Monthly Archives: November 2011

Going Green

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I am excited to take part in a unique new project, the first of its kind in Israel and at Strauss, which involves a significant corporate contribution to the environment.

 

Our salty snacks division (Strauss Frito Lay) will be launching the “TerraCycle Project” which encapsulates the notion of corporate, communal and environmental responsibility. Under this project, empty packs of our consumed products will be re-collected, recycled and we will even grant money to the recyclers who donate it back to specified organizations and groups. There is no “fine print” within this project – it is just as amazing as it sounds.

 

As for recycling consumed snack packs, how will it work? Simple. Collect the used packages, download a pre-paid mailing tag from the company’s website that facilitates the “pre-paid” mailing, and you will gain roughly two cents for each collected wrapper in the package. The money you will accumulate during the campaign will be donated to the organization of your choice.

 

We aim to connect the community with the environment

 

Launching the project, we aim to connect the community with the environment in three ways: First, the public at large will be taking responsibility for the environment in which they live, by properly disposing of food packaging waste. Second, we will be contributing back to the community for their effort in collecting the packs. Third, as a commercial company, we validate our commitment to care for the environment even after our products have left the production lines.

 

The cooperation agreement signed with TerraCycle enables us to evaluate the public response to such a project, with the hope that the public’s response will make other departments at Strauss (and even additional companies in Israel) join in as well. Now we are able to recycle the packs of all our popular salty snacks: Tapuchips (Lay’s), Cheetos, Doritos and Shoosh. As far as we are concerned, this is not just another short-term project, but a sustainable venture that involves our ongoing commitment to invest in the environment and in the community.

 

 

 

 

The connection between the salty snack division (Strauss Frito Lay) and this project is not coincidental for the following two reasons:

 

First, our ties with PepsiCo, an equal partner in Strauss Frito Lay, who is also active in such a project in the U.S., Brazil and Canada, and second: the target audience. Past experience shows that most recyclers are children and teenagers, who are the major consumer base of salty snacks. While we don’t have any educational subtexts, we are committed to being a part of a change which we must all make, and we hope that this project will result in greater awareness among young people.

 

 

 

Yael Hazum

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Yael is the director of developing future growth engines in Strauss’ Salty Snacks Division, and she is involved with Strauss Fresh project in Turkey. Yael join Strauss 5 years ago as the brand manager of Frito Lay, and started her current position a year ago.

Reciprocating Nature, With Love

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Sometimes, you get the opportunity to take part in something exciting and significant. The PLA4FOOD project, which I have the privilege to be involved in, is exactly that. PLA4FOOD aims to develop environmentally friendly packaging for the fruit and vegetables you buy in the supermarket. Not only will the packaging be environmentally friendly, but it will also keep the products fresher for longer – meaning that your vegetables will taste better when you eat them.

 

 

The PLA4FOOD project is led by Aimplas, a large plastics institute in Spain. Aimplas are collaborating with the Technion in Haifa, Poliraz (a plastic packs producer), and companies from nine countries – of which Strauss is one. We wouldn’t have been able to enter such a high-cost project without the opportunity presented by the EU, which supports food industries and research on improved food quality.

 

Prolonging the shelf life of our products

 

So, why am I so excited by this packaging research? Well, you’re used to the food you buy being perishable, but probably not the packaging it comes in. We hope that this project will change that. The packaging we’re designing is made of natural materials, and it will naturally decompose – making it eco-friendly. The plastic sheet we’re developing as a packaging alternative is divided into layers, with natural substances inserted between them to provide whatever it is that they’re wrapping with additional protection. We like to think of it as an extra skin for each fruit and vegetable we protect. This packaging will improve the quality and life-span of cut vegetables.

 

Another significant step in the consumption of fresh foods

 

Not only will PLA4FOOD improve the packing of cut fruit and vegetables, but it will also allow a reduction in thermal treatments and preservatives. Once we have a way to package all produce more effectively, the need for preservatives will lessen. We’re aiming to increase the shelf life of fresh vegetables by 30-40%. This will be a remarkable innovation – imagine how fresh that fruit will stay once you’ve brought it home!

 

If, and when, we succeed in our development of this new, semi-magical packaging, it will mean a complete change to the fruit and vegetables you buy in your local store. Shelf life will increase, and we’ll be able to improve the taste, smell, texture, and even the color of the produce for sale. The plastic sheet we’re developing can be formed into other shapes, and so this project could have implications for much of the other packaging you see in the supermarket – salads, dairy products… the sky is the limit!

