Bunge

1. Mission

• Bunge's mission statement is as follows: "We are a commodity-based processing and logistics company that connects farmers with feed, food and retail customers. We strive to continuously improve the food production chain and to deliver high quality products that are safe and competitive."

2. Purpose

• The following is Bunge's statement of purpose: "Our purpose is to enhance lives by improving the agribusiness and food production chain."

3. Vision

• Bunge's vision statement is the following: "Food is life. Energy is life. The world will need more food and energy, and natural resources are getting increasingly scarce."

Cargill

1. Mission

• Cargill's mission statement is as follows: "We bring food, agricultural, financial and industrial products to people who need them all around the world."

2. Purpose

• The following is Cargill's statement of purpose: "Our purpose is to nourish the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way. Every day, we connect farmers with markets, customers with ingredients, and people and animals with the food they need to thrive. We combine our experience with new technologies and insights to serve as a trusted partner for food, agriculture, financial and industrial customers in more than 125 countries."

3. Vision

• Cargill's vision "is to be the global leader in nourishing people."
• At times, Cargill uses the terms purpose and vision interchangeably with regard to the aforementioned vision statement, but the company's CEO referred to that statement as the company's vision in stating the following: "Cargill’s vision of being the global leader in nourishing people comes with a commitment to being responsible."

Research Strategy

Golden State Foods

• According to Golden State Foods' website, its creed and values are its mission statement.
• Golden State Foods' creed is "We believe in God and the dignity of all people. We believe that people should be treated as we would like to be treated, and this applies to all of our associates, their families, our customers and suppliers, and to all others with whom we do business. We believe that successful independent business is the backbone of nations, and that our success is dependent upon the success of our customers, and that only by working together can the ultimate success of all partners be assured. We, therefore, dedicate ourselves to work for our mutual success and pledge our best efforts always toward the attainment of our common goal.
• Golden State Foods' values are the following statements:
• Treat others like you want to be treated.
•  Make the best product.
• Give the customers a fair deal.
•  Maintain the highest standards.
• Golden State Foods' purpose is to process and distribute "liquid products, meat products, produce, dairy, and other services, providing a variety of networked solutions for the total supply chain spectrum."
• Golden State Foods' vision is to "make the best products and provide the best service."

Kikkoman

• Kikkoman's mission statement is "to produce higher quality products and services in an efficient, safe and hygienic manner."
• Kikkoman's purposes are to manufacture and market food products and to provide "products and services related to food and health."
• Kikkoman's vision is three-fold:
• To pursue the fundamental principle "consumer-oriented"
• To promote the international exchange of food culture 
• To become a company whose existence is meaningful to the global society 

Strata Foods

• Stratas Foods LLC's mission statement is as follows: "Stratas Foods LLC is a leading supplier of fats, oils, sauces, mayonnaise and dressings to the Foodservice, Food Ingredients and Retail Private Label markets in North America."

• The following is Stratas Foods LLC's statement of purpose: "Stratas Foods has built its leadership position in the industry through a combination of product consistency, quality, and service. Stratas is also recognized for its innovation in terms of research and development to meet the demands of consumers for “better performing” and “better for you” products."

• "We are committed to being the most valued supplier of fats, oils, mayonnaise, dressings and sauces to the foodservice, food ingredients and retail private-label markets in North America. We will accomplish this by focusing on the following:

• Building strong relationships with customers, suppliers and other business partners.

• Delivering service and quality that our customers recognize as outstanding.

• Providing industry-leading innovation and technology support.

• Providing a broad portfolio of solutions that fully meet our customers’ evolving needs."

T. Marzetti Foodservice

• As per T. Marzetti Foodservice's website, its mission statement is: "a leading specialty foods company, celebrates its strong brands, outstanding products, and innovative culture."

• T. Marzetti's Foodservice's purpose is to: "bring delicious food to the table, superior service to our customers" with products such as Marzetti salad dressings and dips, New York Bakery frozen breads and Sister Schubert's homemade rolls."

• T. Marzetti Foodservice's vision statement is the following: "We bring delicious food to the table, superior service to our customers, and value to our consumers through product innovation and differentiation."

Research Strategy

• To find the mission, purpose, and vision statements for both Stratas Foods and T. Marzetti Foodservice, we began by reviewing the company's websites. We did so to see whether the companies published any or all of those statements on their websites. We were able to find those statements through the companies' websites.

Bolthouse

• Bolthouse's mission is to "Inspire the Fresh Revolution by changing the way people consume fruits and veggies."
• Bolthouse's purpose is to provide healthier products. According to the company's website, this is its promise to consumers.
• Bolthouse's vision is to guide "a new way for people to eat and live healthier lifestyles."

