The Roberts Environmental Center of Claremont McKenna College has given Smithfield Foods, Inc. (NYSE:SFD) its top grade of 'A+' for the company's sustainability reporting for 2009-10 and ranked Smithfield first out of the 35 companies analyzed in the food and beverages sector.
In reviewing Smithfield's 2009-10 Corporate Social Responsibility Report and the company's 2010 website pages, the Roberts Environmental Center gave Smithfield's sustainability report the highest mark possible among sustainability reports from the world's largest food and beverage companies.
The Roberts Environmental Center has been the foremost analyst of corporate sustainability reporting for more than a decade. The center analyzes corporate sustainability disclosure information using its Pacific Sustainability Index (PSI) and publishes the results annually on its website. Claremont McKenna is located in Claremont, California.
In its summary of Smithfield's sustainability reporting, the center said in part, "Smithfield Foods' Corporate Social Responsibility Report includes the important sustainability information we are looking for, including energy consumption and water used. In addition, the company does a good job reporting on climate change, specifically reducing the environmental impacts identified by environmental management systems." Smithfield Foods received an 'A' from the college in 2009.
"We are very gratified to receive the Roberts Environmental Center's top grade because it provides further validation that our employees are working very hard to make our company's commitment to corporate sustainability a reality," said C. Larry Pope, president and chief executive officer.
"In our ongoing journey towards sustainability, we firmly believe that providing good food responsibly means going 'above and beyond'," said Dennis H. Treacy, senior vice president of corporate affairs and chief sustainability officer. "Our goal is to lead our industry by minimizing the environmental impacts of meat production and processing with methods that are socially responsible and economically sound," he continued.
In recent years Smithfield Foods has been cited by numerous third parties for its sustainability achievements in environmental protection and humane animal handling. In 2008 Smithfield Foods was selected as the first recipient of McDonald's' Supplier Sustainability Award as the company that best exemplifies the McDonald's vision, principles and values for sustainable supply. In addition, the FTSE Group, an award-winning global index company, named Smithfield Foods to its prestigious FTSE4Good Global Index Series for companies demonstrating globally recognized corporate responsibility standards.
Smithfield Foods is the first meat production and processing company to achieve ISO 14001 certification for its environmental management system. ISO 14001 is the international gold standard for environmental management. Smithfield also uses these processes and procedures to manage its animal welfare, food safety, and employee health and safety programs.
About Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods is a $12 billion global food company and the world's largest pork processor and hog producer. In the United States, the company is also the leader in numerous packaged meats categories with popular brands including Farmland®, Smithfield®, Eckrich®, Armour® and John Morrell®. Smithfield Foods is committed to providing good food in a responsible way and maintains robust animal care, community involvement, employee safety, environmental, and food safety and quality programs. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com.
Source: Smithfield Foods, Inc.
