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Hormel Foods Australia

OVERALL

Owned
USA
Rating
Criticisms

Canned meat

Importer and distributor of Hormel products, which are predominantly sold in Australia through supermarkets.

Company Ownership

Hormel Foods Australia Pty Ltd   AUS     website   email      
  Hormel Foods Corporation   
   owns 100% of Hormel Foods Australia Pty Ltd  
USA     website   email   facebook   twitter

Canned meat products

Established in USA in 1891 by George A. Hormel. 46% owned by the Hormel Foundation, a charitable trust formed during WWII.

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE CRITICISM INFORMATION
Hormel Foods Australia Pty Ltd
Environment 4/5 for packaging performance
This company received a packaging performance level of 4 (Leading) in its 2022 APCO Annual Report. Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) is a not-for-profit organisation leading the development of a circular economy for packaging in Australia. Each year, APCO Members are required to submit an APCO Annual Report and Action Plan, which includes an overall performance level from 1 (Getting Started) to 5 (Beyond Best Practice).
Source: APCO (2022)
Hormel Foods Corporation
Social CDP Water Security Score of B-
In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of B-.
Source: CDP (2022)
Business Ethics 68.4/100 in Newsweek rankings
America's Most Responsible Companies 2022 by Newsweek and Statista recognises the Top 500 most responsible companies in the United States. Companies were evaluated in three areas: environmental (waste, energy use, etc.), social (leadership diversity, employees and philanthropy) and governance (transparency and economic performance). This company received a total score of 68.4/100, ranking 33rd in the Consumer Goods sector, and 370th overall.
Source: Newsweek (2021)
Environment 15% in Forest 500 Rankings
Forest 500 identifies the 350 companies and 150 financial institutions with the greatest exposure to tropical deforestation risk, and annually assesses them on the strength and implementation of their deforestation and human rights commitments. This company received a score of 15%.
Source: Forest 500 (2022)
Environment F grade for plastic pollution
As You Sow's 2021 Corporate Plastic Pollution Scorecard ranks companies on plastic packaging pollution. The study measures the progress of 50 large companies in the beverage, quick-service restaurant, consumer packaged goods, and retail sectors on six core pillars where swift action is needed to reduce plastic pollution: 1) Packaging Design, 2) Reusable Packaging, 3) Recycled Content, 4) Public Data Transparency, 5) Support for Recycling, and 6) Producer Responsibility. This company received a grade of F
Source: As You Sow (2021)
Social 12/100 in KnowTheChain Benchmark
In 2020/21 KnowTheChain benchmarked over 180 large global companies in the ICT, Food & Beverage, and Apparel & Footwear sectors on their efforts to address forced labour and human trafficking in their supply chains. This company received a score of 12/100.
Source: KnowTheChain (2021)
Environment Supply chain practices in China
This company received a score of 11/100 (retrieved 10-Oct-2020) in the Corporate Information Transparency Index (CITI), a system for evaluating supply chain practices in China, particularly in regards to environmental management and water pollution. Scores are calculated using government compliance data, online monitoring data, and third-party environmental audits, as well as trends in the environmental performance of factories in the company's supply chains.
Source: IPE (2020)
Social 12.9% in Human Rights Benchmark
The 2022 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 127 companies in the food and agriculture, ICT and automotive manufacturing sectors on their human rights performance. This company received a score of 12.9%. The overall average score was a disappointing 17.3% and the highest score was 50.3%.
Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2022)
Business Ethics 23/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 23/100 in the Food Products category of the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices (last updated 18 Nov 2022). The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices.
Source: S&P Global (2022)
Social BPA use
EWG's 2015 report "BPA in Canned Food" analyzed 252 canned food brands to find out which ones are still using BPA (bisphenol A), a synthetic estrogen found in the epoxy coatings of food cans which has been linked to many health problems. This company was amongst the 'Worst Players' for exclusively using cans with BPA.
Source: Environmental Working Group (2015)
Animals Animal Cruelty
Hormel supplier caught abusing mother pigs and piglets - For more than three months, PETA US went undercover at an Iowa pig factory farm, which supplies piglets who are raised and killed for Hormel products. They found rampant cruelty to animals - committed by workers and supervisors.
Source: PeTA (2008)
Business Ethics Possible GE in US brands