 

 

 

For more information about this research project, please log on to:http://www.aimplas.es/proyectos/pla4food/

 


6th International Green Awards for Creativity in Sustainability

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The International Green Awards were launched in 2006 to recognize something that is even more relevant now than it was then – creative sustainable ideas from around the world. This in itself was incredibly innovative at the time, much like the businesses, entrepreneurs, leaders, and influencers that the Green Awards celebrates.

 

Since then, the Green Awards have grown every year, until this – its 6th Awards ceremony. This year there are even more categories than in the past, and even more entries. The Green Awards, which started on a much smaller scale, now has 20 categories and features entrants from across the world – from such diverse nations as China, New Zealand, USA, UAE, and Greece.

 


 

Previous winners at the International Green Awards

 

Previous winners at the International Green Awards include companies or individuals who are well known for their commitment and contributions to sustainability – and also some who would surprise you. In 2010, Morrison Supermarkets PLC won the Best Green Educational Project category for their Let’s Grow campaign, a program that aims to capture the imagination of schoolchildren across the UK and inspire them to grow their own fruit and vegetables. The program has taught over 5 million kids from over 24,500 schools where food comes from, and has provided them access to gardening equipment. Pretty impressive.

 

Another impressive campaign that was awarded at the 2010 International Green Awards was the Hopenhagen advertising campaign, which came first in the Best Green Third/Charity Sector Campaign category. This campaign was run in the lead up to the UN Climate Change Conference, held in Copenhagen in 2009, and aimed to create momentum behind the Conference to help get a good climate deal. The campaign was created by volunteers throughout the advertising, marketing and communication industries.

 

Best Green Cross Platform Digital Media Solution Award

 

This year is the first year that there is a Best Green Cross Platform Digital Media Solution Award, presents for the best use of mobile applications social media and online content. One of the campaigns that has been shortlisted is the Do Some Good mobile application from Orange UK. The mobile network operator released a mobile application which gives those with five minutes spare something “good” to do – users can take part in surveys for charities, tag places that need more trees, provide translation services for people in developing countries, and more.

 

 

Another digital media campaign that has been nominated is the World Environment Day Challenge, from the United Nations Environment Programme. The campaign featured a Don Cheadle and Gisele Bündchen, who competed to see which of them could rally more people to take action on World Environment Day (June 5th). Gisele won, with 52%, but the main success of the campaign was the doubling of participation 2010.

 

Our main focuses is sutainability

 

At Strauss, one of our main focuses is sustainability. We constantly re-evaluation and reassess how we, as a corporation and as individuals, can contribute to the sustainable movement and play our part to reduce climate change. Corporate responsibility is something that was ingrained in our company from its very beginnings, when the Strauss family took a sustainable and family-oriented approach to their products and lifestyle. Strauss focuses on sustainable issues such as energy consumption, water conservation, and reducing air pollution. By setting up our blog and Twitter account, we have been able to enter the conversation about CSR and sustainability live and connect with other CSR innovators around the world.

 

Snack Food and Health: Any Connection?

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Although it seems that the terms “snacks” and “health” don’t mix together, we are constantly working to make our snacks healthier. True, snacks could never replace a nutritious lunch, but sometimes when we wish to indulge in a treat and or snack something tasty, we should know that there are people who work on making our snacks a bit more healthy and nutritious, so that even our “small sins” don’t become eventually “big”.

 

 

In the past two years, we at Strauss Frito Lay (salty snacks) worked on changes in the nutritional ingredients of some of our salty snacks. It was a long, complex process, because the major thing that would make consumers buy the same snack again is its taste.

The challenge was not to impair the taste of our snacks, while making them healthier (emphasis on “-er”).

 

At the end of a long and fascinating journey, we managed to attain three significant achievements in the production of salty snacks: a shift to sunflower oil, large reduction in sodium in the Potato Chips- Olive Oil series, and turning the natural-flavor Potato Chips into a gluten-free snack (less than 20ppm).

 

Shift to sunflower oil: Less saturated fat

 

Until September 2011 we used palm oil, commonly-used for industrial purposes due to its high heat resistance. Currently, we use sunflower oil in the Cheetos and Potato Chips products, which contains up to 12% saturated fat (70% reduction!)

