PITTSBURGH — Kraft Heinz Co. has provided a snapshot of its corporate social responsibility approach, part of the company’s larger commitment to support its vision “To Be the Best Food Company, Growing a Better World.”
The company said it plans to initially focus on three areas: global hunger and malnutrition, supply chain sustainability and the environment.
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| Bernardo Hees, CEO at Kraft Heinz |
“As one of the world’s leading food and beverage companies, we hold ourselves to a high standard for driving social and environmental change,” said Bernardo Hees, CEO at Kraft Heinz. “Our global CSR initiatives focus on improving our planet, its people and the communities where we live and work, and are critical components to our continued growth strategy.”
To address global hunger and malnutrition, Kraft Heinz said it plans to donate 1 billion nutritious meals to people in need by 2021, working in collaboration with several nonprofit organizations, including its signature philanthropic partner, Rise Against Hunger (formerly Stop Hunger Now), and other national partners like Feeding America, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Red Cross.
“Together, we believe it’s possible to end global hunger in our lifetime,” Hees said.
Kraft Heinz also is committed to creating a more sustainable supply chain, pledging a stronger focus on establishing responsible farm-to-market ingredient and material-sourcing policies and practices.
The company said its new policy states it will procure palm oil products in an ethical, transparent and sustainable manner, and will only purchase palm oil and derivatives 100 percent certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.
Kraft Heinz also is working with its global suppliers to achieve palm oil traceability, prohibit the use of child and forced labor and protect existing forests and habitats.
Lastly, Kraft Heinz intends to cut its environmental footprint by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy, water and waste in its operations by 15 percent globally by 2020 (versus a 2015 baseline). Efforts also are currently under way to maximize efficient energy and water consumption and reduce or divert waste at each of the 86 company-owned manufacturing plants.
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| Michael Mullen, senior vice-president of corporate and government affairs at Kraft Heinz |
“Integrating sustainability across our entire business is a top priority,” said Michael Mullen, senior vice president of corporate and government affairs at Kraft Heinz. “We developed these goals based on input from consumers, customers, investors and employees, among others, and we look forward to a continued dialogue with all stakeholders about how we see our values coming to life in our business and our brands.”
Kraft Heinz said it will publish its broader strategy later this year in tandem with its first CSR report.
