The Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index, released by S&P Dow Jones Indices, hones in on companies that demonstrate commitment to sustainable practices in various ways. According to investment outfit Dow Jones, listing in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) show high performance against a number of sustainability metrics.
Sustainable goals
Jerry Lynch, vice president and chief sustainability officer at General Mills, said the food firm strives to be among the leaders in environmentally and socially responsible practices.
“The DJSI review affirms that General Mills places a strong emphasis on earning the trust of our consumers, customers, employees and other key stakeholders every day through exceptional economic, environmental and social practices," he said.
General Mills’ sustainability goals hone in on conserving and protecting resources used throughout the supply chain. The company focuses on two primary areas: reducing resource usage, and increasing sustainable sourcing.
One of the areas in which General Mills and its brands have demonstrated sustainable practices is packaging. In June, its Cascadian Farm line of natural and organic foods launched a cereal in a plant-based box liner, with plans to roll the liner out in other products in coming months (click here to read more).
The DJSI review targets analysis of financially material economic, environmental and social practices, such as innovation or supply chain management, climate strategy and stakeholder engagement. The investigation places a special emphasis on industry-specific risks and opportunities.
General Mills, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, owns a broad range of brands, including Cheerios, Haagen-Dazs, Yoplait, Pillsbury and Green Giant. Its fiscal sales for 2013 approached $18 billion USD.