Heluva Good!

• Heluva Good!'s mission appears to be to "put fun in every flavor."
• Heluva Good!'s purpose appears to be to make a "hell of a good cheese" and dips.
• Heluva Good!'s vision appears to be that they are "serious about snacking" and want to "keep the fun in food."

Overview of Sustainability Efforts

• Bunge is working to eliminate deforestation from its global supply chains. It blocked farmers who are not committed to observing its deliberate commitments on its non-deforestation policy.
•  36% of Bunge’s palm oil was verified deforestation-free in the 4th quarter of 2018.
• The company supports sustainable sourcing of palm oil.
•  Satellite monitoring is Bunge’s key effort in authenticating the sustainability profile of large amounts of the products it processes and ships. In 2018, the company tracked above 7,700 different South American areas for deforestation.
• Bunge publishes two reports yearly regarding traceability and impact on the value chain of its grains and oil seeds. This reporting increases transparency as well as traceability to farm.
• In 2018, the company attained 98% traceability to mills and 50% traceability to the plantation in palm oil.
• Another sustainability effort is expanding the positive impact. Bunge involves partners and stakeholders in advancing the key standards regarding sustainability.
• The company involves its stakeholders to create scalable solutions to problems surrounding sustainability.
• It subscribes to the demands of the Amazon Soy Moratorium. This organization requires its members not to purchase soy from any place in the Amazon Biome whose deforestation occurred after 2008.
• Regarding the palm value chain, Bunge supports landscape projects and satellite monitoring. These initiatives aim at preserving the high-carbon-stock forests. These forests are crucial in the GHG reduction, minimizing climate change, and protecting habitats as well as biodiversity.
• Bunge is increasing the use of renewable energy sources to minimize GHG emissions.
• The company is focused on reducing water use across its facilities by 10% overall and 25% in water-stressed areas. The company had already achieved a 6.2% reduction by the end of 2018.

Overview of CSR Efforts

• Bunge takes part in local activities. It participates in and sponsors activities that support the communities in its global operations.
• The company purchases from nearby farms in an effort to promote the growth of local companies.
• Through employment and investments, the company supports the progress of local communities. The company practices these efforts through employee volunteer activities and by collaborating with community associations.
• The company engages in constructive conversation with various stakeholders on matters of progressing sustainability in global operations and supply chain. This effort is put on to all of Bunge’s operations, globally, and programs and activities are customized based on local needs.
• Bunge has repeatedly directed its social investments to realize projects that help in the local development of the communities in the areas where they are installed.
• Bunge equips social groups in various ways to help in their economic development. For Instance, it issued 300 rollers to women groups originating from Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Benin in 2018. The rollers were to help the recipients in the collection of shea nuts in the field.
• It leads programs that promote societal integration. In 2018, the company led the Mato Grosso program intending to enhance the inclusion of young apprentices and disabled persons in market workforce.
• In 2018, the company's focused on the integral protection of youngsters and teenagers and support for the socioeconomic development people in the Para region.
• The company has partnered with Senar to encourage income generation in Para communities. Increased income helps increase the self-esteem and living standards of people in the region.

Analysis of Bunge’s Focus on Embedding Purpose

• The sustainability policy of the company is entrenched in all its value chains.  
•  Sustainability is at the core of all Bunge’s operations, including sourcing, supply chain, and processing.
• Bunge employs the ACE Platform philosophy in approaching its sustainability-related policies and activities. The approach involves action, conservation, and engaging in matters of sustainability.
• The company has made sustainability and transparency in value chains part of its vision.
• Bunge is greatly focused on embedding purpose in sustainability initiatives, which include having a deforestation-free supply chain, minimized GHG emissions, and protected carbon-capturing ecosystems.
• It is focused on achieving a deforestation-free supply globally between 2020 and 2025.
• Also, the company emphasizes entrenching purpose in conserving biodiversity and conserving freshwater as well as responsible operation in water-limited areas.
• The company is effectively focused on enhancing communities' livelihoods and upholding labor and land use rights as part of its corporate social responsibility.
•  Bunge’s Best in Class initiative is executed in all of its operations. The initiative includes optimized assets and improved analytics as well as enhanced processes.
• The company is building on its Energy Optimization Program. Bunge uses this program with the intent of lowering energy consumption and aid the utilization of advanced software technology for regular optimization and monitoring of energy consumption.

