“Nutrition, society and the environment cannot travel separately”: an interview with Regina Pierra

by 2030Kellogg Italia aims to Providing food for 2.6 million people They belong to the most vulnerable segments of the population. Certainly an ambitious goal that falls within the scope wellness statementIt is the ten-year strategy launched by the group at the European level last May.

marking the launch ofWe sow goodan ambitious corporate social responsibility campaign that aims to advance the idea of ​​holistic well-being for the benefit of individuals, the planet and society, gave an interview to QuiFinanza Green Queen BeraHead of Communications, Kellogg Italia.

A year after the release of the welfare statement, what is your balance sheet?
We are very proud that we continue to make significant progress to advance the overall well-being of individuals, planet and societies. In the field of nutrition, we have reduced the salt content of our specialty brand Special K Original by 16% and by 20% in our Special K range, the equivalent of 60 tonnes of salt being eliminated from the diet of consumers across Europe. In addition, the entire Special K range, which contains 100% whole wheat, is now high in fiber in all variants – classic, chocolate and red fruits. However, in the social field, from 2015 to 2021 we have already reached 1.6 million people belonging to the most vulnerable sections of the population in Italy through our breakfast programs and product donations. In terms of breakfast programmes, in 2021 we expanded the Breakfast Club – a unique project in cooperation with the Italian Red Cross. For the 2021/202 school year, we have engaged 6 primary schools across Italy with the goal of donating 80,000 breakfasts to over 600 children. We also continued the project during the summer period, where we organized 14 summer camps in the summer of 2021, reaching 300 children in need. We also donated 59,000 kg of products to Banco Alimentare Onlus for the benefit of the most vulnerable population.

However, the goals it seeks to achieve are far-sighted, looking from now to 2030: what are they?
In Nutrition, we are committed to providing our customers with delicious foods, a source of essential nutrients and a continuously improved nutritional profile without compromising on taste or an unmistakable taste experience. By 2023, we want to reduce the salt content by 20% and the sugar content by 10% in our products destined for children and adults, while increasing the level of fiber. From a social point of view, we are still closer and closer to societies. By 2030, we are committed to reaching 33 million people belonging to the most vulnerable segments of the population in Europe, of whom 2.6 million are in Italy. And let’s not forget our commitment to making a positive impact on the planet: we continue to work to ensure that by 2025 100% of our packaging will be reusable, recyclable or biodegradable with the exception of some plastic items and materials, reducing packaging use in our portfolio (with a particular interest in non-plastic plastics). recyclable) and redesign our packaging. From the launch of the statement in May 2021 until the end of 2022, we will have eliminated more than 1,000 tons of packaging material from our supply chain in the UK and Europe.

“Let’s Sow Good” is the name of the CSR campaign I just launched. Do well-being and sustainability go hand in hand?
We cultivate goodness in continuity with the statement of well-being and demonstrates how a commitment to food, social and the environment go hand in hand. Sustainable growth means creating inclusive well-being: For more than 100 years, we have been providing consumers with quality food that enhances physical well-being, while reducing environmental impact and helping the most vulnerable populations. Through local initiatives for 2022, we are getting closer to the Italians: we want to make consumers aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle, which includes proper nutrition and adequate physical activity. Since 2021, we have been collaborating with athletes from the basketball world to advance the combination of nutrition and sport for the physical and psychological well-being of individuals and societies. This year’s campaign ambassador is basketball player Andrea Cinciarini, the playmaker at Reggiana Basketball. Andrea will also join us to revitalize CSR in partnership with the Italian Red Cross by visiting one of the breakfast clubs in Italy, distributing breakfast to the children benefiting from the project together with CRI volunteers.

What does it mean for the Kellogg Company to produce sustainably?
Producing in a sustainable way means offering the consumer a quality product that has a low environmental impact and helps those who need it most. We are committed to creating flexible and responsible supply chains. In particular, on the sustainable agriculture front, we are committed to reaching one million farmers and workers, including smallholders and women, through Kellogg’s Origins™ programme. Created in partnership with suppliers, growers, scientists and NGOs, it provides farmers and workers in our supply districts around the world with the training and technical assistance they need to improve farm productivity, rejuvenate farm health. Soils, protect species and habitats, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve their living conditions. in ways that protect and respect human rights. It is a program focused on climate, social and financial resilience.

Thinking about the environment also means reducing food waste: how are you going in that direction?
We are very virtuous about food waste. Let us recycle our food surpluses for the benefit of Italy’s most vulnerable population. We donate food surpluses throughout the year to the Banco Alimentare Onlus Foundation – good food, which would otherwise be wasted, which instead becomes a resource for the many people supported by the Bank’s 7,600 charities across the country. Since 2009, we have donated more than 760 tons of products. We are also constantly looking for innovative ways to reduce food waste across Europe. In the UK, for example, we partnered with Seven Bro7thers, a brewery located near Manchester. In 2018, Seven Bro7hers created beer for a local festival using grain. At the same time, Kellogg has been exploring innovative ideas for using grains that can’t be sold to consumers or donated because they are “not perfect” but completely safe to eat. So Seven Bro7hers started making 3 types of beer using our beans – Coco Pops, Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies.