Smithfield Foods, an American food company and one of the world’s leading vertically integrated protein producers, submitted commitments to fighting hunger and food insecurity to the White House in advance of its Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health, which will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 28.
The company has pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades and has made long-term commitments to improve food access and affordability, integrate nutrition and health and empower all consumers to make and have access to healthy choices.
“Smithfield Foods has been an integral part of the fabric of our communities for more than 80 years since our founding in Smithfield, Va., in 1936,” said Shane Smith, president and chief executive officer. “The commitments we are sharing with the White House today are not brand-new goals for us; we have been focused on fighting food insecurity and hunger, supporting our communities and driving innovation in sustainability for decades. We look forward to working side by side with the many public and private sector stakeholders participating in this conference to continue to drive transformative change to end hunger.”
Smithfield submitted the following commitments for inclusion in the conference:
- Pillar 1: Improve Food Access and Affordability
Committed to donating 200 million servings of protein valued at $200 million by 2025.
Donated more than 107 million servings of protein valued at more than $101 million during the pandemic when food banks needed it most.
Continuously drive operational efficiencies across our integrated value chain to produce more with less, ensuring a consistent supply of widely accessible and affordable, high-quality, nutrient-dense protein. - Pillar 2: Integrate Nutrition and Health
Developing innovative solutions to increase the functionality and viability of our byproducts for the advanced development of pharmaceuticals and medical devices through our Smithfield BioScience platform.
Offering enhanced benefits, educational programs and screenings for all full-time Smithfield employees through our “Let’s Get Healthy Together!” program.