- link Copy Url - [ Share on twitter ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=All Stakeholders at the Table https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/267171?absolute=1&via=3blnews "link to 3 B L Media's Twitter") - [ Share on linkedin ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/267171?absolute=1 "link to 3 B L Media's Linkedin") - [ Share on facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/267171?absolute=1 "link to 3 B L Media's Facebook") - [ email Share via email ](mailto:?subject=All Stakeholders at the Table&body=ESG News from Hormel Foods Corporation https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/267171?absolute=1 "Share via email") [Responsible Production & Consumption](/CSR-News/responsible-production-consumption-0) # All Stakeholders at the Table ##### By Mary Ladd Nov 6, 2019 12:45 PM ET ![](/sites/default/files/styles/carousel_2x/public/images/small-change-big-impact-food-summit-pioneers-leaders-roundtable-02-1024x683.jpg "Pioneers and Leaders Roundtable | Professor of Agriculture and Business at Harvard Business School David Bell; CEO of Grocery Manufacturers Association Geo Freeman; JUST, inc.’s Jim Borel; Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Hormel Foods Jim Snee") Pioneers and Leaders Roundtable | Professor of Agriculture and Business at Harvard Business School David Bell; CEO of Grocery Manufacturers Association Geo Freeman; JUST, inc.’s Jim Borel; Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Hormel Foods Jim Snee [Originally published in Inside Hormel Foods magazine](https://www.hormelfoods.com/inside-hormel-foods-magazine/) Harvard University, known around the world as a hub for learning and sharing ideas, served as the ideal location for the first-ever Small Change, Big Impact Food Summit, a conference conceptualized, planned and presented by Hormel Foods and Harvard University Dining Services. The summit brought together leaders from many areas of the food world to work together toward a better food system and a healthier planet. Over two days, this invitation-only summit offered panel discussions and presentations on food security, food waste, culinary arts, sustainability, the impact of foodservice, the future of food and farming, and agricultural innovation. Co-creating the summit is yet another step on the path of *Our Food Journey*™ at Hormel Foods. Given the company’s role in helping to feed America and the world for over 125 years, our leaders are well aware of the challenges ahead. For example, by 2050, the world’s population will have grown to approximately 10 billion people. Meeting the challenge of feeding everyone well and sustainably will require foresight, continuous innovation and the ability to work with all stakeholders in an interconnected food system through an open and productive dialogue. Jim Snee, president, chief executive officer and chairman of the board of Hormel Foods, opened the conference. “It’s so much more powerful when you do things together, cooperatively, collaboratively,” he said. “We’re doing great things as an organization, but hearing what’s happening in other parts of the food world is incredibly powerful. The passion, the journey, the stories from so many different individuals and their commitment to doing the right thing tell me that this summit is the right thing to do.” Chefs, CEOs, industry leaders and change agents from academia, exciting start-ups, foodservice, food pro- ducers and nonprofits gathered at the summit, with the shared goal of fostering constructive dialogue, exploring case-study insights and forging new collaborations toward an improved food future. Gina Asoudegan, vice president of mission and innovation for Applegate, attends many industry events and trade shows. Yet she found the summit uniquely valuable because it allowed her to hear from a variety of stakeholders who aren’t often in same room. “It’s rare in our everyday lives that we’re exposed to a variety of perspectives on a particular issue,” said Asoudegan. “I work for a food company and am around people in that world. I’m not necessarily engaging on a daily basis with farmers or with policymakers or other parts of the supply chain.” “Food really is that common bond,” Snee said. “It brings people together. It is woven in all walks of life and it’s going to be critically important, as it has been in the past.” Snee also shared why Hormel Foods wanted to help bring this summit to life, acknowledging how important stories can be. “There’s so much good that’s happening. We need to tell our story at events like the summit, because story- telling is incredibly powerful.” [**Explore the Summit**](http://thefoodimpactsummit.com/) [![](/sites/default/files/Clients/Hormel-Logo-083118.jpg)](/profiles/hormel-foods-corporation) ### More from Hormel Foods Corporation ###### [Applegate Farms LLC Announces $50,000 Support American Farmland Trust’s Brighter Future Fund](/news/applegate-farms-llc-announces-50000-support-american-farmland-trusts-brighter-future-fund) Apr 23, 2024 9:00 AM ET ###### [Hormel Foods Seeking Nominations for 2024 Class of 10 Under 20 Food Heroes](/news/hormel-foods-seeking-nominations-2024-class-10-under-20-food-heroes) Apr 18, 2024 3:45 PM ET ###### [Hormel Foods Announces Katie Clark As Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer](/news/hormel-foods-announces-katie-clark-senior-vice-president-and-chief-communications-officer) Mar 1, 2024 11:00 AM ET ###### [Meet the Innovators: Tom Raymond](/news/meet-innovators-tom-raymond) Dec 19, 2023 11:30 AM ET ###### [Innovation From the Ground Up](/news/innovation-ground) Dec 15, 2023 11:00 AM ET ###### [The Farms of the Future](/news/farms-future) Dec 13, 2023 10:15 AM ET ###### [Hormel Foods Earns Perfect Score of 100 on the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2023–24 Corporate Equality Index](/news/hormel-foods-earns-perfect-score-100-human-rights-campaign-foundations-2023-24-corporate) Dec 7, 2023 1:00 PM ET ###### [Fans of the SPAM® Brand Come Together To Support Maui Relief Efforts](/news/fans-spamr-brand-come-together-support-maui-relief-efforts) Nov 13, 2023 4:15 PM ET