Cargill’s responsibility spans all production phases, from the field to post-consumption, including food security.
The quality of the soybean grains results from responsible work in the value chain.
Cargill corporate responsibility commitments
We will run the business with high levels of integrity, accountability, and responsibility.
We will develop ways to reduce the environmental impact and help conserve natural resources.
We will treat people with dignity and respect.
We will invest in and engage with the communities where we live and work.
Cargill’s responsibility spans the whole supply chain, from its interactions with farmers to post-consumption of products. To reduce the impact of its operations, the company permanently reviews its value chain, invests in production facilities, and offers a series of initiatives with local authorities and third-sector organizations. The company thus honors its commitment of feeding the world safely, healthily, and affordably, while inspiring good practices and thriving with partners, customers, and communities.
Responsible use of Natural Resources
Every five years, Cargill defines a global set of social and environmental goals, which are used to review how each operation uses natural resources and handles worker safety.
1. The data pertain to the fiscal year, i.e., from June to May of the following year.
Social and environmental performance
2011/20121
2012/20131
2013/20141
2014/20151
2015 goal
Fatal accidents
0
5
0
0
0
Renewable energy (%)
87.07
88.18
90.48
90.84
12.5
Efficient water use (%)
0.56
5.52
21.77
14.04
5
Greenhouse gas emissions (%)
6.76
7.60
17.09
14.56
5
Energy efficiency (%)
(8.12)
0.86
(0.71)
1.87
5
Cargill invested
in its
Uberlândia
(MG) plant
to reduce
greenhouse
gas
emissions.
Energy
A considerable share of the energy used at Cargill’s industrial plants and storage facilities already comes from biomass. The company consistently invests in planting and managing its forests, as well as in purchasing this resource to encourage the growth of a renewable energy supply chain.
1. The data pertain to the fiscal year, i.e., from June to May of the following year.
Changes in energy use
efficiency, 2010 base year (%)1
2014/2015
2013/2014
2012/2013
2011/2012
2010/2011
Use of renewable energy (%) 2014/2015
Soybean Processing and Grains
1.39
3.05
(6.26)
4.02
5.17
91.89
Foods
10.97
18.94
24.30
5.57
(0.99)
79.5
Cocoa and Chocolate
6.03
5.91
16.86
9.56
(2.40)
31.66
Starches and Sweeteners
(0.87)
(26.31)
(0.56)
(2.76)
(5.63)
82.37
Sugar and Ethanol
(1.11)
(8.25)
0.00
(53.29)
(110.75)
112.5
Cargill Especialidades Industriais
(8.61)
(9.01)
(1.37)
(8.06)
(23.13)
12.71
Water
To raise awareness about the rational use of water in operations and the importance of this resource for life and business, in 2014 Cargill organized the First Cargill Award for Rational Water Use. This initiative encourages employees to have a proactive attitude and create proposals and initiatives to reduce water consumption at the plants. The award is implemented on a local and national level.
Employees submitted individual or group projects in one of three categories: Company in Action, for initiatives implemented in 2013; Company Innovation, for projects that had not been developed or were being implemented in 2014; and Home and Community in Action, for initiatives employees applied at home or in their communities. The employees of each location elected the best projects in each category, which went on to the national competition.
Winners of the local competition received a Participation Certificate, while the winners of the National Competition received cash prizes, a
trophy, and a visit to the Company’s Headquarters
in São Paulo.
Winners of the First Cargill Award for Rational Water Use
Category
Winning project
Location
Summary
Result
Company in Action
Optimizing CIP
Mairinque (SP)
Reduce the use of water
and energy, reduce wastewater, optimize time and cut down
on the operational cost of Cleaning in Place (CIP) in the
mayonnaise plant
Save 70,000 liters of water per month.
Company Innovation
Sustainability
Toyo +
Goiânia (GO)
Closed circuit water system for cooling the tomato sauce production line
The solution enabled the plant to reuse 163,000 liters of water per month.
Home and Community in Action
Water, a precious asset
Mairinque (SP)
A system designed to collect rainwater from the roofs and use it to water the “de grão em grão” vegetable plants
This helped save 4,000 liters of water per month, engaged the community, and raised environmental awareness.
In 2014, the company increasingly reused water. At the Soybean Processing and Grains plant, for instance, the ratio of reused water increased from 17 percent to 28 percent, which resulted in savings of 22.6 percent in water consumption. GRI EN10
1. Data for the 2009/2010, 2010/2011, and 2011/2012 fiscal years are estimated jointly with some plants that measured these data. After this time, some plants have adjusted but some figures are still estimates and others contain margins of error. The data pertain to the fiscal year, i.e., from June to May of the following year.
