Corporate Social Responsibility

Today’s grocery shopper wants to know what their store stands for. We work on corporate social responsibility issues including animal welfare, sustainability, food waste and more. 

U.S. Plastics Pact

FMI is a Founding Activator of the U.S. Plastics Pact, which will create a unified national framework for a circular economy for plastics, creating structure, coherence, aligned targets, and associated reporting. The food industry is committed to package waste reduction with 41% of FMI members reporting that they already have clear objectives and implementation timeframes for package waste reduction.

The U.S. Plastics Pact has four outlined targets to encourage bold action:

  • Define a list of plastic packaging to be designated as problematic or unnecessary by 2021 and take measures to eliminate them by 2025.
  • By 2025, all plastic packaging will be 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable.
  • Undertake ambitious actions to effectively recycle or compost 50% of plastic packaging by 2025.
  • By 2025, the average recycled content or responsibly-sourced, bio-based content in plastic packaging will be 30%

Frequently Asked Questions

FMI Corporate Social Responsibility Resources

The Food Retailing Industry Speaks 2023

This report provides the food industry with important operational and financial benchmarks, as well as insights into strategic and tactical decisions among both food retailers and suppliers.

Sustainable Packaging Assessment Guide

The playbook provides guidance on topics ranging from material sourcing to design, to end-of-use, with a particular focus on recyclability.

The Transition to Cage-Free Eggs

This study investigates the challenges and opportunities associated with the transition to cage-free housing, including interviews with and a survey of egg producers, a survey of egg consumers, and economic modeling of the sector.

Boardroom Volume 8

This journal discusses food industry supply chain disruption, labor shortages and workforce challenges, technology transformation, changing marketplace and societal dynamics, evolving consumer behaviors, and rising ESG expectations.

Unified Voice Protocol – Cage-Free Eggs and Slow-Growth Broilers Production Practices

This on-demand digital seminar announces a new approach to managing emerging issues in the food, agricultural and consumer goods sectors.

How the Food Industry is Reducing Food Waste

These talking points outline how the food industry is addressing food waste.

State Sustainability Resources

A compilation of state sustainability resources to help members stay abreast of the environmental and sustainability bills at the state and local levels.

Transparency in an Evolving Omnichannel World

This report finds there is high demand among consumers for transparency from food retailers and manufacturers, particularly in a more omnichannel marketplace

Store Level Recycling of Plastic Film and other materials During the Pandemic: A Joint Survey

Developed in collaboration with The Recycling Partnership’s Film and Flexibles Coalition, this survey evaluates recycling programs for plastic films and other materials and best practices for collecting plastic films.

FMI Sustainable Packaging Playbook

This tool can support internal business operations and effective trading partner collaboration regarding sustainable packaging.

Sustainability In the Food Industry: An Evolving Landscape

This 2021 report is a guide to FMI resources relevant to the current sustainability landscape in the food industry.

Messy but Worth It! Lessons Learned from Fighting Food Waste

Tips from foodservice manufacturers, grocers and restaurants leading the way in food waste reduction.

Broiler Survey Report: Consumer Beliefs, Knowledge, and Willingness-to-Pay for Sustainability-Related Poultry Production Practices

The overriding purpose of this project is to determine the market potential and consumer willingness-to-pay for chicken breast with different labels, with primary focus on slow growth labels.

Egg Survey Report: Consumer Beliefs, Knowledge, and Willingness-to-Pay for Sustainability-Related Poultry Production Practices

The purpose of this project is to determine market potential and consumer willingness-to-pay for eggs with different labels, with primary focus on cage free

Sustainable Sourcing for High-Impact Commodities

This resource offers top-line information and questions to consider when sourcing products that have sensitive social, environmental or economic impact.
CSR Leadership

Leadership

FMI's Sustainability Executive Committee is comprised of retail/wholesale company sustainability leaders and provides leadership, insight and expertise on an ongoing basis.
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FMI's Communications and Consumer Affairs Council provides a forum for communications and consumer affairs professionals to share information relevant to FMI priority issues; media trends or national stories; customer considerations; and national and state policy initiatives that impact public relations and brand reputation of the food retail industry.
Learn More  Committee Portal