Being a good environmental steward matters to Yum! Brands, and for 10 years, the parent company of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell has shown a strong commitment to transparency about its climate and energy work by reporting annually to CDP, a leader in environmental disclosure focused on driving action towards a sustainable economy. Yum! achieved a 2019 CDP Climate score of a B with ever-increasing sustainability standards.

'As a global citizen, we know how important it is to have sustainable practices in place as we grow brands people trust and champion,' said Jon Hixson, Yum! vice president of Government Affairs and Global Sustainability. 'I'm incredibly proud of Yum! for marking 10 years of environmental disclosures through CDP and am excited about the journey ahead when it comes to our continued climate and energy work that will positively impact the planet.'

Yum!'s commitment to grow sustainably and minimize its impact on the planet began nearly 15 years ago when it set its first energy reduction goal and continues today as the company advances efforts to further reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and advance other sustainability work outlined in its Recipe for Good. In 2019, Yum! began a deeper evaluation of its Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions, in accordance with the Science-Based Targets Initiative. This project will help the company better understand its footprint, refine GHG reduction targets and identify emission reduction initiatives like renewable energy on the path to setting science-based targets.

In 2019, more than 525 investors with over US$96 trillion in assets requested more than 8,400 companies disclose data on environmental impacts, risks and opportunities to their stakeholders through CDP.

In recent years, Yum! has made significant strides regarding its climate and environmental work that includes:

Avoiding the release of 740 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (mtCO2e), contributing to a target of reducing average restaurant energy and GHG emissions by an additional 10% by the end of 2025.

Marking a decade of progress in green buildings being part of its sustainability strategy. In 2009, its first green restaurant built in Northampton, Massachusetts, earned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification. Ten years later, Yum! has 35 LEED certified restaurants around the world and celebrates a decade of membership in the United States Green Building Council in support of its LEED program.

Endorsing the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) to help meet the private sector goal of eliminating deforestation from the production of agriculture commodities such as palm oil, soy, paper and beef products no later than 2020, and halving the rate of loss of natural forest globally by 2020 and striving to end natural forest loss by 2030.

For more information about Yum!'s efforts to grow sustainably and minimize its impact on the planet, including current and past CDP Climate, Forests and Water disclosures, visit yum.com.

(C) 2020 Electronic News Publishing, source ENP Newswire