MINNEAPOLIS, MN — General Mills released its 2023 Global Responsibility Report, which highlights actions and progress the company made across three areas: planet, people and food during its 2022 fiscal year. The report details how General Mills is Standing for Good, a core pillar of its Accelerate Strategy and recognizes the company’s 53rd year of transparency on its environmental and societal impact.
“For more than 150 years, General Mills has been guided by the belief that doing good and good business are not mutually exclusive. We’ve proven year-over-year, including throughout an unprecedented global pandemic, that they go hand-in-hand,” said Jeff Harmening, chairman and CEO of General Mills. “We are more committed than ever to ensuring the G in General Mills stands for Good, and our focus on people and planet remains central to how we operate.”
The company developed a climate plan to guide its ongoing work to drive progress across its key climate levers of regenerative agriculture, diary, deforestation, renewable electricity and transportation efficiency. General Mills has set goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its value chain by 30% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Due to a majority of its climate footprint falling outside its direct operations, the company’s goals reach beyond its own walls, addressing Scopes 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
“A healthy planet is critical for General Mills to continue making food the world loves, and climate change is putting our ability to do so at risk,” said Mary Jane Melendez, chief sustainability and global impact officer of General Mills. “While we have more work to do, we’ve made tremendous progress to better understand our environmental impacts and how we can most effectively reduce them across our full value chain.”
Supporting employees and strengthening hometown communities are two priorities General Mills takes great pride in. In fiscal year 2022, the company continued its efforts to create a safe, inclusive and rewarding workplace while expanding its US racial ethnic and global gender diversity reporting to include support, production and retail employees.
“A diverse workforce is important for our business and central to our core value of championing belonging,” said Jacqueline Williams-Roll, chief human resources officer of General Mills. “Meaningful change takes time, and we remain committed to advancing racial equity both within our walls and in our communities.”
In the area of food, the company’s strategy includes plans to reach more people with brands and products that meet difference needs and preferences. This includes expanding natural and organic products, making nutrition-forward foods and meeting consumer needs.
