Nestlé, one of the world’s largest food companies, has announced its withdrawal from the Dairy Methane Action Alliance (DMAA), a global initiative launched in December 2023. The alliance, which includes major industry players like Danone, Kraft Heinz, and Starbucks, commits members to publicly measure, disclose, and publish plans to reduce methane emissions from their dairy supply chains.
The Swiss company stated its decision followed a “regular review” of external organization memberships and did not provide a specific reason for its exit.
Emissions and climate impact:
Dairy and livestock ingredients are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions for Nestlé, accounting for a substantial part of its Scope 3 emissions. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is roughly 30 times more powerful than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period (and up to 80 times over 20 years), making its reduction a critical near-term action for slowing global warming.
While withdrawing from the DMAA, Nestlé reaffirmed its commitment to its overall net-zero by 2050 goal. The company has also reported that it had already reduced its methane emissions by nearly 21% compared to 2018 levels by the end of 2024.
Impact and accountability concerns:
Nestlé’s departure from the DMAA is seen as a blow to collective corporate climate action and has fueled concerns among environmental advocates regarding transparency and accountability. The core commitment of the alliance was the public disclosure of specific dairy methane data and action plans.
By leaving the coalition, Nestlé, while maintaining its independent reduction targets through its Dairy Climate Plan, removes itself from a standardized, public framework designed for industry-wide collaboration and verifiable progress on dairy methane. The move aligns with a recent trend of large corporations distancing themselves from multi-stakeholder climate alliances.
