Hormel Foods Corporation, which makes products under the Jennie-O, Dinty Moore and Spam brands, announced a second set of environmental goals that includes cutting product packaging by 25 million pounds, curbing water use 10 percent, and reducing solid waste sent to landfills by 10 percent.
The five environmental goals, which became effective in fiscal year 2012 – ending this October – will be measured against a 2011 baseline year, with a 2020 deadline, at company-owned and international manufacturing locations.
Hormel’s first set of five-year goals, which included water reduction (see graphic), packaging and solid waste minimization objectives, ended in 2011 with most of the targets achieved – but one missed, and one revised before the target year was reached.
The consumer food and meat products manufacturer reduced packaging by an average of 4.4 million pounds per year – surpassing its goal by 400,000 annually – for a total of 21.8 million pounds between 2006 and 2011.
Hormel achieved its 10 percent water use reduction goal a year early and ultimately surpassed its objective. The Spam manufacturer reduced its water consumption 15 percent between 2006 and 2011, which is pictured in the graphic.
Hormel also surpassed its previous goal to reduce solid waste to landfills by 10 percent by the end of fiscal year 2011. The company was able to cut solid waste to landfills by 29 percent in 2011 compared to 2006 levels.
The company decreased greenhouse gas emissions 5 percent by 2011 from its 2009 baseline year. The company has adjusted its previously stated goal, which was to reduce GHGs at US manufacturing facilities 10 percent by end of the fiscal year 2014, using 2009 as a benchmark. The new goal is to reduce GHGs 10 percent by 2020 from the 2011 baseline year.
Hormel has also introduced a goal to reduce non-renewable energy use 10 percent by 2020. The company did not achieve its previous goal to reduce energy use at US manufacturing facilities 10 percent by the end of 2011, using fiscal year 2006 as a benchmark.
Instead, the company’s indirect energy consumption increased 1 percent in fiscal year 2011 compared to 2006 levels, and its direct energy consumption decreased by 1 percent over the same time frame.