Water use (million liters)1
2014/2015
2013/2014
2012/2013
2011/2012
2010/2011
Soybean Processing and Grains
1,325.7
1,976.2
1,963.8
1,856.9
1,846.0
Foods
1,846.2
2,313.4
2,623.8
2,079.7
340.4
Cocoa and Chocolate
77.5
116.9
141.1
138.3
106.4
Starches and Sweeteners
1,179.4
2,243.8
2,837.6
2,624.7
2,594.8
CEVASA
2,549.8
2,239.0
2,511.8
2,324.7
2,713.7
Cargill Especialidades Industriais
14.3
18.9
14.4
17.0
25.0
Total water use per year
6,993.1
8,908.2
10,092.5
9,041.3
7,626.3
Reuse in relation to water use (%)
2.25
2.99
1.64
0.48
0.42
Greenhouse gas emissions
To help preserve the environment and improve operational performance, Cargill invests in initiatives designed to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions. As a result, plants involved in this process worked to reduce emissions by 5 percent in relation to 2010 figures. Investments to achieve this goal included automating combustion processes, online monitoring of GHG emissions, and increasing the use of renewable energy sources (such as installing biomass boilers) and other initiatives.
In Uberlândia (MG), for example, the company installed an energy regeneration cycle and refurbished the boiler air intake, which improved furnace combustion and reduced GHG emissions. The company also took other steps to improve energy efficiency, such as implementing Process Optimization and Control (POC) at the Rio Verde (GO) refinery with the support of a team from the company’s headquarters in Minneapolis, United States. The old firewood burning system was replaced by an automated woodchip system, which is much more efficient. Additionally, by upgrading other equipment at this plant, steam consumption dropped by 15 percent. This initiative was also carried out at the Primavera de Leste (MT), Três Lagoas (MS), and Ponta Grossa (PR) facilities. GRI EN6 | EN18
Cargill invests in efficiency by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, among other targets.
1. All Cargill goals are comparisons between the fiscal year and the 2010 fiscal year baseline. The data pertain to the fiscal year, i.e., from June to May of the following year.
2. In the calculations, Cargill uses only the direct emissions of its operations and of Greenhouse Gases. The indicators are in kilogram of emissions per metric ton of finished product.
3. Because of high use of cogenerated energy, emissions increased. In energy cogeneration, burned biomass produces more emissions than hydroelectric power plants.
1. The data pertain to the fiscal year, i.e., from June to May of the following year.
2. Increase resulting from higher production.
3. Tomato plant started operating.
Emission figures in absolute units (kg)1
2014/2015
2013/2014
2012/2013
2011/2012
2010/2011
Soybean Processing and Grains
24,345,000
31,949,000
30,333,0002
28,358,000
29,027,000
Foods
17,248,000
21,768,000
19,896,000
21,936,0003
17,894,000
Cocoa and Chocolate
8,856,000
11,833,000
10,281,000
12,312,000
11,964,000
Starches and Sweeteners
26,429,000
37,577,000
44,030,000
31,489,000
36,819,000
Sugar and Ethanol
6,690,000
8,956,000
8,615,000
6,534,000
4,459,000
Cargill Especialidades Industriais
1,183,000
1,991,000
2,005,000
1,481,000
1,464,000
Responsible management of operations
The ethical behavior the company expects from its employees is also extended to its commercial partners and service providers. Cargill has a series of audits, initiatives, and partnerships that ensure legal, social, and environmental compliance of the company’s value chain.
This includes restrictive clauses and sanctions in all commercial agreements in case a supplier uses child or slave-like labor conditions. This reinforces the company’s commitment to eradicate such practices at its own operations and those of its partner. GRI HR6 | HR7
Other specific initiatives are carried out at Cargill Business Units to monitor supply chains that have the potential risk of child or slave labor. An important example is the tomato supplier assessment program. During the harvest, field agents apply weekly questionnaires at all farm properties supplying tomatoes to Cargill. This is designed to identify the presence of children and teens on farms and prevent the use of child labor in these operations.
The company has specific initiatives to monitor social and environmental aspects of its supply chains, help develop partners, and consequently to improve product quality. In 2014, some of the chief initiatives were the following:
Visit to a
tomato field.
