Conflict Minerals
None of our products contain conflict minerals. However, we have met with our key packaging suppliers, who are complying with the SEC Rule on Conflict Minerals, and have teams in place to continually review their due diligence processes.
Hormel Foods understands the issues associated with conflict minerals that originate in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or an adjoining country. That’s another reason why we work with suppliers that share our values and support our Supplier Code of Conduct. These principles outline our expectations for our suppliers within specific areas of corporate responsibility, such as human rights and safe work environment standards.
Circular Economy
In 2024, Hormel Foods will issue a report that will identify opportunities to develop further internal policies and goals for a circular economy. The report will take into account the company’s current efforts to promote a circular economy for its packaging and the potential to increase efforts, including through the following opportunities:
- Increased packaging recyclability;
- Support of organizations who share the overall mission to use reusable packaging in compliance with applicable regulations; and
- Development of further internal policies and goals, which may include financial and non-financial support to organizations who share the overall mission to improve the circular economy.
Additionally, Hormel Foods will create a company-led circular economy working group made up of internal and external experts. The working group will meet regularly to assist with continued progress, including support of improvements to circular economy policies at the regional, national, and/or global level. The company will also participate in industry groups that align with these efforts. Progress will be published annual in the company’s Global Impact Report.
Hormel Foods will also enhance its 20 By 30 Challenge sustainable packaging goal (goal 12) by establishing subgoals that go further in describing its commitments, all while upholding the company’s food safety and quality standards. These will include:
- A reduction in total packaging materials by 10 million pounds by 2030, over a baseline established in 2021, via optimizing materials and promoting new technologies through the company’s supplier base, allowing for more effective packaging material requirements.
- Adding How2Recycle labels to 95% of the company’s portfolio of branded retail items in the United States by 2030.
Our goal is to do our part to ensure our packaging never becomes waste and we will continue to focus on efforts to be a leader in packaging sustainability today and in the future.
