Sustainability: Attracting and Retaining Employees through Sustainability & Social Good

Written by: Madison Wyman   |   September 30, 2024

Sustainability, Social Good, Retention

In today’s business landscape, sustainability is not just about environmental stewardship; it’s also a key factor in attracting and retaining top talent. Employees, particularly younger generations, are increasingly seeking out companies that align with their values, especially in areas of social good. Given I recently joined the workforce, I was curious: what are some of the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) members doing in the space of social good?

I had the opportunity to speak with Tim Belstra, chair of the board at Belstra Milling Co., Nick Rozzi, Ph.D., vice president of product development at Hill's Pet Nutrition, and Meredith Smith, head of sustainability at ED&F Man Commodities. They all believe that sustainability and social good initiatives are crucial for attracting and retaining top talent.

Hill’s Pet Nutrition Boasts Engaged SustainAbility Employee Group

Rozzi made it clear that sustainability isn’t just a buzzword; it's a core value at Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Hill’s Pet Nutrition understands the shift to a more environmentally conscious mindset and believes that their commitment to positively influencing their workplace culture, employee engagement and overall business strategy are key values to drawing in and retaining top talent.

Hills empowers its employees to actively participate in the company’s sustainability initiatives through its SustainAbility Employee Resource Group and cross-functional Sustainability Action Team. This involvement not only fosters a culture of sustainability but also ensures that every employee feels like they have a stake in the company’s mission. This approach not only draws in individuals who share their vision but also boosts employee morale, Rozzi explained, leading to higher retention rates and long-term success.

Rozzi said:

“Sustainability and social good are deeply embedded in our company's culture. Our sustainability efforts span all aspects of our business, including supply chain, research and development, packaging, finance, marketing, innovation, customer development and people development.”

In addition, Hill’s also supports social good through community outreach, including through its Hill’s Food, Shelter & Love program, which is designed to support pet shelters, animals and communities. Over the past 22 years, Hill’s Pet Nutrition has supported more than 14 million pet adoptions and has provided more than $300 million dollars in science-led nutrition to feed pets in the care of shelters and more than 1.5 million pounds of pet food to support community food pantries. 

Belstra Milling Blesses Those in Need, Retains Employees

Belstra Milling is taking a similar approach to its social good initiatives by supporting the local community. Belstra revealed how the company has embraced social good initiatives and sustainability to foster a culture of care, both within and beyond its walls.

The company’s commitment to community support runs deep. Since its inception in 1954, the organization has been intertwined with its local community, and this bond has only grown stronger over the decades, Belstra explained.

One of the company’s key programs involves donating hogs to Monon Meats Processing Center, ensuring that local food pantries across the Jasper and Newton counties in Indiana receive fresh, nutritious sausage. In addition, the company has pioneered the "Blessing Box" program, which started in 2020, with a focus on providing holiday meals and fun play items to elementary school children in need. By 2022-23, the program evolved to support seniors and the elderly, partnering with area food pantries and senior centers to extend their reach even further.

When asked why these initiatives are so important, Belstra’s response was heartfelt and simple:

"We've been blessed, so we want to turn around and do the same thing in our communities."

This philosophy reflects a genuine desire to make a positive impact—a sentiment that naturally attracts like-minded individuals. Employees are not just workers; they are part of a larger mission to support the community. This sense of purpose has helped the company retain a core group of dedicated employees, even during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw significant turnover across the animal food industry.

ED&F Man

ED&F Man has embraced sustainability and social good by embedding it into its core business practices. One example is through the MAS Program, an initiative launched in 2019, that focuses on funding impactful community projects in communities where ED&F Man sources key commodities. An advisory committee was put in place of key suppliers that live and work in these communities who annually propose the most needed projects to improve the lives of people who live there.  Using a scoring methodology and predetermined criteria, ED&F Man chooses the best projects out of those submitted by the advisory committee to implement each year.  This grassroots-driven model ensures that projects are truly aligned with the communities’ needs.

For example, in Nicaragua, ED&F Man implemented deep-water wells to replace shallow, hand-dug ones that either dried up during dry seasons or became contaminated in rainy seasons. This initiative transformed the lives of community members, giving them access to clean water year-round and significantly reducing illnesses. Moreover, it freed up time for women, who previously spent hours collecting water, to pursue jobs and other activities.

When asked about company’s approach to sustainability and social good, Smith stated:

“We have a global sustainability strategy with three main pillars. Those pillars are environmental stewardship, responsible sourcing and improving lives. The ‘Improving Lives’ category focuses both on our internal employees and also people throughout our value chain. The Improving Lives pillar is where we incorporate our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and other policies for our own workforce as well as where our social initiatives for people within our value chain fits in.”

ED&F Man’s MAS program is a testament to the power of sustainable, community-driven projects. By aligning business objectives with social good, the company has proven that companies can be profitable while making a meaningful difference, Smith explained.

Sustainability and social good are more than just corporate buzzwords—they are integral to the values and strategies of companies like those mentioned here and across the entire feed and pet food industry. Their commitment to making a difference, whether through employee-driven sustainability efforts, community outreach or global initiatives, demonstrates that doing good and doing well can go hand in hand. A

To read more sustainability stories from the industry, visit the Institute for Feed Education and Research "Defining Material Issues" section of the Animal Food Industry Sustainability Toolkit.  This resource provides guidance to companies to help initiate their sustainability goals and enhance transparency in their operations.