Programa Cargill de Agricultura Familiar (Cargill Family Farming Program)
This is a technical support program Cargill offers exclusively to family farmers under contract with the company. This was one of the initiatives that earned Cargill the Social Fuel Seal, given to biodiesel producers that promote social inclusion and regional development (click here to know more). In 2014, this program supported 2,048 families in over 137 municipalities of eight Brazilian states.
Under the supply agreements entered into with smallholder soybean farmers, Cargill purchased about 140,000 metric tons of soybeans in the 2013/2014 harvest. The company has also acquired 77,000 metric tons of soybeans from farmer cooperatives certified by the Brazilian Agrarian Development Ministry (MDA).
Key results
2014/2015
2013/2014
2012/2013
2011/2012
Family
farming figures
2,048
1,958
1,418
934
Volume in thousand metric tons
190,5
140,8
98,3
67,0
Field study in a
soybean field.
Roads and Challenges in the Sustainable Production of Soybeans in Brazil
In 2014, Cargill leaders, trade associations, and the press met at the company’s headquarters in São Paulo (SP) for the Roads and Challenges in the Sustainable Production of Soybeans in Brazil panel. The event included the presentation of results from the Learning Journey on Sustainable Soy, which took place the prior year with the engagement of 60 stakeholders from Brazil and abroad, including farmers, representatives of the food and animal nutrition industries, retailers, government authorities, and NGOs. The participants visited areas where soybeans are farmed and Cargill is present, attended workshops, and helped draft the Learning Journey on Sustainable Soy – Key Facts and Critical Issues, a document launched during the panel in São Paulo that provides subsidies and encourages discussions on the sustainability of soybean production in Brazil. Click here to download the material.
Repeating the panel model used with journalists, Cargill organized meetings with customers and employees to discuss topics such as the new Brazilian Forest Code, the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR), the company’s new certifications, and the peculiarities of the different Brazilian regions. These events were attended by Cargill’s key customers and 35 company employees. This initiative is designed to strengthen the transparent relationship the company has with employees and customers – two strategic stakeholders – and to encourage a dialog on the sustainability of the soybean supply chain.
Projeto Soja Mais Sustentável (More Sustainable Soybean Project)
This initiative has been carried out jointly with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), an NGO, since 2004, one year after the terminal on the Tapajós River opened in Santarém (PA). Initially, the project focused on encouraging local soybean farmers to adopt sustainable practices and reduce deforestation. At the time, Cargill and TNC also had the support of the municipal governments of Santarém, Belterra, and Mojuí dos Campos and of local farmer associations. The project included meetings, visits to farms, and awareness initiatives. In addition, only farm properties with zero deforestation could be included in the Green List and remain as Cargill suppliers.
In 2011, TNC and Cargill renewed this joint effort and extended it to 10 municipalities in the state of Mato Grosso. Cargill supplier farms in that area underwent a social and environmental diagnosis that included a survey of soil cover and use, the presence of rivers and springs, and the area of original forest in each farm. This information now helps farmers comply with Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) requirements and restore degraded areas.
In 2014, the More Sustainable Soybean Project celebrated its 10th anniversary. Over that period, the standards first adopted by Cargill and TNC became the rule for all players in that market. According to the system that provides official data on forest loss in the Brazilian Amazon (PRODES), from 2004 to 2014 legal and illegal deforestation of participating farm properties dropped from 5,209 hectares (or 0.34 percent of their total area) to 19.7 hectares
(0.02 percent).
This decrease was substantially higher than that recorded for the region as a whole. Legal and illegal deforestation in these three municipalities over that period went from 11,140 hectares to 943 hectares, the equivalent to 0.7 percent and 0.06 percent of their total area, respectively. The figures show that participating farms currently have deforestation rates that are 66 percent below surrounding properties.
The More Sustainable Soybean Project is aligned with the Soybean Moratorium, an initiative of the Brazilian Association of the Vegetable Oil Industry (Abiove) and the National Grain Exporters Association (Anec) that has, since 2006, prevented financing and trading of soybeans produced in deforested areas of the Amazon Biome. In 2014, under an Abiove initiative, Cargill signed the Terms of Agreement for a new agenda with the Environmental Ministry and representatives of the Soybean Workgroup (GTS), comprised of industry, society, and government representatives. This document maintains moratorium criteria until May 2016 (the deadline for all farmers to enroll in the CAR) and admits the Environmental Ministry in the GTS. The focus of the GTS is to monitor deforestation of the Amazon Biome involving soybean farming and to support the implementation of the new Brazilian Forest Code. GRI SO5
Key results
Mato Grosso
847 properties under environmental review 83,000 hectares complying with CAR
requirements in Matupá (MT) 10 municipalities benefited by CAR data
Pará
498 properties monitored in Santarém
and Belterra (PA) 106,000 hectares of monitored private properties 14 pilot properties with defined environmental compliance and reclamation 6 training courses on CAR compliance for local
city technicians
Cocoa farmer in Ilhéus (BA). In
this region, this crop is passed
down generations.
