Denver, Colorado-based Ardent Mills has released its 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility report. The report outlines the company’s progress toward transforming how the world is nourished, including advancement against commitments aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“Despite another year of challenges for our industry, we remained resolute in our commitments to our people, customers, suppliers, consumers, communities and the planet,” said Dan Dye, CEO. “By continuing to invest in our shared future, we are living out our mission to nourish what’s next.”
The report reflects the company’s goals, initiatives and progress across three core pillars: sustainability, people and nutrition. Ardent Mills’ initiatives aim to protect the long-term viability of the food system, propel employees and communities forward and improve access to nutritious ingredient solutions on local, national and global scales.
The highlights include:
Sustainability
- Enrolled 250,913 acres in regenerative agriculture initiatives intended to help ensure productive and profitable farmland by improving soil health and conserving water. This year, the company expanded on its 2025 goal to work towards 750,000 acres enrolled.
- Measured 145,129 program acres utilizing no-till farming practices.
- Achieved 30 percent of total operations powered by renewable energy, up seven percentage points over fiscal year 2021.
- Added eight additional facilities to the organic material waste diversion program.
- Saved 4.8 million gallons of water through wash cycle maximization.
People
- Created the People Plant Promise initiative which enhances the work experience for front-line team members.
- Expanded employee resource groups participation and bolstered representation and visibility of underrepresented groups, including ERGs celebrating Black excellence, LGBTQ+ employees, women in agriculture, women in tech and military veterans.
- Exceeded access to nutrition goals set for 2025, including 171,000 pounds of food donated and more than $300,000 raised for food banks.
- Relaunched the Ardent Mills Cultivate initiative and embedded 40 university students across the business to gain technical and leadership skills.
Nutrition
- Launched Emerging Nutrition, a center of expertise dedicated to innovation in alternative grains.
- Developed new products in the areas of keto-friendly, gluten-free, chickpea and certified organic ultragrain flours.
- Partnered with Partners in Food Solutions where Ardent Mills employees remotely shared their expertise with entrepreneurial agri-biz companies in 11 African countries, contributing more than 4,200 hours to 100+ businesses.
To learn more about the company’s CSR initiatives, visit the Ardent Mills CSR page.
