WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.– On April 14, The Dannon Company, Inc. was awarded the tenth annual Business Council of Westchester Hall of Fame Award for Corporate Citizenship. The award recognizes Dannon’s long-standing commitment to the Westchester community, to helping people lead a healthy lifestyle, as well as the Company’s endeavors to promote nutrition education for children.
“Since Dannon relocated to Westchester 25 years ago, our role in the community has extended beyond the production of nutritious, great-tasting foods, and we are proud to be recognized for our corporate citizenship,” said Gustavo Valle, CEO, The Dannon Company, Inc. “Dannon's commitment to nutrition education is integral to our mission of bringing health through food, and our team is very active and enthusiastic about local volunteerism. We are dedicated to improving the lives of our neighbors throughout Westchester County and the communities where our 1300 employees live and work across the country.”
For the past six years Dannon has increasingly focused its community relations on supporting nutrition education for children. In 2006, Dannon established the Next Generation Nutrition Grants to help combat the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States and fund local not-for-profit organizations working to improve children’s eating habits. Since the program’s inception, more than $580,000 has benefited nearly 14,000 children and their families.
Dannon also supports local social responsibility efforts with its Partnership in Giving Program, through which the Company provides a dollar-for-dollar match when employees make a charitable donation to local nonprofit organizations that demonstrate a purpose and philosophy consistent with Dannon’s values. Dannon also organizes departmental volunteer events for its employees to support the needs of locally-based beneficiaries.
“For the past ten years, this award has recognized corporate citizens that represent the gold standard in community involvement and business practices in Westchester County,” said Business Council President/CEO Dr. Marsha Gordon. “We congratulate Dannon, and all of this year’s winners, on their achievements.”
Past Hall of Fame Award for Corporate Citizenship winners also include PepsiCo, Heineken USA, Con Edison, Verizon, Pace University, MasterCard, Entergy, NY Life Insurance Co. and IBM.
About The Dannon Company, Inc.
The Dannon Company is America's founding national yogurt company and continually leverages its expertise to develop and market innovative cultured fresh dairy products in the United States. Headquartered in White Plains, NY, Dannon has plants in Minster, OH, Fort Worth, TX, and West Jordan, UT and produces approximately 100 different types of flavors, styles and sizes of cultured fresh dairy products. Dannon is a subsidiary of Danone, one of the world's leading producers of packaged foods and beverages, and Dannon is the top-selling brand of yogurt products worldwide, sold under the names Dannon and Danone.
With a strong commitment to high-quality, wholesome, nutritious and innovative products, The Dannon Company is committed to encouraging people to eat a balanced diet and live a healthy lifestyle. In 2010, for the tenth year in a row, Danone was listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, a worldwide reference for socially responsible businesses. Danone is a recognized leader for its contributions to nutrition and health and was ranked best in class in a 2008 JPMorgan & Insight Investment study about the response of the world's largest food companies to obesity and health-related concerns. This commitment is also illustrated through The Dannon Company's support of the Dannon Institute, an independent, non-profit foundation dedicated to promoting research, education, and communication about the links between nutrition, diet and health. For more information, please visit www.dannon.com.
Source: The Dannon Company, Inc.