Projeto Cacau Mais Sustentável (More Sustainable Cocoa Project)
As part of the global Cocoa Promise project, Cargill and The Nature Conservancy (TNC), in partnership with the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and the Alternative Cooperative of Smallholders and Urban Farmers of São Félix do Xingu (CAPPRU), joined the More Sustainable Cocoa Project in southeast Pará. The initiative is designed to foster cocoa farming
as a way to help smallholders of the Xingu micro-region comply with property title requirements. It includes restoration of degraded areas and encouraging these smallholders to comply with environmental law.
From its inception in 2012, achievements of the More Sustainable Cocoa Project included implementing an irrigation system in the Hybrid Seed Production Center (CPSH) in the municipality of Tucumã (PA), which doubled production capacity to one million seeds per year; having 61 smallholders join the project and follow all technical procedures to start cocoa farming; distributing 600,000 cocoa, banana, and forest essence saplings to farmers;
and preparing 238 hectares of cocoa tree plantations in the farm properties of the São Félix do Xingu municipality.
UTZ Certification program
The company is a pioneer in encouraging UTZ certification of cocoa, and it promotes sustainable cocoa farming worldwide by educating and training farmers and farm workers. The UTZ Certified initiative recognizes and rewards the effort necessary to implement and enhance production processes in the cocoa supply chain through responsible farming and supply.
To achieve certification, farmers must have sustainable properties, which includes better work conditions, safety procedures, correct handling of equipment and pesticides, and proper living conditions, including homes, drinking water, and basic sanitation.
In 2014, the number of certified properties increased from 12 to 34, the equivalent to 5,500 hectares in the states of Bahia and Espírito Santo. To goal is to have 200 certified farms by 2019. This initiative is part of the global Cargill Cocoa Promise, which fosters education of best practices throughout the cocoa supply chain.
Na Mão Certa program
Na Mão Certa is a program of Childhood Brazil designed to raise awareness of businesses, government, and the third sector and to fight the sexual exploitation of children and teens on Brazilian roads. To contribute with this initiative, Cargill invests in training personnel who advise on this issue to truck drivers stopping at the company’s plants. Cargill also encourages contract transporters to fight this problem.
In 2014, a continued education workshop was held in Castro (PR) to encourage participants to develop more effective initiatives. The event was attended by 20 people, including Cargill personnel and public authorities. The workshop was divided into two parts: the first discussed this topic and the second presented program tools to support initiatives that protect children from sexual exploitation on Brazilian roads.
Concerns regarding the health and safety of consumers are present throughout the production process. For each raw material, the company defines technical specifications related to physical, chemical, and microbiological parameters, sensory characteristics, identity and quality standards, and others, which must all be complied with by suppliers. Additionally, suppliers undergo a certification process and are approved only if they comply with all criteria determined by the company.
While the product is created, the company defines parameters related to its preservation and integrity, such as pH and humidity levels. Cargill also determines heat treatment procedures, including specific times and temperatures, to eliminate any microorganisms and to ensure the intended shelf life. Additionally, the company continually researches ways to improve quality standards.
While each Business Unit defines its specific procedures resulting from particular needs, the whole production process includes a review of labeling requirements that ensure food security and accurate information for consumers. All food Business Units are well aware of mandatory label information and are prepared to comply with this requirement. In addition, Cargill’s Food Safety Policy defines specific labeling criteria. GRI PR3
In 2014, the company developed an action plant for consumer products labeling. This enabled Cargill to verify process conformity and map the need for any supplementary work. In 2015, the company will carry out the tasks to address such needs and review their results. GRI PR3
In addition to the care given to internal processes, Cargill plays an active role in the discussion of public policies through its involvement in over 60 trade and industry associations, such as the Brazilian Association of the Food Industry (Abia), the Brazilian Association of the Vegetable Oils Industry (Abiove), and the Brazilian Association of Large Industrial Consumers of Energy and of Free Consumers (ABRACE). In 2014, the company maintained its commitment to helping regulate the food industry, discussing themes such as food security, labeling, and quality of food, especially in partnership with public authorities like the Ministry of Agriculture (Mapa), Health Ministry (MS), and the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa). GRI SO5
Innovation Center
Cargill also has an Innovation Center in Campinas (SP) dedicated to developing solutions and products. The Innovation Center has seven laboratories for dairy and beverages, convenience food, bakery and confections, and sweets and chocolate, in addition to a culinary center and applications center for paper, textiles, corrugated paper, and biopolymers. The facilities are prepared to receive different visitors for seminars, training courses, meetings, and workshops.
For example, in 2014 the Innovation Center hosted the 5th Workshop of the Ice Cream Industry, attended by many representatives of this industry as well as Cargill customers. The event discussed industry trends and included a technical lecture on evaluating the quality of ice cream.
Together with FrymaKoruma, Cargill organized two days of seminars on Mayonnaise, Emulsified Sauces, and Desserts. The seminars were attended by company customers, combined theory and practice, and provided an opportunity for participants to discuss issues.
Cargill also took part in the Program for Brazilian Sugar Confectionary Products to Reach International Standards, organized by the Brazilian Association of the Chocolate, Cocoa, Peanuts, Candies, and Similar Products (ABICAB). The event showed trends in this segment and provided an opportunity for Cargill to show that it is ready to help them succeed in this program.
A culture of innovation is valued globally by the company, which organizes the Achievers’ Circle. This award recognizes teams that developed the best solutions and promotes creativity in the workplace. The event is held annually in four regions around the globe: Latin America, Asia-Pacific and China; North America; and Europe, Middle East, and Africa. In 2014, the ceremony for the Latin American region was held at the Innovation Center.
Innovation Center
16
projects implemented
2.458
visitors
374
projects
Ação Renove o Meio Ambiente (Renew the Environment Initiative)
The Renew the Environment
Initiative is available in
five Brazilian states.
Established in 2010, this initiative partners with supermarket chains, businesses, NGOs, sanitation utilities, and environmental authorities to create a system that recycles used cooking oil into biodiesel, a clean and renewable fuel. In addition to providing the means for reverse logistics, this initiative also raises environmental awareness, which is important because a single liter of cooking oil discarded incorrectly can pollute up to 25,000 liters of water and clog home and public sewer systems. In 2014, the Renew the Environment Initiative reached Goiás, the fifth state in Brazil to house this initiative, following São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, and Paraná. The program now has 500 collection stations for used cooking oil. Since it was first implemented in 2010, the program has already correctly disposed of more than 700 metric tons of cooking oil.
Tomato products
In 2014, Cargill reinforced its social responsibility initiatives in the field and took a map of potential hazards to all its tomato farmers. This hazard map was developed with the support of the Health and Safety team, agricultural technicians, and several farmers. The main goal was to develop an easy-to-use and straightforward tool to highlight the main hazards found in tomato farming, the resulting impacts of any incidents, and what can be done to prevent these risks.
This resulted in a map that covers all field activities, from soil preparation to harvest. The information was then printed in banner form, so that farmers could place it in a clearly visible location at their farms and ensure this information was effectively used. The technical team personally delivered the hazard map to every farmer, along with the necessary guidance on its use. This has added safety to the tomato operation, thus avoiding accidents and environmental impact, and contributed to the strategy of providing healthy, safe, sustainable, and affordable food, from the field to consumers.
Certifications
Certifications and quality audits reinforce the company’s responsibility for its products and its respect for consumers and the environment. It also evidences Cargill’s strict cleaning procedures, control, and organization of the production process.
The certifications earned every year bear witness to the company’s respect for its customers and the security of the food produced.
Among the main achievements in 2014 we have the following:
In 2014, Cargill’s plant in Três Lagoas (MS) earned the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) and Biomass Biofuels Sustainability voluntary scheme (2BSvs) seals. These certifications are recognized by Europe’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and include traceability criteria, preservation of areas with a high conservation value, management of greenhouse gas emissions, and good agricultural practices. Additionally, the 12 locations of the GOSC Business Unit have also been approved under the 2BSvs certification in the states of Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, and Pará, including the river port of Santarém.
3S Certification
The 3S Certification was renewed in 2014 for farmers in the Ponto Grossa (PR) area, who have been part of the program since 2010. The certificate was also extended to Santarém to the farmers who are already part of the 2BS program. This means that Cargill offers these two certificates at the Santarém river port terminal, from where most of the grain shipped to Europe leaves. The 3S Certification was developed exclusively by Cargill in 2010 to provide solutions that enable all links of the soybean supply chain to become increasingly responsible.
