CSR Education

”Adopt a School” Program

In 2017, Smithfield Romania invested RON 1 million in the program ”Adopt a School”.

This program, intended for companies that want to support an educational institution, was launched at Timișoara in 2017, at the initiative of Smithfield Romania. It aims at improving the educational process and study conditions in schools from Timiș County and was started in partnership with Timiș County School Inspectorate.

The pilot of this project took place in January – June 2018 and included 25 educational units in the county, each benefiting of financial support from Smithfield Romania to implement specific investment projects. The eligible projects included rehabilitation and renovation of school infrastructure, purchases and set-up of new IT&C educational equipment or of a play and sports room in the schools selected in the program.

At this stage, the project was benefited by approx. 10,000 students and teachers in the 25 primary and secondary educational units. Almost 300 teachers were directly in charge of its implementation.

Overall, the amounts allocated by Smithfield Romania for implementing the pilot project “Adopt a School” are close to RON 1 million (RON 928,000). They were distributed according to the size of schools and investment experts were directly coordinated by the County School Inspectorate.

The investments ”Adopt a School” program, supported by Smithfield Romania were completed at the end of school year 2017-2018.

”Back to School” Program

”Back to School” is a Smithfield Romania program to support access to education and encourage school performance, addressed to school children in local communities where we operate.

At the beginning of each school year, Smithfield Romania volunteers, motivated by the joy brought to children in the previous years, give school supplies to school and pre-schools children from neighboring communities, along with backpacks, pencil cases and timetables with tips for a healthy lifestyle, manuals and books to children of Smithfield employees.

If in 2007, when it started, the program included 4 localities, as of 2013 to date it extended to over 60 communities. The program addresses both the children in pre-school, primary and secondary grades and the children of Company employees. In all 13 editions so far, over 60,000 students from the communities where Smithfield Romania operates, have been included in the program.

Until 2020, the 13 Editions of the Program Included over 60,000 Beneficiary School Children:

2007

- 4 localities in Timiş County

- Over 700 school children

2008

- 11 localities in Timiș County

- Over 2,040 school children

2009

- 36 localities in Timiș County

- Over 3,000 school children

2010

- 40 localities in Timiș and Arad Counties

- Over 3,500 school children

2011

- 65 localities in Timiș and Arad Counties

- Over 3,550 school children

2012

- 61 localities in Timiș and Arad Counties

- Over 3,600 school children

2013

- 66 localities in Timiș and Arad Counties

- Over 4,670 school children

2014

- 56 localities in Timiș and Arad Counties

- Over 6,600 school children

2015

- 63 localities in Timiș and Arad Counties

- Over 6,600 school children

2016

- 60 localities in Timiș and Arad Counties

- Over 6,400 school children

2017

- 66 localities in Timiș and Arad Counties

- Over 6,600 school children

2018

- 60 localities in Timiș and Arad Counties

- Over 7,000 school children

2019

- 60 localities in Timiș and Arad Counties

- Over 6,000 school children

September 2017 - “Back to school” 11th Edition

Three days full of joy and emotion make up for a lot of moments full of gratitude, spent with the school children! The children visited by our Company were extremely pleased to receive once again the visit of Smithfield Romania volunteers, packed with backpacks, anoraks for sports activities, school supplies for kindergarten activities and timetables with special graphics! For 11 years, the first ring of the bell announcing the beginning of the school year in communities from Timiș and Arad Counties, became synonymous with the visit of Smithfield Romania volunteers! This year, 103 people gladly answered “Present” to the call of joining the caravans with backpacks and school supplies, provided by our Company!

September 2016 - Anniversary Edition of ”Back to School” Program" – Ten Years since Implementing the Educational Support Program

“Back to School” program, implemented by Smithfield Romania in schools and kindergartens in Timiș and Arad Counties, is celebrating today ten years of implementation. Thought as a sustainable, long-term event to provide access to education and encourage school performance, over the years, the program has already involved more than 30,000 school children from 60 localities in Timis and Arad. In the 10 years of program implementation, “Back to School” caravans have traveled thousand of kilometers, and the volunteers involved have accumulated over 1000 hours of activity. For 10 years, “Back to School” program successfully brings together financial and organization resources, civil spirit and the wish of the 80 volunteering participants to get involved every year, the needs of communities where we live and operate, the openness and vision of our local partners – teachers, principals, school inspectors, representatives of local authorities – and last, but not the least important, the joy of children to always be greeted with love and constant support in their educational approach. Smithfield team believes that education is the key of personal and professional success and we have the duty to pass this on to the new generation.

September 2015 - “Back to School” – 9th Edition

Now in its 9th edition, the program included 63 schools from Timiș and Arad Counties and in the country. The tradition of providing “Back to School” backpacks and school supplies was completed by the much-awaited sports equipment for the school children from communities where Smithfield Romania operates. This year, as in the previous years, the children of Smithfield Romania employees have been included in the program, along with over 6600 school children who enjoyed the gifts provided by Smithfield Romania, as part of this program. “Back to School” is expanding from one year to another and, together with Smithfield Romania employees, we manage to consistently welcome an impressive number of school children at the beginning of each school year!