 

The oil replacement process was conducted in collaboration with PepsiCo (our partners), that has been examining various fats for the production of potato chips (widely known as “Lays“) in recent years. PepsiCo was searching for two major qualities: low saturated fat level and maximum firmness under heating processes.

 

Removing gluten from Potato Chips: More consumer options

 

Over the past year we separated the production process of natural-flavor potato chips from other snacks in order to prevent any traces of gluten. Meticulous lab tests confirm the lack of gluten in this snack, and in order to verify these results, we also send samples to an external independent lab for comparative tests.

 

 

Having worked with gluten for such a long time, it’s hard to believe that the new snack has no difference in taste in the new snack, despite the lack of this protein that has irritated so many people.

 

 

Considerable reduction in sodium: More healthy

 

One of the most difficult ingredients to remove from salty snacks is…of course, salt (sodium). As I mentioned before, the main reason for purchasing salty snacks is their salty taste, and therefore, any change in this taste can result in significant reduction in sales.

 

Therefore, in a two-year process that included hundreds of thousands worth of new equipment and the introduction of tasting tests, we found the way to reduce sodium levels without impairing the winning taste of our snacks. We managed to significantly reduce salt by 40% in the Potato Chips-Olive Oil series and by 9% in natural-flavor Potato Chips.

 

Our work is not done. All of us in the company realize that this is a long and complex process that will take several more years. However, we embarked on this important journey with a clear goal in mind: create fun, tasty and nutritionally-balanced snacks.

 

 

 

The Governor of Virginia: “We have Special Ties With Strauss”

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Ties between Strauss Group and the State of Virginia were fostered with the establishment of Sabra’s plant in Richmond, under our partnership with PepsiCo. This special project resulted in the Governor’s visit at the Strauss corporate center in Israel on Monday (November 14).

 

 

 

The excitement throughout the visit was evident.

 

Ofra Strauss, Chairperson of Strauss, and Gadi Lesin, President & CEO, greeted Governor Bob McDonell and his delegation, and commended the assistance provided by Virginian Authorities toward the inauguration of the greenest plant in the U.S – in Richmond, Virginia. Governor McDonell highlighted the special ties formed with Strauss, expressing his hope that many companies and business would follow this path. As a proud Virginian, he reviewed the numerous opportunities that lie in setting up new business in his State.

 

 

We are proud of the Governor’s visit in Israel and at Strauss, and are pleased to share with you some significant moments from it, including a short conversation held with him for the Strauss Blog.

 

Let’s hear the Governor in his own words:

Giving and Partnership – Together all the Way

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The community and social commitment of the HR department derives from the spirit that inspires the entire organization. Our commitment is based on a tradition of caring, concern and community involvement – values instilled in the organization since its inception.

 

 

 

Our partnership with the ex-prisoner’s hostel began in May 2009 as part of a social project that was introduced in Strauss in order to find a long-term partner in the community.

 

 

 

The Zionist 2000 organization connected us to the reformed prisoner’s hostel. This hostel helps women released from jail, with an aim to help them build toward independent life in society.

 

During our joint activity, it is important for us to have fun together with the women, as well as to give them something from us. We visit company sites together (some of them even currently work at Strauss), have a good time, and take part in conferences, workshops and interesting events.

 

 

 

The following video footage sums up an exciting visit to an amusement park to mark two years of a joint partnership with the participation of all HR people and their children.


 

 

Every time we come back from an activity at the hostel, we feel that that they women there make us stronger. Our joint meetings fine-tune the importance of things we take for granted, and make us realize more intensely that we have made the right choice in our connection with them.

Maayan Shushan

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Maayan is 28 years old and lives in Givatayim. Maayan has a BA in Sociology from the Academic Collage of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. Maayan is the administrative manager of the Social Department and Organizational Development at Strauss Group.

Maayan started working at Strauss Group in December 2010, after working as a manager at a recruitment agency.

Maayan was born in Mitzpe Ramon in the Negev, where she still lives. Maayan spends her free time with her friends and family, traveling and admiring the views of her home town.

Corporate Social Responsibility – Let’s tweet about it

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The opportunity to address issues related to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and more specifically “Thoughts on Business Leadership in a Changing World” – the title of Ofra’s talk – was too great to miss.

