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We’re passionate about our core values and supporting and giving back to the communities where we live and work. Check out some of our key initiatives and policies.
Our Inaugural Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report includes B&G Foods’ goals, commitments and programs across a wide range of CSR and environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.
We hope you enjoy reading the report and learning more about the great strides we are making and plan to make over the coming years to enhance our CSR/ESG efforts.
Importantly, the intent of our CSR program is to be as collaborative as possible. We welcome feedback and points of view from all stakeholders to help us effectively plan our future initiatives. To provide feedback, please contact us at [email protected]
In 2016, we initiated a program to institute a zero landfill program within B&G Foods based on work done at Maple Grove Farms, which reached a 92 percent diversion rate from landfill after just two years. Members from each of our manufacturing facilities attended training at Maple Grove Farms, which was followed with on-site audits at each United States location. All of our manufacturing facilities began tracking diversion to landfill rates and three of our manufacturing facilities currently have diversion rates exceeding 90 percent.
In 2017, Maple Grove Farms was certified silver by the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council. Maple Grove Farms was also awarded the 2017 Vermont Governor’s Environmental Excellence Award, which recognizes actions to conserve and protect natural resources, prevent pollution and promote environmental sustainability. Our goal is to have each of our manufacturing facilities become certified as a zero landfill site under an accredited body within five years.
Water is a critical resource throughout our business, from agricultural fields to manufacturing facilities to the products our consumers enjoy. Because we recognize the importance to B&G Foods and to the environment of responsible water stewardship, we continually look for opportunities to reduce total water usage, the risks relating to water scarcity and the impact of our operations and key supply chains on water quality.
For example, our Green Giant manufacturing facility in Irapuato, Mexico has undertaken various efforts to reduce water used in sanitation and within the manufacturing process. Several years ago, the facility installed a reverse osmosis system to reclaim discharged water from its wastewater treatment plant, which reclaims millions of gallons of water each year.
Green Giant Mexico also encourages its contract growers to reduce their water use through conversion from flood, or gravity, irrigation to drip irrigation. Flood irrigation is the movement of water through earthen canals or furrows, with water delivery occurring in between rows of crops. Drip irrigation is precise application of water through tubes or irrigation tape, with water applied through small holes directly at the root of the crops.
For further information, please review our Water Stewardship Policy.
Our Green Giant facility in Irapuato, the agricultural region of south central Mexico, has been planting trees throughout the region for almost 20 years in an effort to help improve such issues as water infiltration, carbon dioxide capturing and deforestation.
What started out as a couple hundred trees per year has taken root into something much bigger, with close to 150,000 trees planted to date with an overall goal to plant 500,000 trees. That’s the estimated number of trees it would take to make the Irapuato facility “carbon neutral,” which means the trees will absorb enough carbon dioxide from the air to offset the carbon dioxide we create in making our products.
Each of our manufacturing facilities has undertaken independent efforts to reduce energy consumption. We’re proud to share that we participate in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which works with suppliers to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change.
Individual facilities have also upgraded lighting to LED equipment, which has resulted in reduced electrical usage. Another key focus has been fuel consumption. Several facilities have upgraded the burner controls for boilers in order to reduce consumption, while others have switched to consume cleaner burning natural gas to reduce pollution. Sites have also upgraded insulation efforts to reduce energy consumption.
B&G Foods does not fund, conduct or use third parties to perform any laboratory experiments on animals. Moreover, we have not conducted animal tests (or used third parties to do so) or provided funding for animal tests in the past and we have no plans to do so in the future.
In 2007, a volunteer with Tennessee-based nonprofit The Elephant Sanctuary, which provides a haven for old, sick or needy African and Asian elephants, wrote David Wenner, our CEO at the time, to ask for a molasses donation. The sweetness of molasses helps elephants take their dietary supplements and medications.
In 2008, we officially kicked off the partnership between The Elephant Sanctuary and Grandma’s Molasses, which now donates a year’s supply of molasses annually. We’re honored to have America’s #1 molasses brand partner with The Elephant Sanctuary.
