Cargill pledges to protect forests in all agricultural supply chains

NEW YORK, Sept. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- At the United Nations' Climate Summit in Manhattan today, Cargill will join dozens of other companies, governments and civil society groups from around the world in supporting the New York Declaration on Forests.

The declaration is unprecedented in its scope. The endorsers pledge to do their part in slowing, halting, and reversing global forest loss, while enhancing food security for all.

"We want to do our very best to be the trusted supplier of sustainable agricultural goods," said Cargill's CEO Dave MacLennan during an appearance with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other leaders.   "We are proud of our track record tackling deforestation. Today, I am here to say that we are going to do more."

With their capacity for storing and absorbing greenhouse gas emissions, primary forests play a critical role in climate change adaptation and mitigation. They also preserve biodiversity and ensure the livelihoods of more than one billion people.

Cargill has a long track record in tackling deforestation issues, mainly in its soy and palm oil supply chains. Today, the company pledged to do more.

"We understand that this sort of commitment cannot be limited to just select commodities or supply chains," said MacLennan. "That's why Cargill will take practical measures to protect forests across our agricultural supply chains around the world."

MacLennan will also announce Cargill's plan to make its palm oil supply chains in Indonesia and Malaysia fully sustainable.

Recently, the company has carried out advanced scientific field work to identify and preserve valuable tracts of primary forests at its PT Hindoli plantation in South Sumatra, Indonesia. In both countries, Cargill is advancing efforts to make palm oil supply chains traceable. The company has set a goal of arriving at 100 percent sustainable palm oil in the next few years.

Additionally, Cargill will sign the Indonesia Palm Oil Pledge at the U.N. summit, further strengthening the sustainability commitments in its recently launched new palm oil policy. Indonesia's president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to oversee the signing.   

Building on its broad experience in Indonesia, Malaysia and the soy business in Brazil, Cargill will now extend measures to tackle deforestation to other areas. "We know we can do it," said MacLennan. "Our stakeholders demand it. And it is the right thing to do."

About Cargill
Cargill provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Together with farmers, customers, governments and communities, we help people thrive by applying our insights and nearly 150 years of experience. We have 143,000 employees in 67 countries who are committed to feeding the world in a responsible way, reducing environmental impact and improving the communities where we live and work. For more information, visit Cargill.com and our News Center.

What Cargill is doing about deforestation
Cargill announced a new initiative today to tackle deforestation in its agricultural supply chains. Here's what the company is doing already:

• Working with The Nature Conservancy to combat deforestation in Brazil – since 2004
• Founding member of the Brazilian soy moratorium, a commitment not to buy soy from newly deforested areas in the Amazon -- 2006
• Helping soy farmers comply with the Brazilian Forest Code – since 2006
• Signed agreement with Para State government and farmers in Brazil to buy soy only from registered farms – 2014
• Member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, a multi-stakeholder group that promotes sustainable practices – since 2004
• Achieved RSPO certification for palm plantations, refineries and 8,800 smallholders we buy from – Since 2009
• First trading company to commit to sustainable palm-oil supply chains for customers in the U.S., Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - 2011
• Signed the Sustainable Palm Oil Manifesto -- 2014
• Adopted new palm oil policy: No deforestation of high carbon stock or high conservation value land, no planting on peat regardless of depth, and respect for rights of local and indigenous people – 2014
• Identified valuable high carbon stock forest tracts to be preserved at PT Hindoli plantation in Indonesia and committed to fund such studies for three suppliers – 2013 onward
• Mapped palm oil supply chains down to individual mill in Malaysia with continued efforts to trace full supply chains in Malaysia, Indonesia and elsewhere – 2013 onward
• Joined The Forest Trust, the international organization that helps companies build sustainable supply chains – 2014
• Started deforestation initiative with Community Markets for Conservation and the cotton industry in Zambia – 2014

At the U.N. Climate Summit in New York, Cargill is unveiling new steps:

• Endorsing the New York Declaration on Forests
• Signing the Indonesian Major Palm Oil Producers Pledge
• Announcing new steps to achieve 100 percent sustainable palm oil throughout its supply chains
• Pledging practical measures to protect forests across its other agricultural supply chains around the world

SOURCE Cargill