Go upstream to make smaller footprints

Kraft Foods, the second largest food producer in the world, recently announced the results of a survey measuring its climate impacts, land and water use. The study was intended to provide a more thorough picture of the company’s complete environmental footprint, going beyond direct use and emissions to look at the entire supply chain. The project was conducted in partnership with Quantis, Inc., a company that specializes in Life Cycle Assessment and environmental footprinting. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) analyzed the results as part of its market transformation initiative, which is focused on transforming commodities markets and creating large-scale environmental change by proving that more sustainable products can be produced at an affordable cost. Key statistics resulting from the study demonstrate the significance of Kraft's upstream and downstream supply chains on it's carbon and water emissions:

• More than 90 percent of the carbon footprint is outside its plants and offices, and nearly 60 percent is from farm commodities.
• About 12 percent of the carbon footprint is from transportation and distribution of products from stores to consumers' homes.
• About 5 percent of the carbon footprint is from consumers, mostly in food preparation.
• More than 80 percent of the land impact is from agriculture. In comparison, the impact from manufacturing facilities and offices is negligible.
• About 70 percent of the water footprint is from growing raw materials (including agricultural commodities used to make food products), while only 10 percent comes from manufacturing facilities/offices.
• Another 10 percent comes from consumer use, mostly from food preparation.