Building Strong Communities
From local volunteer initiatives to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions to improving safety in our workplace, Dean Foods takes pride in our role as a responsible corporate citizen.
We're pleased to present our 2010
Corporate Responsibility Report. In the two years since our first
report in 2008, the world has changed dramatically. Our
company, like so many others, continues to feel the effects of a
global recession that fundamentally shifted consumer buying habits
and changed the food industry. Despite these challenges, we
continue to improve our business practices and remain focused on
becoming a best-in-class food and beverage company. With every step
in our journey, a strong sense of corporate responsibility remains
an integral part of our efforts.
CLICK HERE to view the 2010 Corporate Responsibility Report.
And for deeper information, the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Index may help direct your search. If you are a supplier interested in partnering with Dean Foods, know that we are aligned with the Institute for Supply Management's Principles and Standards of Ethical Supply Management Conduct and Principles of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, and choose to work with suppliers that share these same values. For more about our procurement process, click here. For more about our compliance with the California Transparency in Supply Chains Act (SB 657), click here.
As one of the nation's leading food and beverage companies, Dean Foods is committed to providing healthy and nutritious food and beverages for today's families. Through the Dean Foods Foundation and our other corporate giving initiatives, we strive to touch the lives of families in our communities by partnering with organizations that work to prevent childhood hunger and teach at-risk youth and children about the importance of nutrition. We also partner with organizations that promote responsible agriculture.
Hometown Giving
We are committed to nurturing and supporting the communities where we do business. In areas where we have operations, requests for contributions should be sent to the local business. All decisions are made locally.
Product
We recognize that making healthy food choices is a daily challenge for millions of Americans who face hunger. As a major food producer, we realize the impact we can have in helping these individuals and families maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Our local businesses provide fresh dairy, soy and other products to organizations in communities nationwide so that families in need may have access to nutritious food. We proudly support Feeding America, the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity. In 2010, we expect to provide more than 10.5 million pounds of product to Feeding America organizations.
Please contact our business unit in your area to request a donation. We do not accept product requests at the corporate level.
People
With 25,000 employees, we can provide a strong base of volunteers to organizations across the nation. Our corporate office and many of our local businesses actively support community needs through hands-on volunteer work. In addition, our employees support causes from hunger to cancer research to disaster relief by donating money, collecting items for charities, and participating in events and fundraisers.
Foundation
The Dean Foods Foundation supports organizations and programs that ensure children in our communities have access to the healthy foods they need to grow and thrive, and that enhance their understanding of the importance of a balanced, nutritious diet - now and throughout their lives. In addition, understanding that a healthy food supply depends on the well-being and stability of our nation's farms, we partner with organizations that promote responsible agriculture.
Fund requests are accepted twice yearly according to our Grantmaking Calendar.
Dean Foods Foundation supports organizations that:
- Are engaged in programs falling clearly under one or more of our program areas: childhood hunger prevention, nutrition education for at-risk youth and children, responsible agriculture, and disaster relief
- Are established 501(c)(3)s, or are fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3)
- Impact the Dallas, Texas, area (home to our corporate headquarters) or are national in scope
Click here for our complete Grant Guidelines and Grantmaking Calendar.
Click here for our Letter of Inquiry form.
A High Standard
At Dean Foods Company, integrity is one of our most important assets. Our Code of Ethics establishes the values and expectations by which we expect our directors, officers, and employees to follow to build value for our stakeholders. Our Audit Committee provides oversight of our compliance and ethics activities.
For additional information concerning our ethics and compliance, please review our Corporate Responsibility report.
Code of Ethics HelpLine: 1-888-332-3980