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Customer Initiatives

IN THE NEWS

Food Industry Report
Vo.22, No.6
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Tyson Foods Releases 2009 Sustainability Report
Tyson Foods has released its 2009 sustainability report, titled “Rooted In Tradition. Growing Responsibly.” The report highlights the progress and successes the company has experienced in key areas of its business and the report also outlines Tyson's latest sustainability goals.
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Smithfield Sets New Goals in Annual CSR Report
Smithfield Foods is setting new goals for waste reduction, worker safety, food donations, and food safety. The goals are included in its ninth annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report. Some of the specific goals included in the report are to reduce natural resource use (energy and water) and solid waste by 10 percent over fiscal 2008 numbers (normalized) by fiscal 2016, maintain 100 percent Pork Quality Assurance Plus Certification for hog production facilities and provide the needy with 1 million servings of food per year and continue to enhance education in local communities.
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Food Processing Sector Supplement Now Available
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has been collaborating with industry and stakeholders over the last 24 months to develop a Food Processing Sector Supplement for sustainability reporting. This supplement compliments GRIs 2006 G3 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, which provide a generally accepted framework for the reporting of an organization's social, environmental, and economic performance.
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NEW VIDEO SERIES:
The Meat Industry & The Environment

OUR COMMITMENT: A Long Term View

A sustainable meat industry is one that takes a long term view of a business' impact on natural resources, animal welfare, employees, consumers and the communities in which we work and live. The meat industry is proud of its efforts to be responsible corporate citizens working to sustain our industry's bright future in feeding our nation and the world.

GETTING STARTED: Sustainability Inventory

When many companies embark on sustainability initiatives, they are often surprised to learn how many activities they are already engaged in that fall under the broad definition of sustainability.

North American Meat Institute's Sustainability Inventory helps companies determine: 1) what they are already doing in the various areas of sustainability; 2) what they might do in this area and 3) what practices simply are not feasible in their operations and communities.

Each question includes links for further information to assist companies that want further information about potential programs and practices underway within the meat and poultry industry.

To launch the inventory, click here.

RESULTS: Benchmarking Ourselves

In 2009, NAMI launched the sustainability initiative. A key component of the initiative us an assessment of what sustainability practices are in place in the industry today. By benchmarking our efforts, we can measure progress in the future. A web-based sustainability survey was generated to gather information as it relates to the meat and poultry industries. But, as we begin this data-collection effort, it is important to understand that the term “sustainability” has changed in recent years. Although once it referred only to the environment, today, it is broader and includes efforts to sustain not just the environment, but people and communities, as well.

The NAMI survey requested specific data on a variety of topics including water and energy use, recycling, worker safety statistics, food safety, animal welfare practices, and community outreach. NAMI has compiled the data to calculate an industry average, which can serve as a sustainability “benchmark” in 2009. When the survey is repeated in the future, this year’s information will enable the industry to measure how the industry has changed over time and note progress in the various subject areas.