Message from Chairman, President and CEO
Making a Difference for People and the Planet
The H.J. Heinz Company has been a good corporate citizen for 140 years. Throughout the Company’s history, it has made a positive social and economic impact in the community while pursuing sustainable business practices.
This 2009 Heinz Corporate Social Responsibility Report provides extensive details on our Company’s performance and progress over the last two fiscal years in critically important areas ranging from our environmental, social and economic impact of Company operations, ethics and employment practices.
In Fiscal Years 2008 and 2009, Heinz delivered record sales, higher earnings per share and dividend growth for our shareholders while staying true to the principles that have guided our Company since 1869 – Quality, Integrity, Innovation and Food Safety.
At the same time, we expanded our strong commitment to environmental responsibility by launching a global initiative across six continents that aims to achieve a 20% reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions, water and energy consumption, and solid waste by 2015.
Our Company has been working to achieve transparency and sustainability ever since Henry John Heinz started selling horseradish, his first product, in clear glass bottles so consumers could see its wholesome purity.
I believe our founder would be extremely proud of how we have carried on his legacy by building a Company that is accountable to shareholders and the community and dedicated to conducting business with integrity and transparency.
Heinz has a strong and independent Board of Directors and a Global Code of Conduct, Global Operating Principles and Supplier Guiding Principles that set high ethical standards for our employees and suppliers.
Most importantly, Heinz is a global company that values people, their dignity and their rights, in the workplace and in the community. We empower our diverse workforce of approximately 33,000 men and women to make a sustainable difference on the job and in their communities and we foster a workplace culture where competitive wages, safety, fairness and respect are the pillars of our success.
Finally, as one of the world’s premier food companies, Heinz is dedicated to enhancing the health and wellness of men, women and children around the world.
Applying our expertise in food science, innovation and new product development, we continue to enhance the nutritional benefits of our leading products.
Our global portfolio of products includes two brands that are synonymous with healthier lifestyles – Weight Watchers® Smart Ones® and Weight Watchers® from Heinz® – and many of our other products are made with nutrient-rich tomatoes or beans.
We are particularly proud of the Heinz Micronutrient Campaign, an innovative groundbreaking non-profit program that underscores our focus on health and wellness and our commitment to social responsibility.
The Heinz Micronutrient Campaign is combating the global problem of iron-deficiency anemia and malnutrition among infants and children. The campaign has provided nutritional supplements to almost three million children in 15 developing nations and it is expanding to other countries to help many more children in the years to come.
Our Company has invested millions in the Heinz Micronutrient Campaign to ensure a sustainable future for people and our planet.
I invite you to learn more about Heinz, our performance and our progress by visiting the Social, Environment and Economic sections of this interactive Web-based report, where you will find comprehensive facts and data, videos and photos, and links to other informative Heinz documents.
Thank you for your interest in Heinz.
Sincerely,
William R. Johnson
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer