In line with its target of net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, Mondelez Kinh Do Vietnam has announced solar energy projects for its Hung Yen and Binh Duong manufacturing centers, marking a bold step towards being a more sustainable food and beverage company. The projects are expected to reduce the CO2 equivalent of planting 7 million trees.
Environmental concerns have become significant for all industries, and solar photovoltaic panels have emerged as a potential green technology to slow the effects of climate change.
The installation of these solar panels at Mondelez Kinh Do’s plants is the largest solar energy project from Mondelez International in Southeast Asia. The project was put into operation in May at the Hung Yen plant, while the system for the Binh Duong plant is set to be launched in January next year.
Hung Yen plant installed a solar power system with a capacity of 2,233-kilowatt peak on the roofs of five on-site buildings and connected it to the power supply through a partnership with the Sky-X company. This solar power system will help the Hung Yen plant generate more than 2.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, aiming to offset 35,800 tons of CO2 emissions over 25 years, equivalent to planting almost 3 million trees.
Hung Yen plant has also recently announced the completion of its permanent magnet motor phase 1 project and is implementing an overheat-recovery system as part of its action plan to meet its sustainable development goals.
In January 2024, Mondelez Kinh Do will install a 2,999 KWp, 5,458-panel PV solar system on the metal deck rooftops of its Binh Duong plant, which will deliver an annual reduction of 1,922 tons of CO2 emissions to reduce a total of 48,071 tons of CO2 over the next 25 years, equivalent to planting around 4 million trees. The project will generate 4.5 million kWh annually. Mondelez Kinh Do has partnered with NEFIN Group, a carbon neutrality solutions provider in Asia-Pacific, for this project.
“Reducing our environmental footprint is our long-term commitment to Mondelez Kinh Do Vietnam’s business strategy. Our plants have transparent sustainability goals to achieve by 2025, and we are committed to scaling up our sustainability efforts to deliver meaningful change. This is in line with our goal of creating a sustainable future of snacking and will help us reduce our end-to-end absolute CO2 emission”, said Anil Viswanathan, managing director of Mondelez Kinh Do Vietnam.
Anil Viswanathan, managing director of Mondelez Kinh Do Vietnam said, “Reducing our environmental footprint is a long-term commitment in our business strategy. Our plants have transparent sustainability goals to achieve by 2025, and we are committed to scaling up our sustainability efforts to deliver meaningful change. This is in line with our target of creating a sustainable future for the snack-food industry and will help us reduce our CO2 emissions.”
The company continues to make progress towards its commitments to reducing GHG emissions, as well as reducing the environmental impact of its packaging to tackle plastic waste. As a member of the Packaging Recycling Organisation Vietnam, an initiative focused on driving the circular economy, the company has been proactive in implementing on-pack recycling instructions. It has also focussed on innovative packaging materials to facilitate recycling within the existing infrastructure.
The company has made over 97.5 per cent of its packaging recyclable and is working on research and development to achieve the target of ensuring that all of its packaging globally is recyclable by 2025.
Some notable initiatives already in place from Mondelez include converting its manufacturing electricity footprint to renewable energy, replacing fossil fuels with green alternatives, implementing water and food waste reduction programmes across its supply chain, improving the efficiency of its distribution networks via route optimization, improving container and truck utilization, and investing in new mobility concepts.
In recognition of Mondelez Kinh Do’s efforts towards sustainable development in Vietnam, the company has been listed among the top 100 sustainable companies. The list is based on the Corporate Sustainability Index led by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry in coordination with the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour.
The company has also recently been voted as one of the 50 most outstanding foreign-invested enterprises in terms of green growth and sustainable development in Vietnam at the Golden Dragon Awards 2023.
Mondelez Kinh Do produces a range of popular snack brands, including Kinh Do, Oreo, Ritz, Halls, Trident, Cadbury, Toblerone, and Tang.
