Processor Handbook - Innovation Center for US Dairy

2 Our Employees and Communities
Overview
Dairy processors and manufacturers are committed to and
have made investments in many initiatives in community
sustainability. They care about the well-being of their
workers and their community. The Guide indicators were
developed to capture some of the key ways in which dairy
as an industry can act as a socially responsible citizen and
communicate its role within the community.
The dairy industry creates highly tangible benefits for their
communities including jobs. Additionally, the industry’s
indirect actions, such as participation in community
organizations and support for community institutions,
contribute to the overall community health and vitality.
1. Labor management
Labor management is a closely watched sustainability topic,
examined not only by external stakeholders but also by
the processors themselves, because employee productivity
and engagement are essential to profitability and business
success. In a recent randomized global survey by GRI on
reporting on community impacts, 79 percent of North
American companies report on some topic directly related
to working conditions. 13
Dairy processing and manufacturing operations rely on
plant and factory workers to convert raw milk into safe
products for human consumption with manufactured
products ranging from pasteurized and ultra high
temperature processing (UHT) milk to value-added dairy
products such as yogurt, butter and cheese.
The sustainability of the dairy industry depends upon the
availability and retention of dairy plant employees.
Indicators for labor management include dairy employment
opportunities (a cross-category indicator with the economic
category), employee benefits such as housing, food and
health care, employee training and management/employee
relationships. Additionally, worker safety in processing
facilities is another indicator of labor management
addressed in the Guide.
2. Community contributions
Dairy processors and manufacturers contribute to their
local communities and regions in ways that can be obvious
to consumers and stakeholders such as direct economic
support, payment of local taxes and providing local jobs.
Other impacts may be less obvious:
• Community engagement by employers and
employees to service organizations, churches
and schools
• Charitable contributions
• Rural landscape protection and implementation of
conservation initiatives
• General contributions and capacity building to
support to the overall vitality of rural communities
Dairy processors and manufacturers frequently play a
crucial role in their communities. Many dairy companies
make giving back to their communities a priority through
charitable donations, volunteering and serving in local
positions. For example, dairy cooperatives often provide
scholarships for college students, grant funding to local
community projects and get involved in community
volunteering and charitable efforts. 14
The community contribution indicators for dairy
companies include monetary and product donations,
and educational opportunities.
12
DRAFT Processor Handbook to the Guide, April 2013