CHICAGO — Conagra Brands Inc. diverted 85% of the solid waste generated from its production facilities to more beneficial uses such as recycling, animal feed and soil quality improvement, according to its 2023 citizenship report. Issued on March 21, the report covers many of the social and environmental initiatives that Conagra took part in throughout its 2023 fiscal year.

One area of focus in the report is Conagra’s emphasis on sustainable nutrition. The company said its Gardein brand of plant-based proteins generated more than $160 million in retail sales during the 2023 fiscal year. Conagra also introduced several new Gardein products at that time, including Gardein Ultimate Plant-Based Saus’ge Links and Gardein Ultimate Plant-Based Chick’n Spicy Filets. The company also created a new initiative dedicated to reducing sodium by an average of 15% in more than 200 consumer products.

Supply chain was another area of focus in the report. Conagra said it partnered with suppliers to transport raw tomatoes to its Oakdale, Calif., production facility with renewable natural gas trucks and thereby avoid more than 18,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions during the 2023 fresh pack season when harvesting and production occurs.

The Conagra report also looked at the company’s handling of supply chains in the 2023 fiscal year. Conagra said it aims to reduce 25% of absolute Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and reduce 20% of Scope 3 emissions from purchased goods and services per tonne of sourced material by 2030. According to the report, the company decreased its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by approximately 8.3% from its fiscal year 2020 baseline and decreased its Scope 3 emissions by approximately 12.9% (per tonne of sourced material) from its 2020 baseline.

“The achievements we made in fiscal year 2023 are a testament to the dedicated teams across our organization who have embraced social responsibility as a crucial element of our culture,” said Sean Connolly, president and chief executive officer of Conagra Brands. “Our latest Citizenship Report shows how we're helping to build a more resilient future through ongoing collaboration with our key stakeholders, including employees, customers, consumers, shareholders and communities.”

To read the full report, click here.