Key facts
- Mondelez CEO Dirk Van de Put stated that withdrawing from Russia would likely lead to asset confiscation.
- The company believes its continued operations in Russia help prevent the confiscation of assets that could fund the war.
- Mondelez operates two manufacturing plants in Ukraine and has continued to invest in rebuilding them.
- The company has increased salaries for its Ukrainian employees and maintained its workforce.
- Alex Sobel, chair of a parliamentary group, criticized Mondelez's presence in Russia.
Mondelez, the company behind Cadbury chocolate, Philadelphia cream cheese, Ritz crackers, and Toblerone, is facing criticism for its continued operations in Russia. CEO Dirk Van de Put defended the decision, telling the BBC that withdrawing would likely result in the company's plant being confiscated, providing Russia with a significant income source to fund its war in Ukraine.
Van de Put stated that while the decision is unpopular, he believes it is the right one. He also detailed the company's commitment to its operations in Ukraine, where it runs two manufacturing plants. One plant, located in Trostyanets near the Russian border, has been hit twice and rebuilt, with the company investing tens of millions to restore it. Mondelez has doubled the salaries of its Ukrainian employees since the conflict began and has not terminated any staff.
However, Alex Sobel, chair of a parliamentary group, has criticized Mondelez's presence in Russia, stating that operating in a nation responsible for civilian deaths and child abductions cannot be justified as 'business as usual'.