Campbell highlights progress on Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy in 2014 report

Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) released its 2014 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report, What’s In a Name, highlighting the company’s integrated CSR approach to consumers, employees, the environment and community. The full report can be viewed at www.campbellcsr.com.

“As a leader in the food and beverage industry, Campbell is demonstrating our steadfast commitment to making good, honest, authentic food for the people who live, work and eat in our communities,” said Denise Morrison, President and Chief Executive Officer, Campbell Soup Company. “We have worked hard to earn the loyalty and trust of consumers throughout our 145-year history and are committed to a strategy that integrates CSR and sustainability across our business in order to build shareholder value.”

The report details Campbell’s progress against its 2020 Agenda, which established the company’s CSR imperatives and four Sustainability and Corporate Citizenship goals:

• Cut the environmental footprint of Campbell’s product portfolio in half, as measured by water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions per tonne of product produced;
• Measurably improve the health of young people in Campbell’s hometown communities;
• Continue to provide consumers with nutrition and wellness choices in Campbell’s product portfolio; and
• Leverage CSR and Sustainability as key drivers of employee engagement and performance in Campbell’s culture.

The report highlights Campbell’s progress toward advancing these goals. In fiscal 2013, the company:

• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 4.4 percent, or more than 20,800 metric tonnes; reduced water consumption by 2.6 percent per tonne of food produced; and achieved a waste recycling rate of 83.2 percent worldwide. Campbell also initiated renewable energy projects and continued to streamline packaging, with a cumulative reduction of more than 65 million pounds in the company’s product portfolio over the last five years.
• Continued to combat childhood obesity and hunger through Campbell’s Healthy Communities Program, a $10 million, 10-year initiative that promotes better nutrition, physical fitness and access to healthier foods for children in Camden. In its second year, the program provided 193,000 hours of nutrition education to Camden children and 3,800 hours to adults; 175,000 hours of physical activity to youth through Soccer for Success and CATCH – a 75 percent increase over year one; and increased food access to 23,000 residents via 36 outlets including CSA memberships, corner stores and mobile markets.
• Enhanced the health and wellness profile of its portfolio by acquiring two businesses in new categories: Bolthouse Farms, a leading maker of fresh carrots, packaged fresh juices and refrigerated salad dressings; and Plum Organics, a leading brand of organic baby food and simple meals for children. Campbell’s U.S. product portfolio offers more than 430 products low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, more than 300 products with less than 100 calories per serving and more than 150 products that provide at least a half-cup serving of vegetables and/or fruits.
• Provided more than $52 million in food donations and global giving in the communities where Campbell operates, including $1.7 million in grants from The Campbell Soup Foundation to nonprofit community service organizations, with more than half dedicated to agencies serving Camden. Campbell employees volunteered more than 21,000 hours last year, demonstrating the company’s greatest commitment to social responsibility. During Campbell’s annual Make a Difference Week, more than 3,600 employees across 16 U.S. locations participated in 90 projects that focused on building and sustaining healthy communities.

“The spirit of Campbell employees resonates throughout the report, acting as a catalyst to drive true, measurable outcomes,” said Dave Stangis, Campbell’s Vice President – Public Affairs and Corporate Responsibility. “This year’s report illustrates key performance measures against our strategy and outlines our best opportunities to impact positive change.”

In recognition of its strategy and strong results, Campbell was named this year to the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list by Corporate Knights, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens, the Civic 50, the Vigeo U.S. 50 and Vigeo World 120 Indices, and the Human Rights Campaign 2014 Corporate Equality Index. Campbell also received the following awards: the DuPont Award for Packaging Innovation, the 2013 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles Award by the National Business Group on Health, the Golden Peacock Award for Excellence in Corporate Governors from the Institute of Directors, the 2013 Role Model Award from Produce for Better Health and CPG Award for Innovation from the Grocery Manufacturers Association.

This report captures Campbell’s CSR and sustainability strategy and performance in its worldwide operations during fiscal year 2013 (ended July 31, 2013). The structure and content of Campbell’s 2014 report was prepared using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, along with the GRI Food Processing Sector Supplement. Campbell Soup Company self-declared its CSR report to a GRI Application Level B based on the GRI Application Level Grid. To conserve resources, the full report is available online at www.campbellcsr.com.