Better Health for All

Smithfield Foods' core products have a mixed health impact. The company produces significant quantities of health-positive pharmaceutical ingredients, including 865,000 megas of Heparin API and over 2.5 million pounds of swine pancreases in 2024.

It also introduced an antibiotic-free pork line, Pure Farms, in 2017. However, processed meat, a significant part of its portfolio, is associated with an 11% average increase in type 2 diabetes risk and a 7% increase in colorectal cancer risk, although the study notes these relationships are weak. The company's revenue from products with established negative health impacts is substantial, but it is actively transitioning to healthier alternatives, such as the antibiotic-free line. Smithfield reports its antibiotic usage since 2007, demonstrating transparency. The company has been recognized for its hunger relief efforts, donating 24.5 million protein servings in 2024 and nearly 1 million pounds of protein to Feeding America in late 2016. However, the company has faced notable safety incidents, with 1-2 incidents reported in the past three years, and an adverse events rate of 40-60 per million. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Smithfield Foods experienced significant outbreaks at its facilities, leading to temporary closures and a substantial number of employee infections and deaths, indicating a reactive crisis response.

Kind to Animals

Smithfield Foods' animal agriculture practices are described as torturous, including the confinement of mother pigs in small crates, forced impregnation, mutilation of piglets without anesthesia, and inadequate treatment of sick animals.

The company slaughters 30 million pigs annually, with an estimated 1 million arriving at slaughter crippled or dead. Smithfield initially committed to phasing out sow gestation crates by 2017, after an initial vow in 2007, but delayed the ban in 2009 due to financial pressures. By the end of 2011, only 30% of sows were expected to be in group housing. The Humane Society of the United States filed an SEC complaint in 2011, accusing Smithfield of misleading consumers about pig welfare. The company has faced multiple lawsuits and fines for environmental violations, and a National Labor Relations Board ruling in 2006 found Smithfield guilty of illegal firing, threats, and abuse of workers, which was upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals. There is no public position on animal welfare legislation.

Planet-Friendly Business

In 2024, the company's total Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions were approximately 25.6 million tCO2e.

The company has set a combined GHG emission intensity target of 0.22 MT of CO2e/cwt by 2035 and aims to capture 24 million MTCO2e on farms by 2035, but these targets are not explicitly stated as SBTi-validated. The company reported 11 Notices of Violation (NOVs) for U.S. facilities and farms, 31 for contract farms, and 1 for international facilities in 2024, with $1,400 in fines for U.S. operations. The company states its approach aligns with the TCFD framework and is conducting financial and climate risk assessments, but lacks detailed scenario analysis. It requires suppliers in sensitive areas to have stringent policies to eliminate deforestation, but no verified implementation percentage is provided. In 2024, petroleum-based plastic use in packaging was reduced by 52% compared to a 2019 baseline. The company shows a basic climate justice program, giving preference to Environmental Enhancement Grant projects that mitigate harm to underserved communities in eastern North Carolina.

Safe & Smart Tech

Smithfield Specialty Foods experienced a data breach between November 24, 2021, and December 14, 2022, involving unauthorized access to customer payment card information.

The company filed a data breach notice with the Maine Attorney General on June 29, 2023, which indicates a delayed disclosure as the breach ended in December 2022 but was disclosed in June 2023. The article does not provide information on the number of affected users, preventing a more precise severity assessment.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

In 2020, Smithfield Foods recycled at least 50% of its accumulated waste.

The Pure Farmland brand, launched in 2019, uses packaging and trays made from more than 50% recycled material. The company invested in specialized equipment for feed mills in 2020, diverting 23,000 tons of bakery waste from landfills by processing it into animal feed. Smithfield has set a target to reduce overall waste sent to landfills by 75% by 2025 and to halve overall food loss and waste in its U.S. company-owned operations by 2030. The company also aims for 90% of consumer packaging to be recyclable, reusable, or industrially compostable by 2030 and to halve the use of virgin petroleum-based plastic. However, in 2019, Smithfield received at least 66 notices of violations, including Clean Water Act violations, and was accused of irresponsible waste management practices. The company was also fined $12.6 million for nearly 7,000 Clean Water Act violations related to dumping hog waste into the Pagan River since 1991.