Pilgrim’s yesterday announced the release of its 2020 Sustainability Report, which includes the five-year results of its 2015 sustainability goals and aggressive new global targets that will guide the company’s sustainability strategy over the next decade and beyond. The report transparently details the company’s progress in key priority areas – animal care, team members, environment, communities, customers and consumers, and suppliers – across its operations in the UK, Continental Europe, Mexico and the United States.
Pilgrim’s has established sustainability as core to its business strategy, adopting industry-leading initiatives that build on the company’s long-standing commitment to sustainable food production. Pilgrim’s is the first major global meat and poultry company to offer a sustainability-linked bond tied to efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emission intensity across its global operations. In addition, Pilgrim’s is an integral part of the JBS commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2040, the most ambitious commitment of its kind in the sector.
“At Pilgrim’s, we are committed to being the best and most respected company in our industry, and we want to serve as a leader that can help drive the entire supply chain forward,” said Fabio Sandri, President and CEO, Pilgrim’s. “We remain focused on producing high-quality food for people around the world in a sustainable manner that is both ambitious and collaborative, while creating the opportunity of a better future for our team members.”
Achievements detailed in the 2020 report include:
- Team Members: Provided nearly 180,000 hours of leadership training and development, and created the Pilgrim’s Better Futures program, which provides tuition-free community college to all U.S. team members and their dependents
- Environment: Surpassed our 2015 U.S. goal of reducing greenhouse gas emission intensity by 14% by 2020, and reduced global greenhouse gas emission intensity from 2019-2020 by 7%; Pilgrim’s Moy Park continued to maintain its commitment of zero waste to landfill
- Animal Care: Participated in third-party animal handling audits at all production facilities, and passed 100% of external animal welfare audits; Pilgrim’s UK was awarded the highest ranking, Tier 1, for its animal welfare standards under the Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW)
- Communities: Launched the Hometown Strong program in the U.S., investing $20 million in local community projects to strengthen infrastructure, alleviate food insecurity, support COVID-19 recovery and increase overall well-being; Established a £1 million Community Support Fund at Pilgrim’s Moy Park aimed at supporting and enriching the lives of those in need across its local communities in the UK and Europe
- Suppliers: Partnered with more than 6,100 livestock and poultry producer partners, providing payments of more than $2 billion
“While we are proud of the work we have accomplished thus far, we embrace the opportunity to continue to push our company forward,” Sandri said. “We have established strong commitments, and our team is excited to take the next steps on our sustainability journey.”