Research Strategy

Sustainability Efforts

• Cargill has trained 2.3 million farmers on sustainable agriculture since 2017 and the company's initiative aims to train 10 million farmers by 2030.
• The company has partnered with Soil Health Institute to study and promote the various benefits of soil health management practices and systems in North America.
• Cargill is actively seeking to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 10% calculated from the 2017 baseline. To this end, it has purchased 50 megawatts of wind power from Geronimo Energy to increase its utilization of renewable power in its operations.
• The forest protection initiative aims to ensure that agriculture and forests are coexisting sustainably. Cargill has updated its global forest policy and developed a policy with a timed action plan to direct the sustainable production of soy in South America. To bolster the initiative, the company has committed $30 million for finding and implementing innovative ways of preserving forests in the region.
• Cargill supports The Nature Conservancy in its efforts to protect natural resources with a critical effect on the Mississippi River. The company has invested in stream banks, easements, and floodplain restoration to help prevent sediments and pollutants from entering water bodies in Minnesota. The initiative is in support of its sustainable beef production through protecting and cleaning rivers.
• Cargill upholds the Soy Moratorium in the Amazon which was agreed upon in 2006. The company has partnered with various organizations to implement the initiative of not buying soy from farms in the Amazon that have been deforested later than 2006. The effort has led to an 80% decline in deforestation in the Amazon.
• The company's commitment to sustainably source 60% of its red seaweed is backed by the initiative to build resilience in the entire supply chain. Cargill has financed research into red seaweed and its cultivation with a focus on advanced harvesting techniques. It has also developed programs that share best practices in red seaweed farming and invested in better infrastructure.

CSR Efforts

• Cargill collaborated with One Campaign to improve girls' access to education and help lift girls and women out of poverty through sharing positive stories about women advocating for change in their communities. The initiative is scheduled to run for two years and Cargill has committed $2 million towards the cause.
• In its cocoa supply chain in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, Cargill has partnered with CARE to establish 108 women groups and "29 village savings and loan associations" in a bid to empower women involved in the supply chain.
• In response to the Midwest flooding in Nebraska and Iowa, Cargill provided a $100,000 grant to Food Bank for the Heartland and Red Cross to help support the community affected by the floods. It also created a grant program that matched donations from its employees in a bid to further assist the flood victims.
•  Cargill Foundation partnered with several non-profit organizations operating in Minnesota in a bid to reduce the opportunity gap in children from low-income families and improve childhood nutrition. The foundation donated $10 million to support the pressing social issue.
• In Vietnam, Cargill has built 87 schools since 1997 through the Cargill Care program. The schools serve approximately 13,000 students and the company has spent over $5 million on this initiative. It also organizes children's day and distributes shoes, school bags, and toys to the students.
• Cargill has been working with the "World Food Program to support homegrown school meals in 62 countries". The initiative seeks to enhance food and school nutrition programs in primary schools and targets students from low-income families. In Indonesia, Cargill has distributed at least 76,000 meals since 2017.
• Cargill launched The Hatching Hope Global Initiative which intends to "improve the nutrition and economic livelihoods of 100 million people by 2030" through production and promotion of poultry. The initiative works with women smallholder farmers to empower them economically and help them participate in bridging the global food security gap.

Embedding Purpose in Operations and CSR Versus Sustainability Initiatives

• Cargill aims to "nourish the world in a safe, responsible, sustainable way". The core purpose of the company is deeply embedded in its operations, CSR and sustainability efforts.
• In its soy value chain operations, Cargill's commitment to protecting the environment is demonstrated by its stand and refusal to buy soy cultivated in the Amazon biome. It has also made financial commitments in South America to protect natural vegetation.
• The company maintains a 100% traceability to the mills in their palm oil value chain. Cargill is working towards complete traceability to the plantations which currently stands at 42%.
• Cargill has mapped 110,000 cocoa farms around the globe which represents 48% of its direct supply chain. The practice is conducted to certify the source of cocoa beans as truly sustainable and ensure that forests and agricultural practices are existing sustainably.
• In its shipping operations, Cargill has embraced sustainability by partnering with other stakeholders to promote transparency and accountability. The company's fleet is rated A-D by Shipwright and it has committed to Global Sulphur Cap compliance.
• In its CSR, Cargill demonstrates its purpose by engaging in sustainable and responsible initiatives. The Hatching Hope initiative seeks to empower communities while tackling global nutritional challenges in a sustainable way.
• With regard to CSR initiatives in education, the company has continually built schools in Vietnam and provided ongoing support. Its nutrition initiatives in schools focus on encouraging homegrown school meals that are sustainable through engaging local suppliers.
• In its sustainability initiatives, Cargill focuses on training farmers on sustainable agriculture as they are a crucial component of the company's value chain. It also empowers them through sustainability certifications.
• The company's decision to reduce its reliance on non-renewable energy has been strengthened by the move to switch to wind power thus demonstrating unwavering purpose and commitment to sustainability.

