GREELEY, Colo. — Pilgrim's, the second largest poultry company in the world, has announced the release of its 2012 Corporate Responsibility Report, the organization's first published summary of its programs for animal welfare, community involvement, food safety, recycling, water conservation and more.
Throughout its 60-plus-year history, Pilgrim's has always put a priority on being open and forthright about its efforts regarding social responsibility and environmental sustainability, and as more retailers, foodservice customers and consumers seek to learn more about their food's sources and background, Pilgrim's has responded by making more information about its practices, its governance and its progress publicly available.
"Every day, Pilgrim's touches the lives of millions of people through the quality poultry products we produce, the manner in which we conduct our business and the value that we generate for our stakeholders," said Bill Lovette, Pilgrim's president and chief executive officer. "We work hard to comply with the industry's best policies and procedures and to set responsible standards as we provide protein for a growing world."
Pilgrim's Corporate Responsibility Report is divided into two primary sections: Social responsibility and environmental sustainability. The social responsibility section highlights the company's practices that are structured to ensure the well-being of its animals, its employees, its communities and its customers. Topics covered include animal welfare, employee and supplier diversity, business ethics and corporate governance, food safety and quality assurance, charitable giving and community involvement, labor and immigration.
The second section of the report outlines the company's sustainability efforts in the areas of water and wastewater, wastes and by-products, land and air, energy, packaging, transportation, facilities and supply chain. Specific, measurable goals are defined for each area, and highlights are provided to demonstrate the company's work and results to date.
As Pilgrim's further develops its corporate responsibility and sustainability communications, the company plans to continue reporting on its programs and goals, recognizing that continuous improvement is key.
"This document is not intended to be a comprehensive sustainability or corporate social responsibility report as it is technically understood – with extensive metrics against established standards," said Lovette. "Rather, we offer it as an honest assessment of our positions and performance in key areas of interest to our stakeholders. We consider it a foundation on which to build in the years ahead."
The complete report can be found on the Pilgrim's website at www.pilgrims.com/sustainability.
Source: Pilgrim's Pride Corporation
