HARMONY ENTERS A NEW CHAPTER AS AN INDEPENDENT CERTIFICATION SCHEME TO SCALE IMPACT ACROSS THE EUROPEAN WHEAT VALUE CHAIN

Zurich, September 28th - After nearly 20 years of development and proven impact, Harmony is ready to scale its benefits across the European wheat value chain. Launched by Mondelēz International in France, Harmony has grown into one of Europe's leading wheat sustainability initiatives, bringing together more than 1,200 farmers across Europe and supporting the transition to more resilient agricultural systems. Today, Harmony is evolving into an independent certification scheme, open to all actors in the European wheat value chain and governed by the ProTerra Foundation, a nonprofit organization specializing in sustainability certification systems.

After nearly 20 years of development and proven impact, Harmony is ready to scale its impact.

This evolution reflects both the scheme's maturity and growing expectations from consumers, customers, and regulators for transparent, independently verified sustainability systems. It also creates an opportunity to make a proven framework available to a wider range of actors across the European wheat value chain.

Harmony's evolution also aligns with the changing European regulatory framework for sustainability labels. As the EU Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) Directive begins to apply from 27 September 2026, introducing new requirements for independently governed and open sustainability labels, Harmony is evolving to meet these new expectations while supporting broader European ambitions for resilient agriculture and sustainable food systems.

“Harmony has demonstrated its value over nearly 20 years through tangible impact on the ground and strong collaboration across the wheat value chain. By evolving into an independent certification scheme, Harmony is now ready to scale its impact beyond Mondelēz International and contribute more broadly to the transformation of European wheat production.” Guillaume Sauzay, MEU Sustainable Agriculture Lead.

Built with farmers and experts, Harmony has become one of Europe’s leading wheat sustainability initiatives.

Built on a science-based charter co-developed with farmers, scientific experts, NGOs, and value chain partners, Harmony has grown into one of Europe's most established wheat sustainability schemes. Today, the initiative covers approximately 57,000 hectares of wheat cultivated under the Harmony program.

Beyond its scale, Harmony promotes agricultural practices that support soil health, biodiversity, crop diversification, and responsible input management, while helping farmers strengthen the resilience, long-term performance, and competitiveness of their operations.

Independent governance and third-party verification strengthen Harmony’s credibility and support broader sector adoption.

As an independent certification scheme, Harmony is governed by the ProTerra Foundation and verified through third-party certification audits covering the entire value chain, from farm to finished product. Open to all eligible participants across the European wheat value chain, the scheme is built on a clear separation between governance, implementation, and verification. This independent structure enhances transparency, credibility, and trust, supporting broader adoption across the sector.

"Harmony's transition to an independent certification scheme marks an important step for sustainable wheat production in Europe. At the ProTerra Foundation, we have extensive experience managing certification systems that connect farmers, businesses, and consumers around shared sustainability goals. We look forward to welcoming new participants across the wheat value chain and to supporting Harmony's growth as an open, credible, and impactful scheme” Emese Van Maanen, Managing Director, ProTerra Foundation.

While ownership evolves, Harmony remains a core pillar of Mondelēz International’s sustainability ambition and strategy. The company will continue to support innovation, pilot projects, and farmer engagement, while contributing to the scheme's ongoing development as a member. By transferring the ownership and opening Harmony to a broader community of actors, Mondelēz International aims to help accelerate the adoption of proven agricultural practices and contribute to a more resilient European wheat value chain.