Human Rights
As a Company we support international human rights principles, including the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labor Organization’s Declaration of Fundamental Principles and Rights to Work, the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 29 on Forced Labor, the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 105 on Abolition of Forced Labor, the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 138 on Minimum Age for Admission to Employment and Work, and the International Labor Organization (ILO) Convention No. 181 on Private Employment Agencies. We encourage our Suppliers to: (i) develop human rights policies that cover all operations and relevant stakeholders, (ii) implement those policies in their operations, and (iii) regularly measure direct, indirect, and potential human rights impacts and remediate adverse human rights impacts.
Through this commitment we are focused on ensuring:
- Non-discrimination and humane treatment
- Health and safety
- No child or forced labor
- Freedom of association and collective bargaining
- Fair wage and hour practices
- Consistent recruitment and employment processes
To learn more about our labor practices and human rights commitments please take a moment to review our Global Supplier Code of Conduct.
For additional details on global forced labor initiatives:
Animal Rights
The J.M. Smucker Co. is committed to the welfare of animals. Whether farm or domesticated, we believe all animals should be treated with care and compassion throughout their lives.
This policy clearly communicates our:
- Commitment to not conduct or sponsor any harmful animal testing;
- Expectations for the humane treatment of animals in our supply chain; and
- Efforts to improve the lives of, and relationships with, our pets in the United States and Canada.
These commitments are delivered in conjunction with our business partners and are aligned with the breadth and volume of our product portfolio.
Animal Testing
The J.M. Smucker Co. does not conduct, or use third-parties to conduct, harmful experiments on animals.
As a responsible pet food manufacturer, we periodically work with reputable third-party pet care facilities to determine the palatability, digestibility and enjoyment of our pet food and treats prior to introducing new products. The third-party operators share our commitment to the health and wellbeing of each animal in their care and do not perform, support or sponsor invasive testing or harmful experiments on animals. The trained staff provides compassionate care, with animals given regular veterinary check-ups, teeth-cleaning, daily exercise and individual living areas that meet or exceed the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) standard.
These operators meet the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act, OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code, and the National Institutes of Health Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare’s (NIH OLAW) Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. These standards are monitored by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and are enforced by the USDA in the United States. In Canada, these operators are subject to animal care guidelines promulgated by the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC), as well as additional oversight by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
Supply Chain Animal Welfare
Consistent with our Basic Beliefs, we have a longstanding commitment to responsible business practices, including the compassionate and respectful treatment of animals in our supply chain.
The J.M. Smucker Co. is not directly involved in the raising or processing of any animals, and though we are not an industry-leading buyer of animal-derived ingredients in terms of scale, some of our products include ingredients that come from commercial farm animals.
Inspired by our Basic Beliefs and our desire to positively impact those connected to our business, we believe every farm animal should be treated humanely throughout their lives, and despite our scale, we embrace the role we play in influencing responsible behavior throughout our supply chain. We support the globally-recognized “Five Freedoms1” of animal welfare in our supply chain:
- Freedom from Hunger and Thirst – by providing ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigor;
- Freedom from Discomfort – by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area;
- Freedom from Pain, Injury and Disease – by ensuring prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment;
- Freedom to Express Normal Behavior – by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal’s own kind; and
- Freedom from Fear and Distress – by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.
To that end, The J.M. Smucker Co. is committed to the following:
1. Legal Compliance. We require that all animal-derived ingredients used in the manufacturing of our products comply with all applicable local laws and regulations on farm animal welfare. Further, we will not tolerate, and we expect our suppliers not to tolerate, animal cruelty or abuse. If we become aware of behavior that does not meet this expectation, we will take appropriate actions.
2. Continuous improvement of farm animal welfare in our supply chain. Such improvement will require reasonable and willing participation from our supply chain partners. To ensure success, we will engage our direct suppliers of animal-derived ingredients to achieve better visibility to the care, handling and transport of the animals in our supply chain. In 2019, we began a custom supplier survey program to understand the status of farm animal welfare practices and the materiality of these practices within our supply chains. This survey data, along with site visits, will allow us to work with our supply chain partners to implement practices consistent with the intent of the Five Freedoms of animal welfare.
Based on the types of animal protein we traditionally source, likely areas to evaluate include the humane care and handling of chickens, dairy cattle, pigs and beef cattle.
3. Stakeholder Engagement and Advocacy. We are committed to engaging with producers, suppliers, industry associations and other relevant stakeholders to:
- Improve our understanding of farm animal issues;
- Adapt our commitments and practices to achieve our goal of improving farm animal welfare in our supply chains; and
- Expand our awareness of farm animal health and welfare in the food supply chain and implement collective actions to address gaps where they are identified.
4. Reporting. We are committed to publicly reporting our progress on these initiatives, at a minimum annually, through our official company communications vehicles including our company website and published reports.
Commitment to Pets and Pet Parents
We are committed to doing our part to help both pets and pet parents thrive. This commitment is reflected through not only our broad portfolio of pet food and snack products, but in our charitable giving efforts as well.
We focus our efforts around two distinct pillars: pets who need people, and people who need pets. We want to enhance the impact pets and people can have on each other’s lives. Our current efforts are focused on:
- Supporting pets in need through food donations and financial support of compassionate and caring pet shelters and programs that ensure pets have loving homes;
- Supporting guide dog and companionship programs that help train and match service dogs to people who need them; and
- Making funds available for emergency situations and natural disasters where urgent help is needed, such as in the aftermath of hurricanes, fires and floods.
We feel a responsibility to help pets and people thrive together, and we will continue to commit significant financial resources to these efforts.
Voicing Concerns
We maintain a Voice Line to provide consumers, employees, business partners, suppliers, communities, customers and shareholders the ability to report policy violations and concerns, including those related to animal welfare. Please report violations of this policy, anonymously if desired, through The Smucker Integrity Portal, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To make a report, please visit the Smucker Integrity Portal.
Please do not use this contact method to share new animal welfare concepts or actions you would like the company to adopt. This contact method is designed for reporting violations of the practices detailed in this policy.
The Company’s Chief Legal and Compliance Officer and Secretary has oversight for this Animal Welfare policy.
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