for the green economy. We develop and co-develop cutting-edge content, research, learning and education programmes, provide event curation and help clients build or participate in targeted coalitions that support their brand and purpose and reveal insights on issues that matter. We have extensive experience in structuring and brokering action-focused coalitions and partnerships, developing and managing agendas, secretariats, and community management. We believe that global challenges require urgent and thoughtful action, and that systems transformation should leave no one behind. 

SOURCE Climate Resolute Coalition