About This Investor Guide
Engage the Chain overviews the environmental and social risks and impacts of 8 commonly sourced agricultural commodities: beef, corn, dairy, fiber-based packaging, palm oil, soybeans, sugarcane and wheat. These commonly sourced commodities are among the most prominent drivers of deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions and water depletion and pollution. The interactive guide also identifies the major U.S. headquartered food and beverage companies that source these commodities and clarifies actions investor and companies should take to reduce agricultural supply chain exposure.
Acknowledgements
Ceres would like to acknowledge the following people for their leadership in the development of Engage the Chain: Amy Augustine, Brooke Barton, Mary Ann DiMascio, Peyton Fleming, Christie Merino, Julie Nash, Brian Sant and Meg Wilcox, with special appreciation to Kai Robertson for leading the research and content development for the report.
Engage the Chain was funded in part by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, as part of a conservation and financial markets collaboration among the foundation, Ceres, World Business Council for Sustainable Development and World Wildlife Fund; and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
Special Thanks
Ceres also wishes to extend special thanks to those colleagues that provided support, insightful feedback and guidance in the development of Engage the Chain:
Rob Berridge, Tessa Castellani, Laura Devenney, Gabriela Goff, Noah Klein-Markman, Karen Patterson-Greene, Eliza Roberts and Gracie Villa.
We are particularly grateful to our consultants and interns---Kai Robertson, Rebecca Henson, Heather Green, Alexandra Doudera, Chelsey Evans, Abe Faham and Rick Whitney---for their immense contributions to this report.
Graphic Design
Kien Tseng
Patricia Robinson Design
Web Design
See3
Expert Reviews
Our thanks to the following individuals who generously shared their time and expertise to review and provide feedback on the report content:
Amy Braun, Sustainability Director, Kellogg Company
Lauren Compere, Managing Director/Director of Shareholder Engagement, Boston Common Asset Management
Jed Davis, Director of Sustainability, Agri-Mark/Cabot Creamery Cooperative
Ryan Flaherty, Director of Business Partnerships, Sustainable Conservation
Suzy Friedman, Senior Director, Agricultural Sustainability, Environmental Defense Fund
Mary Beth Gallagher, Executive Director, Tri-State Coalition for Responsible Investment
Tim Hardman, Director, Sustainable Food, World Wildlife Fund
Casey Harrison, Program Officer, Private Sector Engagement, World Wildlife Fund
Franklin Holley, Manager, Sustainable Food, World Wildlife Fund
Adam Kanzer, Managing Director, Director of Corporate Engagement and Public Policy, Domini Impact Investments
Stewart Lindsay, Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs, Bunge
Jerry Lynch, Chief Sustainability Officer, General Mills
Jeff Malcolm, Director, Private Sector Engagement, World Wildlife Fund
Dave McLaughlin, Vice President, Sustainable Food, World Wildlife Fund
Allan Pearce, Shareholder Advocate, Trillium Asset Management
Erin Simon, Deputy Director, Packaging and Material Science, World Wildlife Fund
Sandra Vijn, Director, Sustainable Food, World Wildlife Fund
Jed Waddell, Agriculturalist, GMO Renewable Resources, LLC
The opinions expressed in Engage the Chain are those of Ceres and do not necessarily reflect the views of any of our sponsors, reviewers or member organizations. Ceres does not endorse any of the organizations used as examples or otherwise referenced in the report.