 

The Conference also brought together many movers and shakers from the CSR world. It was an amazing opportunity to get so many of today’s biggest voices in the world of CSR in the same place at the same time. The Conference facilitated discussions on a wide variety of CSR topics, including women and sustainability, global water crisis solutions, sustainability as good business, and much more.

 

One of the most amazing things about the Conference was the opportunities provided by social media and the internet to follow the discussions, both from the Conference itself and from afar.

 

The BSR blog, informative all year round, updated everyone on the best ways to follow the conference. The BSR Storify platform was constantly updated with news from the conference. And the #BSR11 Twitter hashtag was used by all participants of the conference to relay news, create discussions, and express their opinions.

 

Many of these twitterers were those whose content we have enjoyed since we opened our Twitter account a few months ago.

 

So, who provided the best #BSR11 (the official hashtag of the conference) coverage?

 

Here are our Top Ten Twitterers

 


@BSRnews

The official twitter account for BSR and the conference. @BSRnews gave a great overview of the conference, helped people stay in touch with each other, suggested other great twitterers who were at the conference, and gave links to articles across

the web about the conference and the speakers.

 

Throughout the year, @BSRnews shares their thoughts about CSR, as well as sharing tweets from other leaders in the CSR world. What more could you ask for?!

 

@KaraHurst

Kara Hurst is the Vice President of BSR, so maybe it’s cheating to put her on the list as we already have @BSRnews. We couldn’t not though – Kara’s tweets over the four days of BSR Conference 2011 helped direct her followers in the right direction – who else to follow and what was going on at the conference.

 

Kara is also an interesting follow throughout the year, sharing her CSR content and humor on a daily basis.

 

@susanmcp1

Susan McPherson is an amazing CSR twitterer all year round, but we especially enjoyed her coverage of BSR Conference 2011. Susan is an incredibly friendly tweeter, as you can see from some of these tweets! She also organizes the Twitter based #CSRChat – another great reason to follow her.

 

@JeffreyHogue

Jeffrey is the Vice President of Sustainability at Danisco, a world leader in food ingredients, enzymes and biobased solutions.

 

Jeffrey was interesting throughout BSR Conference, sharing his thoughts and reflections.

 

Jeffrey provides an amazing amount of CSR related content throughout the year, making him a must-follow for all those who want to keep up with CSR news.

 

@AmanSinghCSR

Aman Singh writes, tweets, and consults about CSR. She provided great coverage about CSR in general and BSR Conference 2011 during the week of the conference, both by providing information about the speakers and the speeches at the conference, and recommending other twitterers who were at the conference and tweeting excellent content. Aman is an incredibly active twitterer thoughout the year, starting interesting discussions and helping people connect, all via Twitter.

 

@amydaugustine

Amy Augustine works for Ceres in sustainability. She’s an interesting twitterer, who provided great coverage of BSR Conference 2011. We really enjoyed following her tweets as the week played out. She was also on a panel discussion as part of the conference. Amy is incredibly personable, always interesting, and excited to take part in CSR related discussions.

 

@JessSF

Jessica Hubbard is someone that we had the pleasure to “meet” over the course of BSR Conference 2011. Her perceptive and insightful tweets throughout the conference were informative and interesting – and she was one of many who tweeted throughout Ofra’s speech and sent us follow up questions afterwards! Jessica is an amazing live tweeter of whatever event she’s attending, and great at sharing news about CSR in between conferences.

 

@CaseyB

Casey Brennan is the marketing manager at VolunteerMatch, an organization that is by definition involved in CSR.

 

She also writes posts for their blog. Throughout BSR she tweeted her thoughts on the speakers.

 

Casey is interesting all year round, always sharing thoughts and information about campaigns for social good and CSR.

 

@sfallender

Suzanne Fallender is the Director of CSR Strategy & Communications at Intel. As well as tweeting thoughout BSR Conference 2011, she was also a speaker at one of the sessions. Throughout the year, she tweets about sustainability, women leaders, and of course Intel.

 

@aroncramer

Of course, we couldn’t finish this list without mentioning the wonderful Aron Cramer. Aron is the President and CEO of BSR. He spoke, tweeted and blogged his way through the conference, providing insights to those who attending and those who were stuck at home.

 

 

We learned so much from Twitter over the course of the conference. We heard people speak about redefining leadership, sustainability as a global movement, making sustainable changes, and hypertransparency. And even better – we got to tweet about these topics with some of the best CSR people out there.

 

We’re already looking forward to next year – see you there?