B&G Foods is committed to addressing the complex factors that contribute to pesticide use and risks in agriculture using a strategic and meaningful approach. Our approach relies on engaging with our suppliers to create strong relationships, gain an understanding of pesticide risk within our business and collaborate to implement risk mitigation strategies. Our strategies and commitments are designed to target and mitigate potential pesticide-related risks to consumers, the environment, pollinators and farm workers in priority agricultural supply chains, and are informed by the results of a pesticide risk assessment recently completed on our behalf by the IPM Institute of North America. We commissioned the IPM Institute of North America to specifically assess the adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, pesticide use and pesticide risks throughout our supply chain for 20 crops.
B&G Foods expects a shared commitment from our suppliers and business partners in engagement in pesticide risk assessment and mitigation efforts. We are committed to working with our supply chains to understand and mitigate pesticide-related risks in agriculture.
We plan to consolidate the pesticide policies and practices for our various brands and products into a new, comprehensive company-wide supplier pesticide policy to guide B&G Foods’ efforts to mitigate pesticide-related risks across our supply chains, create transparency and provide a framework for supplier engagement. Among other things, we expect that the new policy will require suppliers of any crops with potential for high dietary risk from pesticide residues to conduct residue testing and share those results with B&G Foods, to the extent that they are not doing so already. Should residue testing results indicate elevated risk, our policy will require that suppliers demonstrate and report to B&G Foods on risk mitigation efforts. We also plan to increase our engagement with suppliers, especially suppliers of priority high-risk crops, to understand pest management and pesticide use practices, validate high risks and inform targeted risk mitigation strategies. In the meantime, we encourage our suppliers to adopt IPM practices in the production of crops to holistically reduce risk related to pesticide use, including risks to humans and the environment.
Promote Food Security
As a leading manufacturer of high quality, well known food brands, we believe we can make a difference in the community by supporting causes and organizations that promote food security and education to ensure those in need have access to safe and nutritious food.
Support The Communities Where We Live And Work
At B&G Foods, we combine our passion for food with our passion for supporting and giving back to the community. We donate food, money and our time and expertise to various causes and charitable efforts at the corporate, brand and local levels, and encourage our employees to do the same. Through these efforts we strengthen, educate and feed our hometown communities across North America.
Accelerate Diversity In The Culinary Arts
Food is a universal language, and we believe the culinary arts are made infinitely more powerful through a diverse blend of people and perspectives. As part of our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion, we offer culinary arts scholarships to cultivate the talents of students who demonstrate a commitment to enhancing a diverse and inclusive culture in the culinary arts, and to maximize their impact in the culinary world.
In 2022, B&G Foods announced that we are proud to partner with America’s Grow-a-Row (AGAR), a not-for-profit organization that grows and gleans fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables that are donated to those suffering from hunger or living in areas that lack reliable access to fresh, affordable produce. In 2023, B&G Foods donated $250,000 to AGAR, which will result in the planting, growing, harvesting and distribution of 1.25 million servings of fresh produce to communities in need across the United States.
Our partnership with AGAR, an organization based in B&G Foods’ home state of New Jersey, provides a new opportunity for our New Jersey-based employees to volunteer locally. Employees are given the opportunity to help harvest produce that will go on to be donated locally and to other areas of the country where B&G Foods has manufacturing or distribution facilities, creating an opportunity for a full circle donation experience and providing an opportunity for B&G Foods employees throughout the country to get involved.
“Partnering with AGAR is an opportunity to use our passion for food to make a real impact in communities, especially food deserts,” said Casey Keller, President and Chief Executive Officer of B&G Foods. “By providing 1.25 million servings of produce to those who are in need, we are making it easier for families to eat healthy, nourishing foods.”
“We are very grateful to B&G Foods for the generous donation that will do so much to further our mission,” said Chip Paillex, President & Founder, America’s Grow-a-Row. “Each year, we donate 2.5 million pounds of produce and corporate donors like B&G Foods help us give even more to those in need.”
We believe in being good corporate citizens and supporting the communities who support us. We give back to various causes and charitable efforts at corporate, brand and local levels, and encourage employees to do the same.
