Conagra Brands Celebrates Employee Innovations Through Its Sustainable Development Awards

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Conagra Brands (NYSE: CAG) has announced the winners of its Sustainable Development Awards, recognizing employee achievements in sustainability across five categories: Climate Change, Packaging, Responsible Sourcing, Water Reduction, and Waste Reduction. Notable achievements include Maple Grove's 12% reduction in natural gas usage, Rensselaer's packaging optimization saving 79 metric tons of CO2 emissions, and Waterloo's water conservation project saving over one million gallons.

The Award of Excellence went to Irapuato, Mexico, for upgrading their biogas system, now providing 8% of the site's electricity. Each winning team receives a $5,000 grant from the Conagra Brands Foundation for community investment. These initiatives demonstrate the company's commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable practices.

 Awards focus on Climate Change, Packaging, Responsible Sourcing, Water Reduction and Waste Reduction

CHICAGO, Nov. 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Conagra Brands (NYSE: CAG) announced today the winners of its Sustainable Development Awards, a program designed to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions of its dedicated employees. The awards are focused on sustainability initiatives across five strategic categories: Climate Change, Packaging, Responsible Sourcing, Water Reduction and Waste Reduction. In addition, an overall "Award of Excellence" is presented to the project that best exemplifies Conagra's six Timeless Values of Integrity, External Focus, Broad-Mindedness, Agility, Leadership and Results.

The program invited cross-functional employee teams to submit projects completed during Conagra's fiscal years 2023 and 2024. Each submission was evaluated by a panel of peers, with the final winners selected by the company's sustainability leaders.

"At Conagra Brands, our Sustainable Development Awards highlight our employees' remarkable ingenuity in creating environmentally responsible solutions," said Christine Daugherty, vice president of sustainability at Conagra Brands. "These ongoing efforts help influence improvements across our facilities and underscore Conagra's commitment to environmental stewardship. Congratulations to everyone who participated and demonstrated their innovation and determination."

The Sustainable Development Awards acknowledge exceptional performance, motivate continuous improvement and foster a positive culture by celebrating shared successes. Conagra's 2024 Sustainable Development Award winners include:

• Climate Change: Maple Grove, Minn. – The Maple Grove team installed energy-efficient air units that cut natural gas usage by 12%, saving approximately $36,000 annually.
• Packaging: Rensselaer, Ind. – The team in Rensselaer redesigned their shipping pallets for Orville Redenbacher's®, fitting 30 more popcorn jugs per pallet. This change eliminated the need for 34 metric tons of packaging annually. In addition, the reduction in the number of pallets sent for transport led to fewer trucks on the road, saving 79 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.
• Responsible Sourcing: Darien, Wis. – The Darien plant transformed 152 acres of farmland into hayfields and natural prairie, significantly reducing fertilizer and herbicide use. This change improved local wildlife habitats, controlled erosion and provided hay for local farmers.
• Water Reduction: Waterloo, Iowa – The Waterloo team upgraded their automated cleaning room to a modern system that recovers cleaning solutions and maintains a more efficient wash cycle. This project saved more than one million gallons of water and reduced energy and chemical use. The new system also provides data for future savings and can be applied to other facilities.
• Waste Reduction: Waterloo, Iowa – At Conagra's facility in Waterloo, the team launched a project to reduce waste from DAVID® Sunflower Seeds by measuring input materials and waste. This data-driven approach saved $485,000 annually, reduced overall yield loss by approximately 6% and eliminated nearly 200 tons of waste.
• Award of Excellence: Irapuato, Mexico – The Irapuato team upgraded their biogas system to reduce energy consumption and generate hot water. They installed turbines to produce electricity and a heat exchanger to use exhaust gases for heating water. This project now provides 8% of the site's electricity and reduces natural gas use by 6%.

Each winning project team will receive a $5,000 grant from the Conagra Brands Foundation to invest back into their surrounding community, empowering employees to make a tangible difference where they live and work.

For more information about Conagra's ongoing sustainability initiatives, please see the company's 2023 Citizenship Report.

About Conagra Brands
Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), is one of North America's leading branded food companies. We combine a 100-year history of making quality food with agility and a relentless focus on collaboration and innovation. The company's portfolio is continuously evolving to satisfy consumers' ever-changing food preferences. Conagra's brands include Birds Eye®, Duncan Hines®, Healthy Choice®, Marie Callender's®, Reddi-wip®, Slim Jim®, Angie's® BOOMCHICKAPOP®, and many more. As a corporate citizen, we aim to do what's right for our business, our employees, our communities and the world. Headquartered in Chicago, Conagra Brands generated fiscal 2024 net sales of more than $12 billion. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com.

For additional information, please contact:
media@conagra.com 

 

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SOURCE Conagra Brands, Inc.

FAQ

What sustainability achievements did Conagra Brands (CAG) recognize in its 2024 Sustainable Development Awards?

Conagra recognized achievements in five categories: Climate Change (Maple Grove's 12% gas reduction), Packaging (Rensselaer's pallet optimization), Responsible Sourcing (Darien's farmland transformation), Water Reduction (Waterloo's cleaning system upgrade), and Waste Reduction (Waterloo's sunflower seed waste reduction).

How much CO2 emissions did Conagra's (CAG) Rensselaer facility save through its packaging optimization project?

The Rensselaer facility saved 79 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually by redesigning shipping pallets to fit 30 more popcorn jugs per pallet, reducing the number of trucks needed for transport.

What environmental impact did Conagra's (CAG) Waterloo facility achieve in water conservation?

The Waterloo facility saved more than one million gallons of water through an upgraded automated cleaning room system that recovers cleaning solutions and maintains a more efficient wash cycle.

What reward do Conagra (CAG) Sustainable Development Award winners receive in 2024?

Each winning project team receives a $5,000 grant from the Conagra Brands Foundation to invest in their local community.