Hormel Foods Corp. announced the release of its 2012 Hormel Foods Corporate Responsibility Report, available online at www.hormelfoods.com/csr. This is the company’s sixth full report, which includes information on the company’s second set of environmental goals that span from 2012 - 2020 using 2011 as a benchmark.

 The report is self-declared Application Level B as confirmed by the Global Reporting Initiative.

 The annual report focuses on the company’s commitment to being a responsible food manufacturer. Highlighted performance and initiatives throughout 2012 include Hormel Foods:

• Achieving outstanding results from the annual Environmental Sustainability Best of the Best competition among all Hormel Foods locations. In 2012, the competition generated 61 entries throughout all business segments that resulted in the reduction of 1,700 tons of solid waste to landfill, 122 million gallons of water, 68,400 MMBtu of natural gas, and 7 million kWh of electricity.
• Enhancing the On Our Way to Ending Hunger program, with contributions of more than $3 million in cash and product to aid hunger-relief efforts in the United States and abroad. The company donated a total of more than $7.6 million in 2012 across all of its efforts with hunger, education and projects to enhance communities where company facilities are located.
• Implementing projects that:

o Resulted in a reduction of 11,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions (14 percent of multi-year goal).

o Reduced energy use by 92,000 MMBtu (14 percent of multi-year goal).

o Reduced water use by 0.122 billion gallons (24 percent of multi-year goal).

o Reduced the amount of solid waste sent to landfill by 1,700 tons (51 percent of multi-year goal).

o Reduced product packaging by 4.05 million pounds.

o Reduced sodium levels in select products.

"I am happy to share this year’s initiatives that have fueled our progress as a leading corporate citizen," said Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods. "We will continue to conduct business in a responsible manner following Our Way - the Hormel Foods values statement that defines how we operate every day in our approach to people, process, products, performance and philanthropy."

Several changes were made to the format of the report. In addition to including infographics for each area of focus, the content of the report is more concise and data-driven. Information about the company’s corporate responsibility initiatives that remain consistent year after year without the need for data updates, such as animal care practices, environmental policies and corporate governance, can be found on www.hormelfoods.com/about/corporateresponsibility.

In alignment with the company’s commitment to philanthropy and in honor of the launch of the seventh annual report, Hormel Foods will feature an online contest. For every retweet on Twitter announcing the release of the 2012 Hormel Foods Corporate Responsibility Report, the company will donate $7 to Feeding America (up to $5,000). Feeding America is the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity.

The 2012 Hormel Foods Corporate Responsibility Report is the company’s fifth consecutive report that can be found entirely online. It is also available as a fully downloadable PDF. The online report can be accessed and the PDF can be downloaded at www.hormelfoods.com/csr.

Hormel Foods plans to continue reporting on its environmental and social performance annually; the next report will be released in May 2014 for data spanning November 2012 to October 2013.

Source: Hormel Foods Corp.