“We are very proud to receive this recognition, which is the reflection of our effort to contribute to the comprehensive development of our employees and the communities where we operate, always caring for the environment and committed to creating long-term value,” said Javier González Franco, deputy general director of Grupo Bimbo.
This seventh edition of the Corporate Reputation Business Monitor (Merco) rankings surveyed executives of large companies, experts in corporate social responsibility, journalists, financial analysts, members of government, social media managers, NGOs, unions and consumer associations, among others.
Companies were evaluated on ethical behavior, transparency, responsibility to employees, commitment to the environment and climate change, contribution to the community and good corporate governance.
Wind farms, solar roofs, and good neighbors
Grupo Bimbo, headquartered in Mexico City, operates over 195 plants and distributes to more than 3 million points of sale around the world. Posting $15.1 billion in 2019 sales, business has grown accompanied by programs to reduce the company’s environmental footprint and push social responsibility.
In 2018, Grupo Bimbo became the first company in Mexico and Latin America to join the global RE100 initiative, pledging to operate on 100 percent renewable electricity by 2025.
“This initiative is part of our strategy for renewable energy, which began in 2012 with the opening of the Piedra Larga wind farm and is consolidated with this important commitment,” Grupo Bimbo’s vice president of global operations Jorge Zárate said at the time.
The 228-MW wind farm powers the group's plants and sales and distribution centers in Mexico and curbs emissions by approximately 180,000 tons of CO2 a year. "Bimbo Solar" introduced solar panels in its Mexico operations in 2018 and the largest self-sufficient solar roof system in Chile and South America a year later.
Other initiatives include a growing fleet of natural gas and electric distribution vehicles; a list of projects that contribute to the value chain; and recycling and packaging programs with zero waste targets.
A Good Neighbor program develops infrastructure improvement projects – remodeling bus stops, rehabilitating sports and cultural spaces – to improve the quality of life of people living or working around Grupo Bimbo factories and sales centers.
F&B companies on the Merco ranking
By sector, the food category dominated the Merco rankings with 12 companies in the top 100 including multinationals Nestlé in 8th place and Grupo Danone in 10th. Grupo Herdez, a leader in the Mexican processed food sector and an important player in the ice cream category, jumped 36 spots to number 13. Mexican dairy company Grupo Lala ranked 15, up 23 spots.
Of the six beverage companies on the list, PepsiCo, Grupo Modelo, Coca Cola Mexico, and Heineken Mexico all ranked in the top 10.
