At Pilgrims Europe, we recently published the UK poultry industry’s first-ever Human Rights Impact Assessment. In partnership with a key customer, we commissioned a third-party assessment of our integrated supply networks. By collaborating across the sector, we are proactively identifying and addressing potential human rights challenges at every stage – setting a new standard for ethical and sustainable practice. A Human Rights Impact Assessment is a process for identifying, understanding and assessing the potential or actual adverse impacts of a business project or activity on the human rights of those affected. It aims to ensure that businesses respect human rights and address any potential negative impacts they might cause or contribute to.

The Pilgrim’s Europe Prepared Foods business was awarded the RoSPA Gold Award for health and safety performance for the period from January 01, 2023, to December 31, 2023. The ultimate symbol of achievement in safety and excellence, the internationally renowned RoSPA Health and Safety Awards recognize organizations, teams, and projects across all sectors for their unwavering commitment to protecting lives - setting the benchmark for prestige and inspiring sector-wide admiration. By earning a RoSPA Award, organizations not only receive recognition for their accomplishments but also become part of a legacy that values dedication to high safety standards, the well-being of individuals, and signifies a commitment to excellence.

In May 2023, a full-service food safety and food plant sanitation company was formed to provide in-house sanitation services for Pilgrim’s facilities. In light of the troubling revelations that occurred in the food sanitation sector related to child labor among subcontractors in meatpacking plants, Pilgrim's made the decision to create a company that can provide the highest levels of food safety and quality assurance in its facilities, while also adopting the same high standards for compliance and employment verification that Pilgrim's adheres to in the hiring of its own workforce. To date, Pilgrim’s U.S. has transitioned 63% of facility sanitation contracts from third-party providers to internal sanitation teams.

Pilgrim's Europe was awarded the RoSPA Gold Award for Health and Safety for the 8th year in a row, and the Gold Award for Fleet Safety for the 7th consecutive time. The RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, and receives entries from organizations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for health and safety worldwide. Organizations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognized as being world-leaders in health and safety practice. Every year, nearly 2,000 entrants vie to achieve the highest possible accolade in what is the UK’s longest-running H&S industry awards. When conferring our award, Julia Small, RoSPA's Achievements Director, said: “This is a fantastic and well-deserved accomplishment. All our award entrants demonstrate their unwavering commitment and passion for keeping people safe at work. By receiving this recognition Pilgrim's Europe represents the very best in their approach to Health and Safety. I would like to add my personal thanks for all the work that it has taken to secure this well-deserved award – congratulations to all those involved, who champion and drive up Health and Safety standards every day. You are a fantastic example to others in your sector.”

As a crucial element in our journey to Zero Harm, our continued focus on Behavioral Safety has been key and critical in improving standards and reducing workplace lost time accidents. Building on our work to date, Pilgrim's Europe has now partnered with renowned Behavioral Science subject matter experts to develop an IOSH Certified blended-learning, online course ‘Behavioral Science for Leadership in Safety’. Launched in December 2021, the program will provide a series of Workshops and ‘Live On-Line Sessions' to Pilgrim's Europe team members, complemented by four Self-Study units and an accreditation assessment.

In 2022, Pilgrim's Europe won the RoSPA Food and Drink Health and Safety Award. The RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) Awards scheme is the longest running of its kind in the U.K., and receives entries from organizations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for health and safety worldwide. Organizations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognized as being world-leaders in health and safety practice.

Each year, the North American Meat Institute (NAMI) Worker Safety Awards recognize production facilities that have achieved a high level of performance in the team member health and safety area. Four award levels may be earned based on an evaluation of the facility’s actual safety performance, as well as its implementation of an effective safety and health program as measured by a safety program questionnaire. In 2023, 73 JBS USA and Pilgrim’s facilities were awarded NAMI Safety awards based on 2022 performance – a 36% increase year over year.

The Accident Reduction Initiative is a collection of programs implemented throughout all of Pilgrim's Mexico with the objective of reaching Zero Accidents in our operations. The programs implemented as part of the initiative include: Skills Management: A training program focused on developing the skills required for team members to perform their jobs safely. Security Monitors: On-site champions who verify the correct implementation of procedures, ergonomic exercises, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and detection of unsafe acts or conditions. 5-Minutes Talks: Quick, regular discussions aimed at raising awareness among staff for the safe development of daily tasks. Onboarding: Initial training to ensure new staff are competent to carry out their activities safely from the point of orientation through the development of their skills and the formation of their values.

As a crucial element in its journey to Zero Harm, Moy Park’s continued focus on Behavioral Safety has been key and critical in improving standards and reducing workplace lost time accidents. Building on its work to date, Moy Park has now partnered with renowned Behavioral Science subject matter experts to develop an IOSH Certified blended-learning, online course ‘Behavioral Science for Leadership in Safety’. Launched in December 2021, the program continues to provide a series of Workshops and ‘Live On-Line Sessions’ to Moy Park team members, complemented by four Self-Study units and an accreditation assessment.