This company has products rated RED in the Centre for Food Safety's True Food Shopper's Guide (USA). Products on the RED list contain ingredients that come from the most common GE crops (corn, soy, canola, cotton). Companies with products on this list have confirmed that their products may have or are likely to be made with GE ingredients, or have not denied using GE foods when given the opportunity to do so.
Source: Center for Food Safety USA (2018)
Business Ethics CEO Pay Ratio of 185:1
In 2019 the median pay for a worker at this company was US$45,086. The CEO was paid 185 times this amount. Exorbitant CEO pay is a major contributor to rising inequality. CEOs are getting more because of their power to set pay, not because they are increasing productivity or possess specific, high-demand skills. The economy would suffer no harm if CEOs were paid less (or taxed more). In contrast, the CEO-to-typical-worker compensation ratio was 20-to-1 in 1965 and 58-to-1 in 1989.
Source: AFL-CIO (2020)
Environment Climate action commitments
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target.
Source: We Mean Business (2021)
Environment Green Power Partner
This company is listed on the EPA Green Power Partnership website (USA) as using renewable energy for 7% of its organisation-wide electricity use in the USA.
Source: EPA (2023)
Animals Sow stall commitment
In 2012 this company announced that it will eliminate gestation crates - small cages used to confine breeding pigs - from all company-owned facilities by 2017. The announcement was made the same day that the Humane Society US released new undercover video footage of gestation crates.
Source: Humane Society of the US (2012)
Business Ethics How2Recycle member
This company is a member of How2Recycle. The How2Recycle Label is a voluntary, standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public. It involves a coalition of forward thinking brands who want their packaging to be recycled and are empowering consumers through smart packaging labels. Companies must be a member of the program to use the How2Recycle Label.
Source: How2Recycle (2020)
Environment CDP Forests Score of C
In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests Score of C.
Source: CDP (2022)
Environment CDP Climate Change Score of C
In 2022, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of C.
Source: CDP (2022)
Social Modern Slavery statement
California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: company website (2016)
Animals Tier 4 in farm animal welfare rankings
The 2021 Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare (BBFAW) report ranks global food companies on how they are managing and reporting their farm animal welfare policies and practices. This company appeared in tier 4, "Making progress on implementation", with tier 1 being the best, and tier 6 the worst.
Source: BBFAW (2021)
Business Ethics OpenSecrets.org profile
OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.
Source: Open Secrets (2020)
Business Ethics FAIRR Protein Producer Index
The Coller FAIRR Protein Producer Index is a comprehensive assessment of how this sector is managing critical sustainability risks factors: GHGs; deforestation and biodiversity; water scarcity; water pollution; antibiotics; animal welfare; working conditions; food safety. This company was rated as medium risk.
Source: FAIRR (2021)
Business Ethics 53.3/125 at JUST Capital
JUST Capital polls Americans every year to identify the issues that matter most in defining just business behaviour. For their 2023 rankings JUST Capital asked a representative sample of 3,002 Americans to compare 20 different business Issues on a head-to-head basis, producing a reliable hierarchy of Issues ranked in order of priority. Issues are organised under the headings Workers, Customers, Communities, the Environment, or Shareholders & Governance. JUST Capital then define metrics that map to those issues and track and analyse the largest, publicly traded U.S. companies. This analysis powers their rankings, in which this company ranked 328th of 951 companies, and 9th of 31 Food, Beverage & Tobacco companies.
Source: JUST Capital (2023)
Business Ethics 34.3% in Food and Agriculture Benchmark
The 2021 Food and Agriculture Benchmark assessed 350 keystone companies across the entirety of the food system, from farm to fork. It covers three dimensions where transformation is needed: nutrition, environment and social inclusion. This company ranked #62/350, with a total score of 34.3/100.
Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2021)

> About the Icons

Company Details

Type Wholly-owned subsidiary
Revenue 38 million AUD (2012)
Employees 6 (2013)

Contact Details

Address Unit 22, 477 Warrigal Rd, Moorabbin, VIC, 3189, Australia
Freecall 1800 770 015
Website www.hormelfoods.com.au

Products / Brands

Hormel Foods Australia
Compleats Packet Meals
Hormel Canned Meat/Meals
Hormel Packet Meals
Kid's Kitchen Packet Meals
Spam Canned Meat/Meals
Stagg Canned Meat/Meals
Stagg Packet Meals


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