September 2014 - ”Back to School”- 8th Edition

This year’s edition has recorded great results: over 90 participating volunteers, who traveled 8.050 km and visited 56 localities. So far, at national level, over 24,200 school children enjoyed the support provided through Smithfield Romania’s “Back to School” program. Our program’s beneficiaries have included so far kindergarten and school children from Utvin, Sânmihaiu Român, and Sânmihaiu German localities and students of Automotive High School from Freidorf neighborhood.

September 2013 - In 2013, 4,670 Children Received School Supplies from Smithfield Romania Volunteers

Six caravans, 66 localities nationwide and 4,670 children – this is the balance of the 7th edition of “Back to School” program, to support access to education and encourage school performance, a program that is carried out at Smithfield Ferme, Smithfield Prod and Agroalim Distribution. The 70 Smithfield Romania volunteers traveled over 7,700 km and shared school supplies, smiles and encouragements for a school year full of outstanding achievements for the children in the 66 communities, towns and villages where the company operates. Also, 311 children of Smithfield Romania employees (Smithfield Ferme, Smithfield Prod and Agroalim Distribution) have been included in this program, which became a tradition, receiving all the materials necessary to start a new year of educational training. Ensuring access to education and encouraging academic performance are one of the values we strongly believe in and, therefore, we consistently support our communities, by reminding children that we stand by them, year after year! “Smithfield Romania volunteers are part of our family and we want to thank them for helping us in passing forward the message: school is the most solid investment in our future!” said Viorel Popovici, Mayor of Sânpetru Mare Timiş County, one of the beneficiary localities of “Back to School” program.

September 2010 - “Back to School”- Third Edition

Social Responsibility Programs

Smithfield Romania has developed over time numerous social involvement programs being, among others: initiator of “Back to School” program – to support families with social needs, sponsor of Smithfield Academics program – to support quality education, initiator of “Be One of Us!” program to support local cultures and traditions, and of ”Smithfield Friends” social responsibility program, to encourage volunteering among employees.

Smithfield’s social responsibility programs were locally and internationally recognized, Company volunteers being rewarded with many prizes, such as: Smithfield Foods “Environmental and Sustainability Awards 2014” – for good sustainability practices, "Diploma of Excellence" (PR Awards, 2014), and 2nd place and nominations at Romanian CSR Awards Galas, 2013, 2015 and 2016 editions.

Smithfield Academics Program

“Smithfield Academics” is a social responsibility program of Smithfield Romania, launched in 2004 by our Company, to support the academic and the research environment of Banat area, through educational and university research programs.

Activities eligible for financing in “Smithfield Academics” program:

· seminars and conferences on various specific issues where we operate: Veterinary Medicine (veterinarians, zootecnicians) and Food Industry, with the specializations: food engineering, food safety and quality, mechanical engineering.

· support of research on various topics: veterinary, livestock and food industry.

· organization of visits for students at fairs in our field of activity

· internship for students

Through our “Smithfield Academics” program, we support a quality educational process by developing long-term partnerships, collaboration with universities and colleges in Banat area, designed to train specialists in our fields of activity (livestock production, food industry and veterinary).

Smithfield Academics – Partnership for Practical Training of Students in the Field!

Internship Program

Since 2009, Smithfield Romania has developed its own Internship program. Through this educational program, the Company opens its doors to students interested in understanding and experimenting the practical side of animal husbandry and pork production, and their related activities.

Thus, through long-term partnerships with Banat University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, West University from Timişoara, and Timişoara Polytechnics, we had the opportunity to help shape an educational process in which theoretical concepts are interwoven with practical experience to create an academic environment where students become future specialists in the field.

Since 2009, when the program was started, Smithfield Romania has hosted an overall number of over 711 interns, of which a large part in the Hog Production and Meat Production Departments and the support departments: Quality, Technical, Financial, HR, IT, Sales, Legal and PR.

Smithfield Romania Believes in Supporting the Educational Process and Access to Education!

Through our Quality Control Department, there is an ongoing collaboration with higher education institutions from Timișoara to ensure the training of future specialists in food industry or agriculture, through training programs.

The Internship Program provides students with the unique opportunity to gain practical experience in animal husbandry, food industry and pork processing, to the highest quality standards. This program allows students to develop their own specific projects, under the guidance of a specific tutor, as one of the many benefits this program presents.

Smithfield Romania is actively involved in providing career development opportunities to all participating students, characterized by long-term orientation and determination in obtaining professional performance.

Benefits for Interns:

· Being an intern in one of the largest meat processing companies in the world can provide valuable experience and recommendations for employment at the end of a good internship program

· On-site training on the functioning of the departments concerned

· Faculty credits, as established together with the University

· Possibility of scholarships

Profile Desired:

· 2nd or 3rd year students at profile universities

· Dynamic and organized person

· Availability to perform a variety of tasks to work well in a team. Work independently and as part of a team

· Ability to work under minimum surveillance

Educational Projects Developed over Time and Supported by Smithfield Romania

October 2015 - Non-formal Education Day 2015

Culinary workshop supported by the students of Buziaș Theoretical High School. In October, on the day dedicated to non-formal education in schools, the students of Buziaș High School organized a culinary workshop intended to promote the principles of a healthy lifestyle. Students prepared traditional food stalls and supported an artistic program, a flashmob and a recital of folklore poems specific to Banat area. Smithfield Romania has supported the organization of this project by awarding the winning stands. The team that managed to impress the jury were all provided with sports equipment and backpacks from Smithfield Romania.