BUSINESS

Doing good is our responsibility

By Hanna Johnson

Published 04/19/2022

General Mills is committed to doing good for our people, planet and communities. See the progress we made in fiscal 2021.

2022 Global Responsibility Report

For the past 52 years, General Mills has reported on its environmental and social progress across four priority areas: Planet, People, Community and Food.

Despite the challenges of the past year, including COVID-19 and supply chain disruptions, the company continued its progress to stand for good.

“Since our founding, General Mills has believed doing good and good business should go hand-in-hand,” says Jeff Harmening, chairman and CEO, General Mills. “These past few years have challenged us to do more, and I’m proud to say that we met the moment. We have nourished more families, provided extra care for our hometown communities, supported our employees in new ways and advanced our efforts to regenerate our planet. Our scale brings both opportunity and responsibility, and we’re more determined than ever to ensure the ‘G’ in General Mills stands for Good."

Read the full 2022 Global Responsibility Report here and watch below to see how doing good has always been a key ingredient at General Mills.

Progress highlights

Planet

115,000 acres enrolled in regenerative agriculture program

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General Mills is on a journey to make a meaningful difference through regenerative agriculture, a holistic, principles-based approach to farming and ranching that seeks to strengthen ecosystems and community resilience

Our commitment is to advance regenerative agriculture on 1 million acres of farmland by 2030.

Through the end of May 2021, we had 115,000 acres enrolled in our regenerative agriculture program. We've partnered with the Soil Health Academy and Understanding Ag to support farmers in key regions where we source our ingredients.

"In addition to the environmental impacts our education and mentoring programs are having on the land, we’re especially proud of the positive impact our partnership is having in the lives of the farm families who are making the transition from conventional to climate-friendly regenerative practices,” says Dawn Breitkreutz, president, Soil Health Academy. “Working directly with these families to ensure their regenerative success, and to measure their progress along the way, is the key to the effectiveness of the General Mills program.”

Regenerative agriculture farmer with his family

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Timothy Yoder, a farmer in our regenerative agriculture program, with his family on their farm in Kansas

“Being a part of the General Mills program has propelled me forward in the journey of soil heath and has given me hope that there is a better way to farm,” says Timothy Yoder, a Kansas farmer in the General Mills program. “I now know that there is something better, and I can personally make a difference on my small farm in central Kansas.”

Click here to learn more about our planetary impact.

People

Spent more than $318 million with U.S. diverse suppliers

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General Mills is dedicated to becoming a reflection of the world we seek.

In 2020, the company established racial equity commitments within and outside the workplace in three areas where we can make the biggest difference: equitable food access, equity in education and equity in representation.

In fiscal 2021, we’re proud to have spent more than $318 million with U.S. diverse suppliers, representing minority, women, veteran, disability, and LGBTQ+-owned businesses.

Click here to see the progress across our racial equity commitments.

Community

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Gave 98.3 million dollars to charitable causes

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General Mills is deeply committed to the communities where we live and operate, and source our ingredients.

Our philanthropic partnerships and employee engagement aim to build strong, equitable and resilient communities.

In fiscal 2021, General Mills gave $98.3 million to charitable causes, including General Mills Foundation grants, corporate contributions and food donations.

Feeding America, a long-term partner of General Mills, was one of the recipients of those funds and used them to support their critical hunger-relief work in the U.S.

“General Mills’ support helped Feeding America provide food and hope to the 60 million individuals in this country who turned to the charitable food system in 2020,” says Erika Thiem, chief supply chain officer, Feeding America. “In addition to donating nutritious food and providing crucial general operating support, General Mills also invests in our most urgent priorities, including building food bank capacity related to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program enrollment and our efforts related to advancing racial equity.”

General Mills also played a pivotal role in advancing Feeding America’s innovative MealConnect platform, which helps donate surplus food to communities in need.

“In 2021, MealConnect reached the exciting milestone of 3 billion donated pounds facilitated through the platform,” adds Thiem.

Click here to learn more about how we’re strengthening communities.

Food

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At General Mills, our purpose is making food the world loves. And we’re committed to meeting the diverse interests and needs of our consumers.

Since 2000, we have steadily expanded our natural and organic business to meet growing consumer demand.

Today, we are the largest provider of natural and organic packaged food in the U.S., for both people and pets.

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And we’re now the third-largest producer of gluten-free food in the U.S.

Click here to learn more about how we’re making food the world loves.

Our legacy

General Mills’ story continues to be one of putting our people, our hometowns and the earth at the heart of our business.

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A table mat of General Mills' global impact

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Going forward, we will continue to take bold action to drive positive change.

At General Mills, G stands for Good.

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Doing good is our responsibility

2022 Global Responsibility Report