Conagra Brands announced the winners of its Sustainable Development Awards, a program designed to recognize and celebrate the outstanding achievements and contributions of its dedicated employees. The awards are focused on sustainability initiatives across five strategic categories: Climate Change, Packaging, Responsible Sourcing, Water Reduction and Waste Reduction. In addition, an overall "Award of Excellence" is presented to the project that best exemplifies Conagra's six Timeless Values of Integrity, External Focus, Broad-Mindedness, Agility, Leadership and Results.
The program invited cross-functional employee teams to submit projects completed during Conagra's fiscal years 2023 and 2024. Each submission was evaluated by a panel of peers, with the final winners selected by the company's sustainability leaders.
"At Conagra Brands, our Sustainable Development Awards highlight our employees' remarkable ingenuity in creating environmentally responsible solutions," said Christine Daugherty, vice president of sustainability at Conagra Brands. "These ongoing efforts help influence improvements across our facilities and underscore Conagra's commitment to environmental stewardship. Congratulations to everyone who participated and demonstrated their innovation and determination."
The Sustainable Development Awards acknowledge exceptional performance, motivate continuous improvement and foster a positive culture by celebrating shared successes. Conagra's 2024 Sustainable Development Award winners include:
Climate Change: Maple Grove, Minn. – The Maple Grove team installed energy-efficient air units that cut natural gas usage by 12%, saving approximately $36,000 annually.
Packaging: Rensselaer, Ind. – The team in Rensselaer redesigned their shipping pallets for Orville Redenbacher's®, fitting 30 more popcorn jugs per pallet.
This change eliminated the need for 34 metric tons of packaging annually. In addition, the reduction in the number of pallets sent for transport led to fewer trucks on the road, saving 79 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.
Responsible Sourcing: Darien, Wis. – The Darien plant transformed 152 acres of farmland into hayfields and natural prairie, significantly reducing fertilizer and herbicide use. This change improved local wildlife habitats, controlled erosion and provided hay for local farmers.
Water Reduction: Waterloo, Iowa – The Waterloo team upgraded their automated cleaning room to a modern system that recovers cleaning solutions and maintains a more efficient wash cycle. This project saved more than one million gallons of water and reduced energy and chemical use. The new system also provides data for future savings and can be applied to other facilities.
Waste Reduction: Waterloo, Iowa – At Conagra's facility in Waterloo, the team launched a project to reduce waste from DAVID® Sunflower Seeds by measuring input materials and waste. This data-driven approach saved $485,000 annually, reduced overall yield loss by approximately 6% and eliminated nearly 200 tons of waste.
Award of Excellence: Irapuato, Mexico – The Irapuato team upgraded their biogas system to reduce energy consumption and generate hot water. They installed turbines to produce electricity and a heat exchanger to use exhaust gases for heating water. This project now provides 8% of the site's electricity and reduces natural gas use by 6%.
Each winning project team will receive a $5,000 grant from the Conagra Brands Foundation to invest back into their surrounding community, empowering employees to make a tangible difference where they live and work.