Pilgrim’s UK, alongside its retail partners Waitrose and Co-op, conducted a human rights impact assessment (HRIA) of its integrated pork and lamb supply chains. The assessment was the first-of-its-kind for a livestock supply chain due to its scale and wide-ranging criteria. It spanned Pilgrim’s UK’s outdoor-bred pig farms and lamb farms, as well as the business’ processing and abattoir sites, from which Co-op and Waitrose source the majority of their pork and all of Waitrose’s lamb products. In response to the findings, the businesses have published a joint Human Rights Action Plan, which is designed to raise awareness among stakeholders along the supply chain of health & safety training, mental health and wellbeing, gender discrimination and access to grievance systems. Ongoing worker welfare visits will also continue to take place throughout the year to ensure high human rights standards are maintained. The Action Plan will be updated with progress reported on publicly.

Excellence is not just something that Pilgrim's strives for. It’s a mission, an expectation. The Pilgrim's Excellence Awards are designed to recognize and reward Pilgrim's facilities that exemplify the Pilgrim's vision – to be the best and most respected company in our industry, creating the opportunity of a better future for our team members. In order to obtain the Excellence Award, a Pilgrim's facility must demonstrate the successful implementation and sustainability of the Management Method – the winner must show ownership and accountability to drive true improvement. Of 1,000 total points available for the taking, the score is split between two key categories of judgment: pillar assessments and results. Points for pillar assessments are allocated across the company's five pillars, People, Management, Quality, Environment and Maintenance, while points for results are tallied by scoring the execution and outcome of KPIs, both which are calculated on a quarterly basis. Congratulations to Arcadia, Wisconsin, for being selected as the winner of the 2021 Pilgrim’s Excellence Award for the successful integration of the Management Method as part of the culture in Arcadia and their close attention to sustainable processes and results through the use of our pillars. The Arcadia team has proven consistently to be the best, and this award is a direct result of their ongoing efforts. Coming in second place, Cold Spring, Minnesota, was recognized as the runner-up, and Moorefield, West Virginia, secured a third-place achievement. “We are very proud of the accomplishments of the Arcadia, Cold Spring and Moorefield Prepared teams,” said Fabio Sandri, Pilgrim’s CEO. “All three teams leveraged the Management Method and drove sustainable processes and results through the use of our pillars: People, Quality, Environmental, Maintenance and Management.” “I truly believe we have the best team in the industry, and we are very grateful for our people,” Sandri said. “They bolster our vision and share a commitment to keeping our team members safe. I am looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together in 2022.” Pilgrim's Excellence Awards will be given to top performers annually, and we look forward to celebrating these successes and more in the coming months.

STRONG is a proprietary health coaching program the company developed specifically to help team members improve their health and overall quality of life. STRONG participants work one-on-one and in small groups with our team of certified STRONG health coaches. Currently implemented in four of Pilgrim's facilities, STRONG has been proven to improve participants’ biometric measurements, and in many cases, actually reverse chronic conditions like Metabolic Syndrome. STRONG is open to all team members who are enrolled in the health plan and who want to take ownership of troubling health issues like weight management, diabetes, tobacco use, stress, blood pressure or other chronic health conditions.

The Pilgrim's Broadway, Va., team celebrated reaching 5 million safe man hours without a lost time accident. The teams from safety, medical and maintenance departments, including the management team and hourly team members, worked together every day to be proactive about safety. “Our team is truly the backbone to our safety culture, and we are totally committed to results,” said Jim Robertson, Broadway Complex safety manager. “Every team member is empowered to take appropriate measures when it comes to safety, and I believe that a safety culture does not have a beginning date or an end date.” The celebration included a meal and apparel commemorating the accomplishment.

The IMPACT Program, which stands for Industrial Maintenance Program & Accredited Course Training, is an aggressive in-house and branded Pilgrim's program that trains maintenance team members on an individual level in a practical setting. With key focuses on safety awareness, mechanical skills, leadership skills and equipment, the program promotes a safety-first-culture, addresses an internal demand for knowledge and serves as a valuable resource for maintenance reliability concepts. For the first time ever, the IMPACT Program lays out a clear career path for every maintenance team member and allows for true ownership and self-direction. The success of the program can largely be attributed to its practical settings and the individual nature of its trainings. Additionally, to ensure team members receive a meaningful and applicable experience, IMPACT utilizes hands-on modules, including learning technology with Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). Pilgrim's support of maintenance training and development also provides students a potential career path that does not require a four-year degree. Currently, two Pilgrim’s facilities, Marshville, NC, and Russellville, AL, are working with local high schools and colleges, developing internships and trying to create interest in skilled craft careers. IMPACT will always be a fluid program, but we assure our team members that the three hours per week they can dedicate to training will be forever part of their careers at Pilgrim's. It is part of who we are, part of our culture and falls in line with our vision of creating the opportunity of a better future for our team members.