Post by account_disabled on Mar 7, 2024 14:50:51 GMT 10
Rabobank, the world's leading food and agribusiness banking institution, today announced the winners of its annual North American Food and Agribusiness Leadership Awards, which recognize companies in the region that have demonstrated exceptional achievements in innovation, sustainability and market leadership.
Hundreds of companies, from new and growing Chile Mobile Number List companies to large corporations, were nominated in 3 categories: Emerging Innovation Leadership, Sustainability Leadership, and Excellence in Food and Agribusiness Leadership, which is the highest award. The finalists were chosen by a jury made up of academics, non-profit organizations, media and the investment community.
Representatives of the three companies received the awards last Thursday, December 5, within the framework of the Rabobank Annual Food and Agribusiness Summit, which took place in New York City.
“It is important to recognize and celebrate the achievements of food and agribusiness companies that go above and beyond to foster a more sustainable and responsible food chain,” said Paul Beiboer, CEO of Rabobank North America. “This year’s winners are taking meaningful, lasting actions that will have positive effects for years to come.”
The Rabobank Award for Excellence in Food and Agribusiness Leadership recognizes a large-scale market leader who has demonstrated significant and lasting impact in their sector. Among other achievements, this organization has achieved substantial success while demonstrating outstanding corporate citizenship and establishing standards of excellence within the industry.
Wegmans , a family-owned supermarket chain, is the winner of the 2019 Rabobank Award for Excellence and Leadership. Founded in 1916, and since then headquartered in Rochester, New York, the company has 101 stores in 7 states in the Northeast and Central Atlantic, and sources a significant portion of its fresh produce from a network of farming partners close to its stores. The growing chain has made significant strides in reducing plastic packaging and single-use plastics in the store, plus it donates about 14 million pounds of food to local food banks each year. Wegmans was recognized as a 2018 and 2019 Outstanding Safer Merchant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and ranked 1 for Corporate Reputation in the 2019 Harris Poll Reputation Quotient study.
“I appreciate the recognition of our commitment to helping our customers live better, healthier lives through food,” said Colleen Wegman, president and CEO of Wegmans. “One of the most impactful ways we have been able to achieve this is through our organic farm and orchard, where we test new varieties and growing techniques, and then share what we learn with our farming partners. "We are honored to receive this prestigious award."
The Rabobank Sustainability Leadership Award recognizes an organization that has made great strides in business, environmental, social and governance sustainability. The 2019 award was presented to Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV (Grupo Bimbo), the international bakery products manufacturer located in Mexico City, which is also an industry leader for driving sustainability in its supply chain and focusing its energy on renewable energy sources. In addition to constantly improving the nutritional profiles of its products, the company announced its commitment to using 100% renewable electricity by 2025. It has drastically reduced its CO2 emissions and operates 71 solar panel systems, including the largest in Chile and South America. Grupo Bimbo was named Energy Star partner of the year in 2018 and 2019 by the US EPA thanks to its operations in that country and was included in the List of the Most Ethical Companies in the World prepared by the Ethisphere Institute.
“It is an honor to receive this award on behalf of more than 138,000 collaborators around the world who share one mission: feeding a better world,” said Tony Gavin, Executive Vice President of Bimbo Bakeries USA. «Every business decision we make must support our purpose: to build a sustainable, highly productive and fully human company. This important recognition inspires us to continue working on this path, taking care of the environment and supporting communities in the 32 countries where we operate."
The Rabobank Emerging Innovation Leadership Award is awarded to a new growing company that is solving challenges and closing gaps in the food and agribusiness industry with an innovative and disruptive business model. The 2019 award was presented to Berkley, California-based Pivot Bio, a company that provides farmers with a microbial nitrogen crop nutrition solution that reduces the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers, helping to improve the profitability and sustainability of crops. the farmers. Pivot Bio was recognized as one of the Most Innovative Agritech Startups of 2018 by Forbes and one of the Most Innovative Companies in the World in 2019 by Fast Company.
“On behalf of the entire Pivot Bio team, we are honored to be recognized by Rabobank for our Emerging Innovation Leadership,” said Dr. Karsten Temme, CEO and co-founder of Pivot Bio. «This recognition is possible thanks to the multitude of people who believe that there is a better way to provide nitrogen to corn. Every day, we are inspired by farmers who use our product. “We thank them and our investors, partners and employees who together have made this possible to provide a solution that is better for farms, farmers and our planet.