Triple certification
In 2014, the Cargill plant in Ilhéus (BA) was certified under ISO 14001, for environmental practices, and under OHSAS 18001, for health and occupational safety practices. Combined with FSSC 2000, which covers food safety, the company achieved triple certification, which bears witness to the two years of work, from system implementation to the audit process.
UTZ Certified
This global certification defines criteria for good agricultural, environmental, and social practices and ensures product traceability. In Brazil, Cargill certified the Ilhéus (BA) and Porto Ferreira (SP) plants and encouraged cocoa farmers to secure their certification. Click here and know more.
Sustainable Palm Oil
In 2014, Cargill was certified in its Brazilian oil and fat operations for the purchasing, processing, and trading of sustainable palm oil under the international criteria adopted by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
Cargill’s Mairinque (SP) and Itumbiara (GO) plants were the company’s first in Latin America to be certified under the RSPO principles and criteria. This ensures that manufacturers, retailers, and consumers can rely on production plants that can supply ingredients containing certified palm oil.
Cargill believes that in order to prosper with its employees, suppliers, customers, and communities, it must provide initiatives aimed at building a healthier planet for society and future generations.
In 2014, for example, about 80 people, including employees of the Santarém (PA) location and their families, met to clean up Bosque Vera Paz, a grove next to the Cargill river terminal. This drive collected plastic cups, bags, and bottles that had been discarded incorrectly in nature. Trashcans were installed along the public trail that runs close to this grove. This initiative is already part of the social and environmental agenda at that location and represents an opportunity to raise awareness of the local community on the importance of properly discarding waste and of preserving the environment.
In partnership with the State of Pará Environmental Secretariat (Sema) and the Santarém Environmental Secretariat (Semma), Cargill reopened the Santarém Integrated Center for Environmental Information and Education (Ciam), an important organization that promotes local sustainable development. Cargill donated R$600,000 to help refurbish and reequip the facilities. The Ciam will base a series of activities, including building a georeferenced database for that municipality, organizing environmental indicators, preparing the Economic-Environmental Zoning (ZEE), and performing remote sensing of the municipality.
To preserve and protect biodiversity in Patrocínio Paulista (SP), where the CEVASA Mill is based, Cargill has been utilizing and performing Seasonal Wildlife Monitoring. A total of 10 seasonal campaigns will collect samples of the four groups of sampled vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish). The company also monitors the waters of the Santa Bárbara and Sapucaí Rivers, as well as their tributaries, in the upstream and downstream sections around impact areas. Using a Water Quality Index, it ascertains water quality and detects the presence of pesticides. Additionally, employees of the agricultural industry and permanent contractors are instructed on how to properly deal with wildlife, avoid bites from venomous species, prevent forest fires, and preserve legal reserves.
In Uberlândia (MG), Cargill offers the Water Protection Program, which includes initiatives to upgrade water quality and studies to improve the use, management, and conservation of soil, water, and forests of the Iapó River micro basin. Its conclusion is scheduled for October 2015, and the company expects that resulting benefits will include maintaining farming output while preserving natural resources, determining management zones and environmental risk zones, and defining a system to warn of environmental hazards. GRI EN13
In the coming years, Cargill plans to maintain existing programs and start new ones at other locations. GRI EN14
For Cargill, building a healthier planet depends on initiatives extending beyond the walls and gates of the company’s plants.
Oil sample test at a
laboratory in Mairinque (SP).The CEVASA
mill produces
sugar
and ethanol.
Initiatives to engage and ensure the wellbeing of communities around Cargill locations reinforce the company’s commitment to feed the world with safe, healthy, sustainable, and accessible food. All of the company’s business units offer such initiatives. Additionally, Fundação Cargill, established in 1973, has been the chief driver of the company’s social engagements and is in charge of designing and executing most initiatives.
Among the initiatives carried out by Fundação Cargill in 2014 are the following:
This project started in 2014 and provides professional training to youth aged 15 to 24 in the Castro (PR) region. The initiative is supported by the National Commercial Learning Service (Senac), the Industrial Social Service (Sesi), the National Industrial Learning Service (Senai), and Instituto Meio. Future Generation prepares these young workers for the job market and improves local income. Their families also have the support of a partnership with WMEO Instrutoria e Consultoria, a consulting company. This includes twice-a-month meetings called Dialogando com a Família (Dialoguing with the Family), designed to develop and improve behavioral competences and bring family members closer.
