Kraft Heinz announces progress toward goals in 2022 ESG Report

Pittsburgh-based Kraft Heinz announced it had made progress toward its environmental and social goals in its 2022 Environment Social and Governance Report released Oct. 18.

According to the report, entitled Together at the Table, the company achieved its 2021 employee representation objectives and emission reduction targets. Highlighting progress along three pillars – Healthy Living & Community Support, Environmental Stewardship, and Responsible Sourcing – the report said the company’s moves forward would help it build value among its stakeholders through responsible business practices.

“The food industry has seen countless challenges in the last two years,” said Miguel Patricio, Kraft Heinz CEO and Chair of the Board of Directors. “It is during these challenging moments when true innovation happens, and collaborations are most important. Working with our many partners, we are developing solutions to foster a more inclusive workforce, address climate challenges, and combat food insecurity. Now more than ever, it is critical that businesses like ours take a leadership role in addressing the environmental and social issues that affect all of us around the world.”

According to the report, the company moved forward on its goal of halving its greenhouse gas emission by 2030 and achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The company said it made progress on its goal to reduce waste to landfill intensity by 20 percent by 2025, achieving a waste to landfill intensity reduction of nearly 15 percent in 2021.

Additionally, the company said it moved forward on its goal of using 100 percent recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging by 2025, with nearly 84 percent of its global packaging meeting that goal in 2021.

As part of that goal, the company worked to develop a fully circular Heinz Tomato Ketchup bottle in Europe by 2022. In 2021, the final piece of the project was created – a recyclable cap. More than 40 unique designs were created, using state-of-the-art 3D printing, to develop a recyclable squeeze ketchup bottle. The company also developed a fiber-based microwavable Kraft Mac and Cheese cup. The bottle and the cup are expected to enter the global market by the end of 2022.

“Innovations like the fully circular Heinz Tomato Ketchup bottle and new plant-based products like vegan mayonnaise are great examples of how Kraft Heinz is working to lead the future of food,” said Rashida La Lande, EVP, Global General Counsel, and Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer at Kraft Heinz. “This work demonstrates the potential that lies at the intersection of doing what’s good for the planet and addressing important consumer needs at the same time.”

The company also said it made progress on its diversity and inclusion goals by increasing the representation of women in global management positions to 39 percent and increasing people of color in U.S. salaried positions to 26 percent, putting it on track to meet its diversity and inclusion goals by 2050.