Sep 24, 2019McCain Foods becomes founding member of biodiversity coalition
McCain Foods has become a founding member of the One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B) coalition of leading companies.
Launched at the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 23, this business-led coalition aims to gather forward-thinking, agriculture-centric companies determined to take bold action to protect and restore cultivated and natural biodiversity within their value chains. In addition to business-led actions, the coalition will engage decision makers to develop and promote policy recommendations.
Over the past several months, interested companies have analyzed their value chains, from farm to fork, to identify the most important ways to protect and nurture biodiversity. This assessment led to a consensus on what will be the three main focus areas moving forward:
- Regenerative agricultural practices
- Product portfolio diversification
- Deforestation, restoration and high value ecosystems
“The focus of the OP2B coalition aligns to McCain Foods own commitments concerning climate change, biodiversity, and soil health, which are closely interrelated to our concern for caring for the future of farming,” according to a McCain press release. Agriculture is being significantly affected by unpredictable climatic volatility, which is impacting farmers’ livelihoods and increasing risks for feeding people.
“At McCain we are committed to addressing the increasing impact climate change is having on global agricultural systems, on our grower partners and on our business — including the promotion of regenerative agriculture at scale. However, no one company can address these global issues alone and OP2B offers a strong platform for collaborative, impactful and positive action by a broad range of major stakeholders at a global level,” said Max Koeune, president and CEO of McCain Foods.
As part of McCain’s involvement in OP2B, Koeune was scheduled to speak about McCain Foods commitments to biodiversity and agriculture during the General Assembly in New York on Sept. 25, as part of the “unlocking the transformational power of nature” panel event.
