Our Focus on Environmental Responsibility

From sustainable agriculture and energy-efficient manufacturing processes to eco-friendly packaging initiatives, Heinz is proving that smart business is compatible with environmental stewardship.

We are focusing our attention in four key environmental areas: waste, water, energy, and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). We recognize that our food growers use many acres of land and that a great deal of water and energy are consumed throughout the manufacturing process. We also know that our activities create GHGs emissions and waste. We are tracking and managing our impacts in these areas to ensure continuous improvement in our overall environmental performance.

Waste Reduction Through Packaging Innovation and Recycling

As a leading manufacturer of food products, we focus on Innovation and Research & Development to make great strides in the areas of packaging and recycling:

• In North America, we are switching our frozen Boston Market meals to trays made from recycled pulp and cartons that are not chemically bleached.
• Our iconic glass ketchup bottles are now manufactured using 100% post-consumer reground and recycled glass.
• In the U.K., Australia, Indonesia, and New Zealand, Heinz has been converting to lighter-weight cans for products such as beans and soups.
• In China, infant food jars are being wrapped in paper sleeves, a more environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic shrink wrap.

All of these initiatives are resulting in significant improvements. In the last fiscal year, at our facility in Mason, Ohio, Heinz reduced metal waste by 625,000 pounds. In Dallas, Texas, we recycled more than 1.2 million pounds of material. In Fremont, Ohio, we recycled 350,000 pounds of plastic. Heinz is presently transferring best practices in waste reduction and recycling across the globe.

The Company also is committed to reducing the amount of packaging material associated with our products. While keeping in mind food safety regulations and quality control, we are evaluating our waste reduction programs in order to establish short-term and long-term goals that we will communicate in future reports. Customer and supplier collaborations are among the driving forces impacting our waste reduction and packaging optimization initiatives.

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