In 2016, Green Giant embarked on a long-term corporate sponsorship with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which includes an annual donation and joint marketing with St. Jude and Green Giant products.
Employees at our corporate headquarters in Parsippany, New Jersey get involved with many charitable events, including participating in the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Employees at our manufacturing locations get involved with local community events, such as Bike MS, United Way and Habitat for Humanity.
Food is a universal language, and B&G Foods believes that the culinary arts are made infinitely more powerful with a diverse blend of people and perspectives.
In 2021, B&G Foods founded the B&G Foods Culinary Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) to support individuals with a commitment to enhancing the diverse and inclusive environment at the CIA in their pursuit of culinary careers. With a goal of making culinary education and employment more accessible to all, the B&G Foods Culinary Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship awards five $10,000 grants to eligible students at the CIA each year with a total commitment of $1,000,000 in scholarships over eight years. Scholarship recipients who continue their education in good standing will receive the award each year until graduation.
B&G Foods’ partnership with the CIA is rooted in shared values of passion, collaboration, inclusion and empowerment. B&G Foods’ story began in 1889 when two immigrant families came to America in search of a better life. What began with one pickle brand sold on the streets of New York City has become a portfolio of more than 50 iconic and beloved brands—including, B&G, Green Giant, Crisco, Ortega, Clabber Girl, Cream of Wheat, Dash and Victoria.
The scholarship is the latest addition to B&G Foods’ ongoing support of the CIA, and underscores our commitment to help build a more diverse and inclusive future for the food industry. B&G Foods has also committed to making ongoing in-kind contributions of products and ingredients for use in CIA classrooms, and invites students to continue their engagement with B&G Foods through mentorship, externships, and potential employment.
Whether students seek employment in or outside the kitchen, B&G Foods hopes that these annual awards will promote greater diversity and inclusion within the world of food.
The scholarship application process for the B&G Foods Culinary Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship is open to all CIA students who meet the eligibility criteria, regardless of race, color, religion, citizenship, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, military service, disability, or any other characteristic or condition protected by applicable law.
At B&G Foods we are committed to providing quality foods; together with our predecessors, we have been doing so since the 1800s. Our core values: passion; food safety and quality; integrity and accountability; customer and consumer focus; safety and health at work; collaboration; and empowerment, have been critical to our success.
Our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, referred to as “our Code,” serves as a guide for all directors, officers, employees and representatives of B&G Foods in their daily interactions with our customers, consumers, stockholders, regulatory agencies, supply chain partners and fellow employees.
For further information, please review our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.
B&G Foods believes a strong relationship with our suppliers, one that is ethical, honest and transparent, is consistent with our core values and is essential to ensuring our company’s success. Accordingly, the purpose of our Supplier Code of Conduct is to communicate the expectations we have of our suppliers and to ensure that the suppliers we do business with adhere to the highest standards of ethics, integrity and compliance with the law. For purposes of our Supplier Code of Conduct, “suppliers” include all suppliers, vendors, contractors, consultants, agents and other providers of goods or services to B&G Foods or any of our subsidiaries anywhere in the world.
For further information, please review our Supplier Code of Conduct.
Consistent with the requirements of our Code and our core values, we have an unwavering commitment to leadership and continuous improvement in environmental, health and safety procedures for the benefit of our employees, customers, consumers and the communities where we conduct business. As a food company, we are aware that our business is dependent on the health and safety of our employees and the use of natural resources, and our understanding and respect of those relationships are fundamental to our long-term strategy and the sustainability of our business.
For further information, please review our Environmental, Health and Safety Policy.
Consistent with the requirements of our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and our core values, we respect the personal dignity and individual worth of every human being and comply with all applicable human rights laws. At B&G Foods, it is the responsibility of each of our employees to maintain a work culture that supports human rights. Likewise, in establishing and maintaining relationships with our supply chain partners and other business partners, we expect the same commitment to high ethical standards and compliance with applicable laws, including those relating to human rights.
For further information, please review our Human Rights Policy.