As challenges emerged over the last couple of months, Tyson Foods took the opportunity to put its purpose into action — “Raising the world’s expectations for how much good food can do.” Dating back to February, when Tyson’s colleagues in Asia were impacted by the virus, the company jumped into action, donating nearly $500,000 in product and cash to impacted communities there. With the spread to other parts of the world, Tyson is taking steps to ensure everyone here at home is safe, healthy and able to deal with the unanticipated consequences of a global health crisis.
The wellbeing of Tyson’s team members is its top priority. Tyson relaxed its attendance policy to reinforce the importance of staying home when sick. It’s waiving the waiting period for Short Term Disability benefits if a team member is sick with the flu or COVID-19. Additionally, it’s waiving co-pays for the use of telemedicine as well as co-pays and deductibles for doctor visits for COVID-19 testing.
For many communities, the ripple effect of the quarantine means jobs are lost, bills stack up, and people need food beyond the grocery store. In the month of March alone, Tyson donated 16 million meals to Feeding America food banks, pantries located in Tyson communities and to its own team members. That’s more than $11 million in protein for hunger relief in less than a month. In addition, more than 15 truckloads of product have been delivered to Tyson plants for distribution to team members and those local communities in need.
The give does not stop with physical meals. It comes in the form of $2 million in grants to plant communities and other non-profit partners. If team members want to give to a charity, Tyson has agreed to a triple match of the team member’s donations to non-profits of their choice.
Globally, Tyson Foods has a presence on six different continents. So, as COVID-19 is making its presence known all over the world, Tyson’s work to contribute does not stop within the U.S. borders. Specifically, in China, Tyson gave $250,000 in cash to the Red Cross and to the hospital near our Tyson complex adjacent to Shanghai. Another $231,000 in the form of Tyson products was donated in China as well.
At the local level, for example, resources have been committed to create meal boxes containing non-perishable product for Tyson’s drivers, products have been donated to make sack lunches for students out of school and a mobile food pantry has been activated.
The end goal for Tyson is to look back over this trying time and say that it did its best to be leaders in the global community. In any and every way possible, Tyson used its means to do good for the world, its people, its customers, its consumers and more can hopefully say that Tyson Foods is not just a protein company. Tyson Foods is a global and reliable partner during a time of greatest need.
