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Hillshire Brands

Whoa! How did you get here? This company profile is not meant to be publicly available. Research on this company is incomplete, and the overall rating has been disabled, but while you are here feel free to have a look at the info we do have.

OVERALL

Owned
USA
Rating
N/A

Meat-centric foods

Formerly known as Sara Lee Corporation, the company was renamed Hillshire Brands Company after spinning off its international coffee and tea business in June 2012 to form D.E Master Blenders 1753. Sold its Australian Bakery division to McCain in 2013. Hillshire Brands was acquired by Tyson Foods in 2014.

Company Ownership

Hillshire Brands Company   USA     website   email      
  Tyson Foods, Inc.   
   owns 100% of Hillshire Brands Company  
USA     website         

Meat processors

Tyson Foods is the second largest meat processing company in the world (after Brazil's JBS). Don Tyson, son of the founder, controls 80% of Tyson's voting power. Acquired Hillshire Brands in 2014.

> About the Ratings

Company Assessment

PRAISE CRITICISM INFORMATION
Hillshire Brands Company
Environment Palm oil scorecard - WWF
The WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2019 assesses 173 companies on the commitments they have made, and the actions they have taken, to ensure that there is no destruction of nature including no deforestation along their supply chains; and support a responsible and sustainable palm oil industry beyond their own supply chain. This company failed to respond to WWF's requests for information.
Source: WWF Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard 2019 (2019)
Animals Sow stall commitment
In Sept 2012 this company received praise from the Humane Society for announcing that it will eliminate gestation crates - small cages used to confine breeding pigs - from its pork supply chains.
Source: Humane Society of the US (2012)
Social SB 657 disclosure statement
The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 (SB 657) requires companies operating in California to disclose their efforts to eradicate slavery and human trafficking from their direct supply chains. KnowTheChain.org has examined this company's disclosure statement and concluded that it addresses the majority of SB 657 requirements. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.
Source: company website (2014)
Business Ethics Previous political boycott
Previous boycott call by BDS due to involvement in Israel. Sara Lee (now Hillshire Brands) divested its large stake in the Israeli textile giant Delta Galil in 2005 and has been removed from the boycott list.
Source: BDS (2012)
Information 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 (2014)
Tyson Foods, Inc.
Environment 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 low risk.
Source: FAIRR (2019)
Environment CDP Climate Change Score of B
In 2019, 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 B.
Source: CDP (2019)
Social CDP Water Security Score of B
In 2019, 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 (2019)
Animals Tier 3 in farm animal welfare rankings
The 2019 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 3, "Established but work to be done", with tier 1 being the best, and tier 6 the worst.
Source: BBFAW (2019)
Environment 16% in Forest 500 Rankings
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, soy, beef, leather, timber and paper). This company received a score of 16%.
Source: Forest 500 (2019)
Environment Top 10 Corporate Criminal of 2017
This company appeared on Global Exchange's list of "10 Top Corporate Criminals of 2017" for being one of the largest meat-producing industries in the world and dumping 104 million pounds of pollutants into US waterways between 2010 and 2014 - the 2nd highest volume of toxic discharges reported by any company.
Source: Global Exchange (2017)
Environment F grade for plastic pollution
As You Sow's 2020 report, Waste and Opportunity, 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) Packaging Data Transparency, 5) Support for Recycling, and 6) Producer Responsibility. This company received a grade of F
Source: As You Sow (2020)
Social 12/100 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 12/100.
Source: KnowTheChain (2018)
Social Human Rights Benchmark
The 2019 Corporate Human Rights Benchmark assessed 200 of the largest publicly traded companies in the world from the Agricultural Products, Apparel, Extractives and ICT Manufacturing sectors on 100 human rights indicators. This company's score was in the 10-20 band range. The overall average score was a disappointing 24%.
Source: CHRB (2019)
Business Ethics 22.8% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017
This company received a score of 22.8/100 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: Newsweek (2017)
Environment Clean Water Act violation
In February 2018 this company was sentenced in federal court in Springfield, Missouri to pay a $2m criminal fine, serve 2 years of probation and pay $500,000 to directly remedy harm caused when it violated the Clean Water Act. The charges stemmed from discharges from its slaughter and processing facility in Monett, Missouri that led to a major fish kill event.
Source: US Dept of Justice (2018)
Business Ethics 31/100 S&P Global ESG Score
This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 31/100 in the Food Products category of the 2019 SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices. 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 (2019)
Business Ethics CEO Pay Ratio of 283:1
In 2019 the median pay for a worker at this company was US$36,681. The CEO was paid 283 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)
Social Employment discrimination penalty
On 4 October 2016 the US Dept of Labor settled allegations of systemic hiring discrimination by this company at six of its locations in Texas, Arkansas and New Mexico after an investigation by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (FCCP). While not admitting liability the company has agreed to pay $1.6m in back wages, interest and benefits to 5,716 applicants rejected for labourer jobs from 2007 to 2010. It has also agreed to extend job offers to 474 of the affected workers as positions become available and to revise its hiring and training practices. The FCCP found that that company's hiring processes and selection procedures discriminated on the basis of sex, race and/or ethnicity.
Source: US Dept of Labor (2016)
Environment Climate action commitments
As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: develop low carbon action plan.
Source: We Mean Business (2017)
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 'Best Players' for exclusively using BPA free-cans.
Source: EWG (2015)
Business Ethics 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: GRSB (2017)
Business Ethics 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: Leather Working Group (2019)
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)
Business Ethics Sustainability claims
This company has sustainability claims on its website under the headings of animal welfare, environment, food, workplace and community.
Source: company website (2020)
Environment CDP Forests Score of C
In 2019, 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 (2019)
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: Modern Slavery Registry (2016)
Business Ethics 53.3% at JUST Capital
JUST Capital polls Americans every year to identify the issues that matter most in defining just business behaviour. For their 2021 rankings the public identified 19 issues, which are organised under the headings Workers, Communities, Customers, Shareholders and Environment. 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 315th of 928 companies, and 14th of 35 Food, Beverage & Tobacco companies.
Source: JUST Capital (2020)
Information 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 (2014)

> About the Icons

Company Details

Type Wholly-owned subsidiary
Revenue US$3.9 billion in 2013
Employees 3,920 in 2013

Contact Details

Address Chicago, Illinois, USA
Website www.hillshirebrands.com

Products / Brands


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