Conagra Brands has officially announced the winners of its Sustainable Development Awards that translate to a program specifically designed for recognizing and celebrating the outstanding achievements and contributions of its dedicated employees.
According to certain reports, these awards are basically focused on sustainability initiatives across five strategic categories: Climate Change, Packaging, Responsible Sourcing, Water Reduction and Waste Reduction. Beyond that, there is an overall “Award of Excellence” which is presented to the project that best shows Conagra’s six Timeless Values of Integrity, External Focus, Broad-Mindedness, Agility, Leadership and Results.
Anyway, talk about the winners of this year’s edition on a slightly deeper level; they begin from Conagra’s Maple Grove, Minnesota facility, which was adjudged as a winner in the Climate Change category. Markedly enough, the feat in question arrives on the back of Maple Grove successfully installing energy-efficient air units that cut natural gas usage by 12% so to save almost $36,000 annually in costs.
The next winner in line would be Conagra’s Rensselaer, Ind facility. Rensselaer took home an award in the Packaging segment, and it did so after redesigning its shipping pallets for Orville Redenbacher’s® to fit 30 more popcorn jugs per pallet. Such a simple change, on its part, would instantly eliminate the need for 34 metric tons of packaging annually. Furthermore, the reduction in the number of pallets sent for transport would ensure there are fewer trucks on the road, something which mitigated 79 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.
Moving on, the winner in Responsible Sourcing category was Conagra’s facility in Darien, Wis. that leveraged its state-of-the-art facility to transform 152 acres of farmland into hayfields and natural prairie, significantly reducing fertilizer and herbicide use. By doing so, the company improved rather dramatically upon local wildlife habitats, controlled erosion, and provided hay for local farmers.
“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.”
Joining the list next is the Waterloo location that won the award in water reduction category. The facility upgraded its automated cleaning room to a modern system capable of recovering cleaning solutions, and at the same time, maintaining a more efficient wash cycle. The project in question went on to save more than one million gallons of water and reduced energy and chemical use. Not just that, the technology which emerged from it was able to generate data for future savings. Making this all the more impressive is how you can also apply the system to other facilities
Beyond Water Reduction, Conagra’s Waterloo facility was also recognized for its work in Waste Reduction. For this particular location, Conagra launched a project to reduce waste from DAVID® Sunflower Seeds by measuring input materials and waste. The move in question would save an amount worth $485,000 on a yearly basis, while simultaneously cutting down on overall yield loss by approximately 6% and eliminating nearly 200 tons of waste.
The final Conagra facility that made the cut here was the one in Irapuato, Mexico. The Irapuato team markedly upgraded its biogas system to reduce energy consumption and generate hot water. They also installed turbines to produce electricity and a heat exchanger to use exhaust gases for heating water. As a result, it is able to provide 8% of the site’s electricity and reduce natural gas use by 6%.
Among other things, we must mention how each winning project team will receive a $5,000 grant from the Conagra Brands Foundation to invest back into their surrounding community, thus empowering employees to make a tangible difference where they live and work.
