Welcome to Smithfield Foods' Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Web site. Within this site, we highlight our progress in environmental performance, animal care, food safety and quality, helping communities, and employee relations—key topics for our company and its stakeholders. We also discuss our international operations and our strengthened CSR governance and management structure, including a set of sustainability goals and targets that we adopted in 2010.
We have been publishing annual CSR reports for several years. For our 2010/2011 report, we shifted our approach to Web-based reporting to embed our annual CSR information with more frequently updated content and provide opportunities for engagement and dialogue. Our Web-based reporting follows the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G3 Guidelines, which provide a recommended sustainability reporting framework and indicators. We are reporting at a GRI-checked application level of “B,” and we have incorporated content to begin aligning with the new Food Processing Sector Supplement. We have also produced a summary report, which is available for download here (PDF).
We use the results of a 2010 materiality analysis and the GRI G3 Guidelines to help focus the boundaries of the qualitative and quantitative information we report. With the exception of the “About Smithfield Foods” section, and unless otherwise indicated, the information and metrics we are reporting pertain to Smithfield Foods’ independent operating companies and investments in which we have a majority (51 percent or more) interest.1 We also discuss our management approach to contract farming, primarily in the areas of environment and animal care, but we do not provide performance data for these operations because our contract farmers are independent businesses.
Changes in the scope of reporting or reclassifications of data previously reported are noted in the relevant data sections, as are other assumptions and bases for calculations. We primarily use American measurement units and American numbering conventions when reporting the performance of our U.S. and international operations.
The financial data presented on these pages have been audited by a third-party firm. Other data and information have been subject to internal review but not external, third-party assurance. The content focuses primarily on calendar year 2010 but includes fiscal 2011 financial information and discussion of some key developments that occurred in early 2011. Smithfield’s fiscal year runs from May through April.
Throughout these pages, Smithfield Foods is referred to as Smithfield. The name “Smithfield” is also sometimes utilized for ease of reference to indicate one or more independent operating companies. Smithfield should not be confused with The Smithfield Packing Company, Inc., which is a subsidiary.
Forward-Looking Information
These pages may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. In light of the risks and uncertainties involved, we invite you to read the Risk Factors and Forward-Looking Information sections of the Smithfield Foods 2011 Annual Report (PDF).
1 Smithfield Foods, Inc., is a holding company with a number of independent operating companies. For the purposes of this report, the term “independent operating company” and “subsidiary” are used interchangeably to refer to various entities of the Smithfield Foods family of companies.
