Forbes Names Hormel Foods One of the World's Top Female-Friendly Companies

Company is one of 300 to Make the Magazine's Inaugural List

News provided by

Dec 28, 2021, 12:00 ET

AUSTIN, Minn., Dec. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Throughout 2021, Hormel Foods Corporation, (NYSE: HRL), a global branded food company, received numerous awards from publications, including Newsweek magazine (America's Most Responsible Companies), Selling Power (50 Best Companies to Sell For) and Military Times (Best for Vets). Forbes can now be added to that list as the magazine recently announced that the company ranks as one of the World's Top Female-Friendly Companies.

Hormel Foods has long promoted and supported a female-friendly culture, including employee resource groups such as Hormel Foods Women in Leadership and Women's Insight Network. These groups are focused on continuing the work of the company to advance female-forward opportunities and programs. Additionally, the company recently announced two new female senior leadership appointments, including Jacinth Smiley, who was recently named executive vice president and chief financial officer and Wendy Watkins, named senior vice president and chief communications officer. The company's leadership and officer group includes 11 women; five at the senior leadership level, including Deanna Brady, who leads the company's largest business segment as executive vice president and group vice president of Refrigerated Foods.

"The reputation of Hormel Foods as one of the world's best employers is grounded in the belief that our differences truly make us stronger," said Brady. "Our culture supports inclusion and diversity throughout our global operations, with opportunities, programs and policies that are female-forward. We have a board of directors with great women leaders who serve as mentors and advisors. In addition, we have a leadership team that has some of the brightest and most talented women leaders in the Fortune 500 ranks leading key business and functional areas, and a pipeline of emerging female leaders poised to continue the trajectory well into the future. We are proud to be recognized for our work and are committed to doing even more."

Forbes teamed with market research company Statista to identify companies leading the way when it comes to supporting women inside and outside of their workforces.

To compile the inaugural list, Statista surveyed 85,000 women in 40 countries. Respondents were asked to rate their employers' performance on gender-related criteria and their willingness to recommend their employer to others. They were also asked to evaluate other employers in their respective industries. Respondents rated companies based on their corporate responsibility, marketing campaigns and public perception, as related to gender equality. The final list ranks the 300 companies that received the most recommendations and boast the most gender-diverse boards and executive ranks.

To view the complete list of the World's Top Female-Friendly Companies, visit https://www.forbes.com/female-friendly-companies/#17477e4c64ac.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™
Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $11 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters^®, SKIPPY^®, SPAM^®, Hormel^® Natural Choice^®, Applegate^®, Justin's^®, Wholly^®, Hormel^® Black Label^®, Columbus^® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the "Global 2000 World's Best Employers" list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine's most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" list for 12 years, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement — Inspired People. Inspired Food.™ — to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.