Austin, Minnesota-based Hormel Foods Corp. has been named one of America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek magazine for the third year in a row.
The company was also recently recognized as a Best for Vets Employer by Military Times and received numerous accolades for its internship program by Vault.
“This recognition is a continued testament to the outstanding work being done by our company to make a positive impact on our planet and the communities we serve,” said Jim Snee, chairman of the board, president and CEO. “Hormel Foods continues to be a leader in the food industry with a dedicated focus on environmental, social and corporate governance progress. As a global food company, we have an opportunity to lead the way to create a more sustainable and resilient food system. We’re proud of all that we have accomplished on Our Food Journey especially during the pandemic related to food security and education. Our commitment to making the world in which we live a better place has never been stronger.”
In 2020, the company donated $8.2 million in cash and products, which included hunger-relief, COVID-19 and disaster-relief donations to support numerous organizations, such as Feeding America, Conscious Alliance and Convoy of Hope. In addition, the company also contributed more than $1 million in education donations and launched a first-of-a-kind Inspired Pathways program that provides the opportunity of a free, two-year-college education for the dependent children of its team members.
Hormel Foods also recently announced the new set of corporate responsibility goals the company will strive to achieve by 2030 (the 20 By 30 Challenge). The new goals follow the company’s previous set of goals in which the company achieved significant reductions in its packaging, nonrenewable energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, water use and solid waste sent to landfills.
The company’s new goals were based on a key topics assessment process that identified and prioritized the topics most relevant to the company and its stakeholders.
“We are honored to be on the list of America’s Most Responsible Companies for the third consecutive year,” said Wendy Watkins, SVP and chief communications officer for Hormel Foods. “As a global branded food company, we continue to focus on being a thought leader and changemaker in the world of food. Our leadership in food security, environmental sustainability and even our groundbreaking community college program demonstrates our commitment to our communities, our inspired people and this planet.”
America’s Most Responsible Companies were selected based on publicly available key performance indicators derived from corporate responsibility reports as well as an independent survey. The key performance indicators focused on company performance in the environmental, social and corporate governance areas, while the independent survey asked U.S. citizens about their perception of company activities related to corporate responsibility.
The final list recognizes the top 500 most responsible companies in the United States, spanning dozens of industries.
To view the complete list of America’s Most Responsibility Companies, visit newsweek.com/americas-most-responsible-companies-2022. Additional information about the company’s corporate responsibility efforts can be found at csr.hormelfoods.com/.
Hormel Foods Corp. is a global branded food company with more than $10 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters, Skippy, Spam, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin’s, Wholly, Hormel Black Label, Columbus and more than 30 other brands.
