JBS

OVERALL
Owned	BRA
Rating

Beef processor

The largest animal protein company in the world, with interests around the world in beef, lamb, pork and chicken meat production. JBS has a daily cattle harvesting capacity of 73,900 head and a daily pig processing capacity of 48,500 head. It operates 25 plants in Brazil, six plants in Argentina, eight plants in Italy, 10 plants in Australia and 16 plants in the US. It also is the largest cattle feeder in the US and operates feedlots in Australia, Brazil and Italy. Announced plans in 2016 to separate its international and Brazilian businesses.

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Company Assessment

PRAISE	CRITICISM	INFORMATION
JBS SA
Farm animal welfare The 2017 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 2, "Integral to Business Strategy", with tier 1 being the best, and tier 6 the worst. [Source 2018][More on Animal Rights]	Deforestation and slave labour Despite making commitments in Oct 2009 to no longer purchase cattle from ranches that have recently deforested or that are located on indigenous lands in the Amazon, this 2011 Greenpeace report reveals that JBS purchased cattle from properties connected to deforestation, slave labour and invasion of indigenous land in the Brazilian Amazon in early 2011, in contravention of their agreement. [Source 2011][More on Forests] 15/100 in KnowTheChain Benchmark In 2018 KnowTheChain benchmarked 120 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 15/100. [Source 2018][More on Workers Rights] 14.8% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017 This company received a score of 14.8/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor. [Source 2017][More on Sustainability Reporting] US$3.2bn fine for corruption In 2017 J&F Investimentos, controlling shareholder of JBS SA, agreed to pay a record-setting 10.3 billion real (US$3.2 billion) fine for its role in corruption scandals that threaten to topple Brasil's President. The settlement followed testimony from J&F's owners Joesley and Wesley Batista that they spent 600 million reais to bribe nearly 1,900 politicians in recent years. [Source 2017][More on Governance] Water risk management In their 2017 report 'Feeding Ourselves Thirsty', Ceres looks at how food sector companies are responding to water risks. 42 companies were assessed on a 0-100 point basis across four categories of water management: governance and strategy, direct operations, manufacturing supply chain and agricultural supply chain. This company received a score of 16/100. [Source 2017][More on Habitats]	Alleged links to deforestation and slavery Brazilian prosecutors have brought a civil lawsuit against this company, alleging that over the last four years, JBS purchased cattle from land in the Amazon that was illegally deforested and from farms linked to slavery. However, JBS has insisted that all cattle purchased from Acre comply with its commitment to the mandates of the Brazilian Environmental Agency and the Ministry of Labour. [Source 2011][More on Forests] Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef member This company is a member of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB), who's stated mission is to advance continuous improvement in sustainability of the global beef value chain through leadership, science and multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration. However the GSRB has been criticised by a group of NGOs for its failure to address misuse of antibiotics and animal welfare concerns, among other things (http://bit.ly/1xWw5pV). [Source 2017][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives] Leather Working Group member This company is a member of the Leather Working Group, a multi-stakeholder group who's objective is to develop and maintain a protocol that assesses the compliance and environmental performance of tanners and promotes sustainable and appropriate environmental business practices within the leather industry. [Source 2019][More on Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives] Commitment to zero deforestation 3/5 The Forest 500 identifies, ranks, and tracks the governments, companies and financial institutions worldwide that together could virtually eradicate tropical deforestation. Rankings are based on their public policies and commitments and potential impacts on tropical forests in the context of forest risk commodities (palm oil, soya, beef, leather, timber, and pulp and paper). This company received a score of 3/5. [Source 2018][More on Forests] Commitment to Zero Deforestation in Amazon As a result of the Greenpeace report 'Slaughtering the Amazon', JBS committed to no longer buying cattle raised in areas of the Amazon that were deforested after Sept. 23, 2009. They also announced that they will remove from its suppliers' lists any farms in the region involved with slave labor or caught raising cattle on Indigenous Lands or Protected Areas. [Source 2009][More on Forests] FAIRR Protein Producer Index The Coller FAIRR Protein Producer Index is a comprehensive assessment of how this sector is managing critical sustainability risks such as climate change, increasing biodiversity loss, land use change and the growth in antibiotic resistance. This company was rated as medium risk. [Source 2018][More on Habitats] 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 2014]

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Primo Smallgoods sold to JBS
21st Nov 2014 — Australia's largest fresh meats processor, JBS Australia has signed a $1.45 billion deal to acquire Primo Group, the largest ham, bacon and smallgoods producer in Australia and New Zealand. The sale is subject to regulatory approvals. JBS Australia is part of JBS, the largest animal protein processing company in the world.  [source]