The "Behind the Brand" report grades the 10 largest food and beverage companies, including Kellogg Co., for environmental and social practices. The graphic is courtesy of www.oxfam.org. BATTLE CREEK, MI – A recent report is accusing Kellogg Co. of having poor agricultural policies, social commitments and supply chain oversight.
Last week, Oxfam International released its first , ranking the "Big 10" food and beverage companies – which includes Associated British Foods (ABF), Coca Cola, Danone, General Mills, Kellogg's, Mars, Mondelez, Nestlé, Pepsico and Unilever – for its environmental and social policies.
Kellogg's ranked among the worst, tying with General Mills in 8th place with a 23 percent score. ABF received the worst score.
The report charges the "The Big 10," which collectively make $1 billion a day, for failing people in developing countries who supply land, labor, water and commodities needed for production.
The report grades each company on policies regarding discrimination against women, land and water grab protection, transparency, water efficiency, reducing emissions and fair pricing to farmers.
"It's time these companies take more responsibility for their immense influence on poor people's lives," said Jeremy Hobbs, Executive Director for Oxfam International. "Eighty percent of the world's hungry people work in food production and these companies employ millions of people in developing countries to grow their ingredients. They control hundreds of the world's most popular brands and have the economic, social and political clout to make a real and lasting difference to the world's poor and hungry."
Kris Charles, a Kellogg Company spokesperson, said the company was in regular communication with Oxfam as the report was prepared.
The company was given a nod for transparency due to having fairly open audits but was given a thumbs down for its not disclosing information about commodities used in its products. The company has also set targets to reduce its water use.
The company received the lowest scores for its land-use behavior and treatment of farmers.
"As part of our commitment to a sustainable, ethical and transparent supply chain, we are working more closely with the farmers who grow our grains to drive collaborative sustainability improvements," Charles said. "Kellogg is also committed to helping address hunger worldwide and that's why we recently pledged to provide one-half billion servings of breakfast to children and families, through our new Breakfasts for Better Days initiative."
The company announced its plans to donate 1 billion servings of cereal and snacks by the end of 2016 the same day the report was released.
Kellogg Co. paid a $500,000 penalty for violating the Clean Air Act at its manufacturing sites in Battle Creek and Grand Rapids in Oct. 2012 and vowed to implement more than $400,000 in changes as part of an agreement with the federal government.
Oxfam is an international confederation of seventeen organizations in 92 countries aiming to eliminate poverty and injustice. The confederation has celebrity ambassadors including Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth, Coldplay and Minnie Driver.
Contact Ursula Zerilli at uzerilli@mlive.com or 269-254-5295. Follow her on twitter.
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