Conagra Brands Honors Employee Innovation with Its Sustainable Development Awards

Core Insights - Conagra Brands announced the winners of its annual Sustainable Development Awards, recognizing employee contributions to sustainability in five key areas: Climate Change, Water Reduction, Waste Reduction, Packaging, and Responsible Practices [1][3] Group 1: Award Details - The Sustainable Development Awards program invited cross-functional employee teams to submit projects completed during Conagra's fiscal year 2025, evaluated by a panel of peers and selected by sustainability leaders [2] - Each winning project team will receive a $5,000 grant from the Conagra Brands Foundation to invest in their local community [4] Group 2: Key Projects and Achievements - Climate Change: The Inbound Logistics Team improved transport efficiency, saving approximately $250,000, cutting 241 truck trips, and reducing 123 metric tons of CO2 emissions [4] - Water Reduction: The Irapuato team optimized palm oil line cleaning, reducing palm oil use by 82,540 lbs and water use by 53,280 gallons annually, saving approximately $78,000 [4] - Waste Reduction: The Waterloo plant reduced landfill waste, achieving $1.29 million in savings with a $70,000 investment, diverting 948 tons from destruction [4] - Packaging: Teams reduced packaging thickness by 25%, saving $63,000 annually and cutting paper use by 126,000 lbs without operational changes [4] - Responsible Practices: The Waterloo facility donated 1,200–1,800 lbs of repurposed sunflower seeds, reducing disposal fees and supporting local biodiversity [4] - Award of Excellence: The Maple Grove team created a closed-loop recycling system, diverting 50 tons of waste annually and saving $7,000 [4] Group 3: Company Overview - Conagra Brands, Inc. is one of North America's leading branded food companies, generating nearly $12 billion in net sales for fiscal 2025 [5]