American food company Smithfield Foods, Inc. has won a trio of Sustainability Excellence in Manufacturing Awards from industry publication ProFood World for improving sustainability in its facilities and going beyond environmental compliance.
Smithfield’s Crete facility in Nebraska was awarded first place in the Program category, applauded for its efforts in reducing solid waste by nearly 4.5 million kgs (10 million pounds). The company’s Sioux Falls facility in South Dakota achieved third place in the same category for its water reduction efforts, which resulted in reducing the need for city water in the facility by roughly 19.5 million liters (5.15 million gallons) per year.
In the Project category, the company’s Kinston, North Carolina facility was recognized with a second-place award for its use of LED lighting to drive energy savings.
Commenting on the triple win, Stewart Leeth, vice president of regulatory affairs and chief sustainability officer for Smithfield Foods, said, “Sustainability is at the core of our business operations. It drives everything we do. Our facilities’ waste, water and energy saving efforts are a strong example of the ways in which our employees fuel innovation every day and are critical to helping us achieve our sustainability goals.”