On a biennial basis, we use a third party to help research, analyze and assess the key topics affecting Hormel Foods and the food industry.
To inform our reporting and corporate responsibility objectives, Hormel Foods engaged with BSR in 2017, a nonprofit sustainability consultancy and business network, to help us identify, prioritize and understand the topics most relevant to our business and our stakeholders. Topics were identified based on our prior assessment, industry trends and global corporate responsibility megatrends. The topics were then prioritized based on input from senior executives, our Corporate Responsibility Council and key external stakeholders, whom offer a broad and diverse perspective on Hormel Foods. We engaged senior executives representing key business functions and members of our Corporate Responsibility Council to validate our assessment and key topics.
| Key Topics | Location |
| Business ethics | Ethics, Governance & Risk |
| Farmer livelihoods | New key topic; will be addressed in future reports |
| Lobbying, disclosure and political contributions | About Hormel Foods – Public Policy |
| Transparency, reporting and stakeholder engagement | About This Report – Stakeholder Feedback |
| Responsible sourcing and supply chain management | About Hormel Foods – Supply Chain |
| Corporate responsibility governance | About Hormel Foods – Governance & Financials |
| Key Topics | Location |
| Air emissions | Environment – Greenhouse Gas Emissions |
| Climate change | Environment |
| Energy use and efficiency | Environment – Energy |
| Environment compliance | About This Report – Data Summary Environment |
| Food waste and loss | Environment – Waste |
| Packaging footprint | Environment – Packaging |
| Renewable energy | Environment – Energy |
| Sustainable agriculture | Environment – Water |
| Waste management | Environment |
| Wastewater management | Environment – Water |
| Water use | Environment – Water |
| Key Topics | location |
| Animal care | Animal Welfare |
| Antibiotics | Animal Care – Raising Our Animals |
| key topics | location |
| Consumer education and information | Products – Nutrition Resources |
| Consumer health and safety | Products – Food Safety & Quality Products – Nutrition & Wellness |
| Food safety and quality | Products – Food Safety & Quality |
| Food access and affordability | Products – Emerging Markets |
| Food waste and loss | Products – Products & Food Waste |
| GMOs | Products – Ingredients |
| Health, nutrition and wellness | Products – Nutrition & Wellness |
| Responsible marketing | Products – Responsible Marketing |
| Safe packaging | Products – Food Safety & Quality |
| key topics | location |
| Diversity and inclusion | People – Diversity & Inclusion |
| Employee health and wellness | People – Benefits |
| Employee recruitment and retention | People – About Our Employees |
| Human Rights | People – Human Rights |
| Occupational health and safety | People – Safety |
| key topics | location |
| Community impacts | Environment People Communities |
| Distribution of profits | Communities 2017 Annual Report |
| Food relief | Communities – Hunger |
| Philanthropy | Communities |