Cargill signs CEO letter to President Trump: Stay in Paris climate agreement

With their open letter, the CEOs weigh in as the administration considers backing out of the climate pact, which aims to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.

“Based on our vast experience doing business all over the world, we believe there is strong potential for negative trade implications if the United States exits from the Paris Agreement,” they said, making a strong stand for trade, economic growth and innovation.

Among the CEOs signing the letter are Paul Polman (Unilever), Denise Morrison (Campbell Soup Company), Richard Branson (Virgin), Jeffrey Immelt (GE) and Elon Musk (Tesla). As the heads of American companies, or international ones with large U.S. operations, they say there is a strong consensus that the Paris Agreement is good for business:

• It strengthens our competitiveness in global markets.
• It benefits U.S. manufacturing in modernizing to new, more efficient technologies.
• It supports investment by setting clear goals which enable long-term planning.
• It expands global and domestic markets for clean, energy-efficient technologies which will generate jobs and economic growth.
• It encourages market-based solutions and innovation to achieve emissions reductions at low cost.

Climate has been a central part of Cargill’s sustainability efforts in recent years because the challenges of producing food for a growing population are heightened in the face of a changing climate. Our actions today will shape our ability to create a more sustainable, food-secure future.

Our four sustainability focus areas are: land use, climate change, water resources and farmer livelihoods.

As we work to ensure sustainable supply chains, we are committed to climate action:

• We are reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our direct operations and across supply chains.

Since 2000, Cargill has set goals to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and source renewable energy. As a result, we are committed to increasing our renewable energy use to 18 percent by 2020 from 14 percent today. In the past year alone, we avoided 1.2 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from renewables – equivalent to taking 250,000 cars off the road, according to U.S. EPA estimates.

• We partner with farmers to adapt to climate change.

We all succeed when farmers thrive. They are doing critical work in an increasingly-resource constrained world and they will be among the first to feel the impacts of climate change. We are working with farmers and farming communities around the world to promote sustainable agriculture and increase access to markets so goods move where they’re needed most.

• We advocate for policies that advance sustainable approaches.

In July 2015, Cargill joined the American Business Act on Climate Pledge to voice our support for the Paris Agreement. We have a long history partnering with customers, governments, suppliers, NGOs, universities and others to increase dialogue around sustainable supply chains.

Learn more at www.cargill.com/sustainability.