Sustainable Company
- We are carbon neutral.
- We are one of the only food companies in Canada to set science-based targets.
- We aim to reduce our environmental footprint.
Our commitments to you
Sustainability is something we do more than just talk about at Maple Leaf Foods. It’s central to every aspect of our business – from the food we make, to the animals we care for, to the communities we live and work in, and the planet we must protect.
Our sustainability commitments guide all our decisions and help us build a better food industry. We have a plan.
Explore why and how we are committed to:
The Environment
We became the world’s first major carbon neutral food company in 2019 and have since upheld our commitment to environmental sustainability across our organization.
We also have set ambitious science-based targets to reduce our environmental footprint.
Animal Care
We aim to be a global leader in animal care, and we believe that we have a real responsibility to care for our animals and their well-being.
As such, we adhere to high standards of animal care including providing an Advanced Open Sow Housing system so animals can roam freely, treating our pigs and chicken humanely, raising Raised Without Antibiotics pork and chicken, and working hard to keep our animals healthy and safe from diseases.
Good Food
We attach great importance to producing good food for Canadians and we aim to be leaders in the authentic artisan creation of our products.
We take pride in our transparent food labels to help Canadians make informed and choices, and we’re constantly innovating to bring delicious food to your family—that’s what making good food means to us!
Safe Food
We’re proud to say that we’re obsessed with food safety. It’s how we became food safety award winners at our Heritage plant!
As part of our Food Safety Pledge, we’ve committed to becoming a global leader in food safety and job safety, including safe food production, preventing foodborne illness, and following the highest standards set by the Global Food Safety Initiative.
Our People
Our commitment to our people means striving to create a diverse and inclusive company culture and helping to stop the stigma of mental health challenges—we care, and we mean it!
We’ve made a safety commitment to our people because healthy and safety practices at work are a top priority for our organization. And we have an aspirational Occupational Health and Safety goal: zero occupational injuries for all team members.
Our Communities
We created the Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security with a mission to cut food insecurity in Canada in half by 2030 through working with partner organizations and raising awareness for all.
Our organization also operates in numerous communities across Canada, and we care about doing good in each and every area. We’re proud to support community initiatives through donating healthy food products within Canada and the United States, and being a long-time supporter of UNICEF’s work for children.
Integrated Report
We’re documenting and calculating all the changes we’re making. See our progress in our 2023 Integrated Report.
We’re carbon neutral
We’re the first major carbon neutral food company in the world. We took this step because the planet can’t wait. Every action matters in the fight against climate change.
We care about our animals
We’ve transitioned 93% of our sows to an innovative Advanced Open Sow Housing system. Our sows have the freedom to roam, eat, sleep, and socialize when they want.
Building belonging
We’re building a more diverse, equitable and inclusive company where every person and their experiences are valued, and their voices heard.
Our journey so far…
We’ve come far on our sustainability journey. That journey is not over as we continue to do our part fighting climate change. Take a look at our key milestones.