The first course, Viver e Adolescer com Qualidade de Vida (Living and Being a Teen with Quality of Life), was offered to two groups, one in Castro’s Youth Center and the other in the employees’ lounge of Construtora Abapan, a construction company. The project will extend to December 2015, when another 22 groups and several courses will start, divided into three categories: Citizenship Development, Technical Training, and Entrepreneurship Practice. The Future Generation project is expected to benefit about 505 youth. GRI EN14
Geração Futuro (Future Generation)
Fronts
Initiatives
Individuals benefited
Citizenship Development
(Senac and sesi)
– Living and Being a Teen
– Athletes of the Future
– Digital Education
175 youth
Technical and Professional Training
(Senac and sesi)
– Administrative support
– Building maintenance
– Computer operation and repair
– Kitchen assistant
– Pizza chef
– Baking services
For over four decades, Fundação Cargill has been an agent of change in the communities in which Cargill is active, entering into partnerships with many institutions, NGOs, and governments to develop social-change programs focused on safe, healthy, sustainable, and affordable food. In 2014, Fundação Cargill organized 16 projects that benefited more than 59,000 people in 13 Brazilian cities.
Some of the projects include:
Volunteers
A large share of the success enjoyed by the initiatives promoted by Fundação Cargill is the result of the engagement of volunteer employees, who dedicate part of their time to following the daily aspects of the social projects, take part in events, and provide support for activities. In 2014, Fundação Cargill had the help of 319 volunteers.
The company also values the engagement of employees in initiatives of other institutions that are also focusing on benefiting local communities. Three times a year, Cargill’s headquarters in Minneapolis, United States, recognizes the work of these employees through the Cargill Cares Volunteer Award Program, in which employees submit the names of the institutions to which they dedicate their time. The company then donates funds to some of these institutions. In Brazil, over 40 employees have already been recognized globally. The prize is given directly to the institutions named.
Eating, Sharing, and Playing
In partnership with Edukatu, a network that raises awareness of teachers and students towards responsible consumption, Fundação Cargill launched Eating, Sharing, and Playing, an online tool that encourages discussions on healthy eating habits; malnutrition and childhood obesity; growing a vegetable garden; waste and the full use of food; responsible consumption of food; and reading and learning about food labels. This initiative also provides text, infographics, and games, which are used by students and teachers to reflect on their eating habits. To take part, individuals must enroll in the Edukatu website and organize themselves into teams. The project has already benefited about 2,200 students. Click here to find out more.
Planting Hope
With the support of Fundação Cargill, Projeto Plantando Esperanças (Planting Hope Project) is offered in Rondonópolis (MT), at Associação Beneficente Nossa Senhora de Fátima – Casa Esperança. It has already benefited 150 drug addicts. The initiative helps this organization produce vegetables that are sold for income that improves the institution, provides occupational therapy for the interns working in the vegetable garden, and encourages safe and healthy nutrition.
The vegetables grown in the garden have been enough to feed 440 people (150 interns of Casa Esperança and bout 290 interns of two other institutions nearby). Additionally, in only two months the institution earned over R$3,000 from the sale of surplus vegetables to local supermarkets.
Fundação Cargill
Vision
Be a reference in promoting and disseminating knowledge of healthy, safe, sustainable, and accessible food.
Mission
Promote healthy, safe, sustainable, and affordable food, from the farm to the consumer.
Project to benefit children
with Down syndrome
in Goiânia (GO).Opening of the Pães e
Flores Santa Isabel bakery,
part of the Hands-On Project.
Projeto Horta nas Escolas (School Vegetable Gardens Project)
A partnership between Fundação Cargill and Organização Cidades sem Fome, this initiative plants vegetable gardens in public schools. It is a tool of environmental and food education and helps enrich the school lunch with organic vegetables. In 2014, the initiative created six vegetable gardens and two greenhouses in six public schools of São Paulo’s (SP) East Zone. These schools already had large areas of land that were not being used for any specific purpose. The project has already benefited about 4,050 students of these six schools.
Projeto Mãos na Massa (Hands-on Project)
In 2014, Fundação Cargill opened a bakery, Pães e Flores Santa Izabel, at Associação Amigos da Criança (AMIC), a charity in Campinas (SP). With the new facilities, this association can now bake up to 4,000 bread rolls per day and help feed about 1,000 children. In the future, the bakery is expected to sell its surplus products to the surrounding community and earn additional revenue for AMIC. The bakery opening was part of the celebrations for Fundação Cargill’s 41st anniversary and was attended by representatives of Cargill, AMIC, and by Campinas social workers.
