Focusing on People
Connections that drive equity, access, and opportunity
Powered by Plants: Nourishing the employees who nourish our world
Our ability to deliver nutrition to farm animals, ingredients to customers, and daily essentials to families is directly tied to the tens of thousands of colleagues working in our plants around the world. Powered by Plants is one way we’re investing in attracting, retaining, and creating a meaningful work experience for this critical group of employees. Beginning with 135 pilots and focus groups across North America, we’re learning what our teams value most — from flexible work to leadership development — so we can improve the employee experience, strengthen our plant culture, and increase our ability to nourish the world.
Bridging the education divide
Typical earnings, employment rates, and economic security are much higher for U.S. bachelor’s degree-holders than for those with only a high school diploma, while the gap between Black and Hispanic and white college graduation rates continues to persist. That’s why over the past year, Cargill has donated around $1 million to Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences, the Association of Latino Professionals for America, and the Thurgood Marshall College Fund — where our support will provide 60 scholarships over the next two years to women and historically underserved students.
Women’s work: ‘I want women to see we are capable of doing any job’
Raised on a Honduran coffee farm, Dunia Aguilar now supports her three children as a forklift operator for Cargill — a profession in which women have historically been underrepresented. Fellow Honduran, Nidia Gracia, was one of only five women mechanical engineers in the country when she pursued her degree 30 years ago. Today, she leads a team of 500 as regional manager of engineering in our protein business in Latin America. Whether through inclusive uniforms, facilities, or sourcing, Cargill is removing barriers to support equitable career progression. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why Forbes has named Cargill one of “America’s Best Employers for Women.”
“We’re growing more than cotton here. We’re growing the future,”
Black farmers like John Lee make up less than 2% of the 3.4 million farmers in the U.S. due to historic barriers. Cargill’s Black Farmer Equity Initiative aims to help address this inequity. For John, one of the first farmers in the program, that means support to sustainably raise cotton, access new buyers, and increase his farm’s profitability.
When children learn, communities thrive
Cargill invests in educational opportunities in our communities around the world. We’ve built 111 schools in Vietnam, run 48 schools in Indonesia, and have donated $26.8 million since 2000 to close the education opportunity gap in our hometown of Minneapolis in the U.S.
A chicken and egg (and prosperity) story
In India, participants saw their average net household income from livestock and animal products nearly triple. In Kenya, the annual household income of project members grew 21% and protein also consumption increased. These are just some of the results Cargill, Heifer International, and Hatching Hope partners achieved by expanding sustainable poultry production. Mexican egg producer and program participant Eva Irineo says this project “is helping our economy and our food supply.”
Read next →
Seeking Growth
Get the full 2023 Annual Report