Winner: William R. Johnson, Chairman, President & CEO, H.J. Heinz Company
With a heritage like The Pure Food Company, which dates to 1869, Heinz takes corporate responsibility seriously--hence its practice of packaging many of its products, namely
its namesake ketchup, in see-through plastic and glass containers to visually demonstrate purity. Now, more than a century after the company's inception, its chairman, president
and CEO William Johnson continues to nurture and grow the commitment to health and wellness, environmental responsibility, corporate governance, business ethics and product
quality--just to name a few of his many CSR-related business focuses.
An Ironclad Strategy
One of the most notable CSR efforts spearheaded by Johnson is the Heinz Micronutrient Campaign, a program that combats the global health threat of iron-deficiency anemia in
malnourished infants and children. To date, the program--which provides free micronutrients to those in need--has assisted more than 1.2 million children in nations such as
Ghana, Haiti, Indonesia and Mongolia.
Under Johnson's leadership, the company has invested nearly $3 million in grants for the program, with another $5 million planned during the next five years. Additionally,
Heinz is committing to assist 10 million children around the world by the year 2010.
A Different Kind of Hybrid
If those stats aren't enough to make Johnson a CSR pioneer worth emulating, consider his sustainable agriculture program, which supplies Heinz hybrid tomato seeds to China,
India and European countries, and teaches farmers how to improve field yields, fruit quality and worker safety.
Report Card
Johnson also directs the publication of Heinz's CSR reports. The first was issued in 2005. The 2007 report announced some of the company's newest sustainability initiatives
that are based on innovative packaging: For example, its ketchup bottles are not manufactured using 100% post-consumer recycled glass. Thanks to Johnson's attention to
conservation, the company has also saved nearly 3 million cubic meters of water in its global manufacturing operations, reduced landfill waste by 359,573 tons and decreased
energy usage by 1,031,304 gigajoules.
Sometimes, Rankings Speak Louder Than Words
If numerical proof is what you're after, here it is: In 2007, Heinz received the highest score from investment analysts in The Lohan Index, a ranking of the 50 most
environmentally and socially responsible companies. This ranking was based on its performance in seven areas critical to corporate social responsibility: sense of community,
corporate governance, diversity, employee relations, the environment, human rights and products.
Now that's finger-lickin' good.