Campbell Highlights Progress on 2020 CSR Agenda in 2012 Report

May 29, 2012 2:00 PM ET

(3BL Media) Camden, NJ - May 29, 2012 - Campbell Soup Company (NYSE:CPB) released its 2012 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report, Nourishing, emphasizing the company’s integrated CSR approach to consumers, employees, the environment and community. The report can be viewed at www.campbellsoupcompany.com/csr.

“CSR and sustainability can mean many things, but I have challenged our leadership team and employees to consider these concepts as intuitive elements of the way we work to drive engagement, innovation, community impact and business results,” said Denise Morrison, President and Chief Executive Officer, Campbell Soup Company. “As we work to build a more innovative, balanced and responsive Campbell, I believe we also have the opportunity to become one of the most socially responsible consumer goods companies in the world.” 

This is Campbell’s fourth CSR report and it details the company’s progress against its 2020 CSR Agenda:

  • Nourishing Our Planet - Cut the environmental footprint of our product portfolio in half
  • Nourishing Our Consumers - Continue to provide consumers with nutrition and wellness choices in our product portfolio
  • Nourishing Our Employees - Leverage CSR and sustainability as key drivers of employee engagement in our culture
  • Nourishing Our Neighbors - Measurably improve the health of young people in our hometown communities

The report is intended to provide a balanced view of Campbell’s CSR and sustainability strategy and measures the company’s  performance on global operations during the company’s 2011 fiscal year (Aug. 1, 2010 to July 31, 2011), and significant achievements from F12. Highlights include:

  • The construction of a 60-acre, 10-MW solar field at Campbell’s largest manufacturing site in Napoleon, Ohio, where 24,000 sun-tracking panels generate 15 percent of the electricity to operate the plant. Additional sustainability investments across the company have yielded savings of $27.5 million since 2009
  • The commitment of $10 million over 10 years through the Campbell Healthy Communities initiative, a 25 percent increase in employee volunteer hours and in-kind donations that exceeded $40 million 
  • The addition of Facts Up Front icons on 45 Campbell products, voluntarily displaying calories, saturated fat, sodium and sugar per serving on the front of packaging, and the redesign of Campbell’s nutrition and wellness website to enhance consumers’ access to nutrition information
  • The introduction of The Way We Work, a new commitment to positively contribute to building a safe, diverse, inclusive, engaged and socially responsible workplace focused on delivering business results with integrity

“The 2012 CSR report is a testament to our overarching CSR strategy and commitment to honoring our role as a sustainable producer,” said Dave Stangis, Vice President-Public Affairs and Corporate Responsibility. “As a food and beverage company, we strive to transparently address a unique range of topics, including sustainable agriculture, responsible sourcing, promotion of human health and sound nutrition, and responsiveness to consumers’ expectations of the foods they choose for themselves and their families.”

This year, Campbell placed in the top 10 of all large-cap Russell 1000 companies on Corporate Responsibility Magazine's annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens List, regarded as one of the top corporate responsibility rankings. The company was named a winner of the inaugural Climate Leadership Awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for addressing climate change and reducing carbon pollution. Campbell was also ranked among the top 100 companies, designating it a “Leader,” in the Maplecroft Climate Innovation Indexes. Campbell has been named multiple times to the Dow Jones North America and World Sustainability Indexes, and the CSR Index from the Reputation Institute and the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship.

The structure and content of Campbell’s 2012 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.campbellsoupcompany.com/csr. A 20-page summary, printed on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper, is available on request by contacting csr_feedback@campbellsoup.com.

About Campbell Soup Company
Campbell Soup Company is a global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality foods and simple meals, including soup and sauces, baked snacks and healthy beverages. Founded in 1869, the company has a portfolio of market-leading brands, including “Campbell’s,” “Pepperidge Farm,” “Arnott’s” and “V8.” Through its corporate social responsibility program, the company strives to make a positive impact in the workplace, in the marketplace and in the communities in which it operates. Campbell is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 and the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. For more information, visit www.campbellsoup.com.