Earlier this month NLPC highlighted its “truth-in-plastics” proposal that will be heard at the annual meeting of Mondelez International, maker of snacks such as Oreo cookies and Ritz crackers, that calls upon the company to review its product packaging policies in light of sound scientific, economic and logistical analyses, and not in response to leftist alarmist agendas that decry a “plastics pollution crisis.”
On Friday, Plastics News, a publication of business media company Crain’s, reported on our shareholder proposal:
Mondelez has framed its sustainability work as part of a broader business strategy, saying its reporting is intended to provide “transparent, measurable information” on environmental progress.
But the National Legal and Policy Center, a conservative legal group that has recently filed shareholder resolutions on plastics and other corporate policies, is challenging both the company’s progress and its approach…
NLPC says Mondelez has missed earlier targets, including goals to increase recycled content and reduce virgin plastic use, and argues the company’s policies are driven by activist pressure rather than rigorous scientific and economic analysis.
The proposal asks the board to evaluate whether the company’s plastics strategy is based on “scientifically accurate, and economically rigorous research,” according to the group’s proxy filing.
Shareholder proposals are capped at 500 words, but NLPC has published a lengthy proxy memorandum report that it circulated to Mondelez investors earlier this month, which more fully explains its positions on the issue. For readers with less time on their hands, an executive summary is available for easier digestion.
NLPC also has plastics policies proposals coming up at the annual meetings of Coca-Cola and Home Depot.
Last year we presented similar proposals at the Colgate-Palmolive and Walmart annual meetings. Plastics News, and another industry publication, Packaging Dive, reported on NLPC’s proposals at those two companies.