Projeto Inclusão
In partnership with the Catholic University (PUC) of Goiás, Fundação Cargill designed an initiative that provides nutritional guidance to individuals with Down syndrome who are registered in the Down Association of the State of Goiás (ASDOWN). Supervised by faculty members, senior students of PUC’s Nutrition course provide weekly support to ASDOWN patients and their families to promote healthy eating habits and better quality of life. The program also offers monthly cooking classes taught by a volunteer chef, to encourage participants to prepare their own meals. Cargill volunteers take part by helping participants prepare the meals. This initiative benefits about 95 people aged 16 to 45 with Down syndrome.
Nutritional support to oncological patients
Fundação Cargill has funded the Support Group for Children and Teens with Cancer (GRAACC), which provides nutritional support to young cancer patients and their families, raising awareness on the importance of proper nutrition during and after cancer treatment. In 2014, Cargill was named a GRAACC Certified Supporter for the help it provided to this project. About 270 children and teens benefited from the program during 2014.
Conhecer para Nutrir (Know to Nourish)
This project was organized by Fundação Abrinq in the municipality of Barreiras (BA) and was funded by Fundação Cargill, to improve nutrition and promote food security to children up to five years old in Barreiras (BA). The initiative is designed to train community health agents, canteen staff, and members of the School Lunch Council (CAE) to disseminate healthy eating habits and value local foods. The project has already benefited
3,889 individuals.
Cozinha Brasil (Brazil Kitchen)
This program was developed by Sesi to promote nutrition education initiatives and improve eating habits of the communities served. As a partner of this initiative, Fundação Cargill offered, free of charge, the Basic Course on Nutrition Education. In 2014, the course was offered from September to November in Uberlândia (MG). At the time, students helped prepare recipes and received tips from Sesi nutritionists on how to fully use foods and plan grocery shopping. The 10-hour course gave a recipe book and a certificate of attendance to participants who attended at least 75 percent of the classes. Total investment was R$10,000 and 95 students took part in the classes.
Training farmers
This project is offered in partnership with the National Farm Learning Service (SENAR) and is designed to improve yields and profitability of farms in Ilhéus (BA) and other cocoa farming areas in that state, including Gandu, Uruçuca, Ibirapitanga, Ubaitaba, and Camacan. The goal is to provide professional training to 40 farmers and farm workers on available technologies and technical support, in addition to fostering economic and social development of rural families. The project also offered field days to participating communities to replicate practices and provide encouragement to other farmers in these areas. On the social front, the project offered lectures on the environment, health, and nutrition, to improve the quality of life of farmers, farm workers, and their families. This is part of the Coca Promise, a Cargill global initiative that supports and promotes a sustainable cocoa supply chain. Click here and learn about other 2014 initiatives.
Manioc in cooking
In partnership with Sesi, this initiative trained 80 low-income workers living in the communities of Teotônio Vilela and Iguape, in Ilhéus (BA). They learned how to use manioc to improve their daily meals and how to apply this knowledge to boost their income. Participants were also instructed on the right time to plant and harvest manioc, learned about the applicable rules for food handling, and were trained on how to multiply the knowledge on the rational use of manioc, on gains provided by processing this root, and on how to produce secondary products.
“de grão em grão” program
This initiative was established in 2004 with a mission to disseminate healthy nutrition habits among children aged 6 to 10 in public schools. Using an education approach, it teaches concepts ranging from proper food hygiene, after-harvest handling of vegetables, and vegetable garden production techniques. So that training is not limited to theory, Fundação Cargill plants vegetable gardens in public schools to help students get hands-on experience of the topics covered in the classroom. Accordingly, Fundação Cargill provides everything necessary to plant a vegetable garden, including soil, seeds, tools, training, etc. The harvested products are then used as part of the school lunch, making the meals more nutritious and tasty. Teachers and canteen staff also attended training courses on safe food practices and nutritional techniques. In 2014, “de grão em grão” celebrated its 10th anniversary and came to São Paulo (SP) to the Três Pontes Unified Educational Center (CEU) in São Miguel Paulista. This resulted from a partnership between Fundação Cargill, the City of São Paulo, and Cidade Sem Fome, an NGO that is put in charge of maintaining the vegetable garden. In 2014, the “de grão em grão” was offered in nine cities and benefited 40,000 individuals of 88 municipal schools.