CSR Efforts

• As of 2020, Golden State Foods has received an ISO 14001 Certification at half of their U.S. facilities.
• Golden State Foods uses hydrogen fuel cells to deliver power to material handling equipment.
• At certain facilities, Golden State Foods uses rainwater to irrigate native vegetation.
• Golden State Foods also states to be a shareholder in Renewable Energy Group, a company notable for producing biofuel made from cooking oil.

Sustainability Efforts

• In 2014, Pratt Industries, America's leader in recycled paper and packaging, recognized Golden State Foods for its commitment to sustainability.
• Pratt Industries cited Golden State Foods' "zero landfill initiative" as one of its reasons for recognition.
• For the year of 2020, Golden State Foods has set out five sustainability goals.
•  The company's goals are: cutting down its carbon footprint by one-fifth, practicing "zero waste to landfill" in all of its facilities, receiving green building equivalent certifications at three-fourths of its institutions, inducting renewable energy or alternative fuel in its entire fleet, and actively interacting with four-fifths of its associates.
• In 2018, Golden State Foods built thirty-two electric power outlets in Garner, North Carolina, mainly to lower air emissions, working in tandem with Duke Energy.
• In 2018, the company boasted a fleet of one-thousand 48 and 53 foot tractor trailers, as well as one hundred twenty-eight foot box trucks.
• During that year, the fleet made more than twenty-five thousand deliveries a week, accounting for more than sixty-million miles.
• Golden State Foods also added solar panels to the top of its trucks that operate in a sunlight-dominated climate.
•  As of the fourth quarter of 2019, Golden State Foods finalized its deposits to Tesla for semi trucks to experiment with sustainable delivery systems.

Sustainability Efforts

• CSR Hub rates Kikkoman's sustainability efforts at 63%. According to the parent company website, the company's environmental initiatives date back to 1970.
• Kikkoman USA was involved in alternative energy generation as early as 2010.
• Between 1997 and 2006, Kikkoman attained ISO14001 certification for all its major bases. In 2015, Kikkoman signed onto the Water Mandate in the UN Global Compact and Water Project.
• Since 1995, the company has won 25 awards, 24 of which are for environmental initiatives.
• Currently, Kikkoman operates an 'Environmental Preservation Management Promotion System,' which involves a broad swath of management in environmental steerage and environmental initiative execution. 'Management,' in this instance, includes individuals ranging from the CEO to managers in company offices. The company's Environmental Preservation Committee oversees all environmental preservation activities.
• The company also maintains a comprehensive and publicly-available 'activity book' detailing its 'environmental preservation activities,' which include initiatives in recycling, architecture, use of waste by-products, water preservation and eco-packaging.
• Kikkoman's environmental charter focuses on individual and corporate responsibility, self-reflection, and local engagement. This is indicated in its awards outcomes, which highlight the company's many initiatives in office architecture and creating local beautiful environments. From this, it can be deduced that these are the areas in which the company's sustainability efforts are most clearly embedded.

CSR Efforts

• Kikkoman's 'corporate citizenship' policy is established at the global parent-company level, and is strongly food-based. The three foundations of its corporate citizenship policy are 1) responsible operations, 2) products/services, and 3) actions for a global society. Of these, the latter two are specific to its food-based functionality, both in producing actual food products and in promoting specific food culture ideals.
• CSR hub gives Kikkoman a 54% absolute rating on CSR performance; it fares slightly better in comparative rankings, at 64%.
• In 2004, the company won the 2003 Excellent Corporation Award "for its excellent practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR) management that serves as a model for other companies."
• Kikkoman participates in the United Nations Global Compact(UNGC), established in 2001. The company also participates in a number of flexible work arrangements, which include flexible and staggered schedules, morning sickness leave, and multiple childcare leave and flexibility arrangements.
• The company operates multiple 'food education' initiatives, including a soy sauce museum, school education programs, and various food culture publications.
• Kikkoman has operated a local hospital in Kami-Hanawa, Noda City since 1914.
• Relative to its suppliers, Kikkoman has an explicit policy to "not pursue profits by unfair or unjust means."
• Kikkoman's CSR initiatives focus on local engagement, strong corporate responsibility, and wholesome engagement with the individual (both consumers and employees). Similar to its environmental and sustainability initiatives, the company's CSR initiatives keep close to its sphere as an employer and a food product producer; its CSR initiatives are embedded in its human resources policies, and its social initiatives focus specifically on creating depth of meaning around its food products.