Hormel Foods Surpasses Sustainability Goals

May 17, 2012

Austin, Minn.-based Hormel Foods Corporation has completed the first set of five-year environmental goals, the company reported in its 2011 corporate responsibility report

Hormel continues to be listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the second consecutive year, placing the company among the world’s top 10 percent of sustainable companies.

It also achieved outstanding results from the annual Environmental Sustainability Best of the Best competition among all Hormel Foods locations. In 2011, the competition generated entries throughout all business segments that resulted in the reduction of 695.2 tons of solid waste to landfill, an increase in recycling tonnage by 27 percent and more than 40.4 million gallons of water saved collectively.

The company also expanded the number of facilities that have been certified under the Global Food Safety Initiative-recognized food safety management standards.

Hormel also cited improved performance on a number of key metrics, including:

Beating its packaging minimization goal, reducing packaging by 4.2 million pounds;
Beating its water reduction goal, reducing water consumption by 15 percent;
Continuing to outperform the industry average for safety rates; and
Implementing several significant capital projects designed to reduce energy use, expecting to see results in the 2012 fiscal year, as part of the new energy conservation goal.

"I am proud of our team for achieving outstanding results in fiscal 2011," said Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman of the board, president and CEO. "We will continue to responsibly conduct business following Our Way - the Hormel Foods values statement that defines how we operate every day in our approach to people, process, products, performance and philanthropy."

Keywords: sustainability goals

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