Renewable energy use

Greenpeace's Reenergise campaign ranks Australia's biggest electricity using companies on their commitments and actions regarding renewable energy use. This company has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) to buy power from a wind or solar project; but they have not committed to powering their operations by 100% renewable electricity by 2030; and they have not invested in on-site solar.

Source: Greenpeace (2021)

Breaching advertising codes

This company has been criticised for offensive advertising. Between 2013 and 2017 the Advertising Standards Bureau upheld complaints about five ads by this company on the grounds that they breached advertising codes. The ads were subsequently discontinued or modified.

Source: Advertising Standards Bureau (2017)

2016 CHOICE Shonky Award

Named and shamed in the 2016 CHOICE Shonky Awards for reducing the size and packaging of its Pringles chips, while increasing the saturated fat content nearly 60%. CHOICE did the math and the new packs give you 9.3% less value for money.

Source: Choice (2016)

2018 CHOICE Shonky Award

Named and shamed in the 2018 CHOICE Shonky Awards for its breakfast-to-go product, Nutri-Grain To Go Banana & Honey Smash and its high sugar content. Choice points out that while lots of snacks and sweets are high in sugar, most of them don't masquerade as 'ironman food'.

Source: Choice (2018)

Palm oil free products

Some, but not necessarily all, of this company's cereal products are palm oil free. For more details, follow the link to see Borneo Orangutan Survival Australia's list of products which manufacturers have told them are palm oil free or contain segregated certified sustainable palm oil.

Source: BOS Australia (2020)

RCMI signatory

This company is a signatory to the Responsible Children's Marketing Initiative (RCMI), which is managed by the Australian Food & Grocery Council and covers products found in retail outlets. Companies that have signed up to the initiative commit to: only advertising healthier choices to children and encouraging a healthy lifestyle through good diet and physical activity; not paying for or seeking product placement television programs, editorial content or interactive games aimed at children, unless the product is a healthier choice; not advertising and marketing to children in Australian schools unless they are asked to by those schools.

Source: AANA (2023)

Employer of Choice for Gender Equality

This company is listed by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) as a Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation holder. The citation is designed to encourage, recognise and promote active commitment to achieving gender equality in Australian workplaces.

Source: WGEA (2022)

Cage-free eggs commitment

This company is listed on the RSPCA Australia website as 'cage-free and proud', signifying a commitment to source 100% cage-free eggs by 2025. Essentially cage-free means barn laid, which is better than cage eggs, but still much worse than free-range or organic eggs when it comes to animal welfare.

Source: RSPCA Australia (2024)

Palm oil from Wilmar

A 2016 report by Amnesty International found a range of labour rights abuses on the palm oil plantations operated by Wilmar's subsidiaries and suppliers in Indonesia. These abuses include worst forms of child labour, forced labour, discrimination against women workers, people being paid below the minimum wage, and workers suffering injuries from toxic chemicals. The report confirms that Kellogg's has a joint venture with, and sources palm oil from Wilmar. [Listed under Information due to age of report]

Source: Amnesty Intl (2016)

Plastic pollution

In 2018 volunteers collected and catalogued more than 187,000 pieces of trash from beach cleanups around the world to find out which corporations are contributing the most to the global plastic pollution problem. While not in the top 10, this company ranked as one of the world's worst plastic polluters.

Source: #breakfreefromplastic (2018)

Blindingly Obvious Danger Award

Named in Consumers International's International Bad Product Awards 2008. Lego and Kellogg's came up with the idea of tapping into kids' love of Lego by releasing edible candy bricks made to look just like the real thing. It would seem they didn't realise that toddlers may mistake real Lego for their 'Fun Snacks'. It was discontinued soon afterwards (2008).

Source: Consumers International (2008)

Advertising junk food to kids

Named in Consumers International's International Bad Product Awards 2007. Key to Kellogg's success has been the use of some of the most persistent and persuasive marketing methods to children. Many of these products are breakfast cereals high in fat, sugar and/or salt. [Listed under Information due to age of report]

Source: Consumers International (2007)

Fined US$4m for false advertising

In 2013 Kellogg agreed to pay $4 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over the marketing claims it made for Frosted Mini-Wheats. The company was sued for saying that the cereal improved children's attentiveness, memory and other cognitive functions.

Source: news article (2013)

Promotion of GE in USA

GMO Inside Campaign has called for a boycott of Kellogg's products for Kellogg's pro Genetically Engineered stance. Kellogg was a key player in the introduction of GMO Sugar in the USA in 2008.

Source: GMO Inside Coalition (2013)

Possible GE in US brands

This company has products rated RED in the Centre for Food Safety's True Food Shopper's Guide (USA). Products on the RED list contain ingredients that come from the most common GE crops (corn, soy, canola, cotton). Companies with products on this list have confirmed that their products may have or are likely to be made with GE ingredients, or have not denied using GE foods when given the opportunity to do so.

Source: Center for Food Safety USA (2018)

Nanoparticles in Pop-Tarts

Testing commissioned by As You Sow found potentially harmful nanoparticles in Pop-Tarts. Nanomaterials have undergone little or no safety testing. Research shows that these tiny particles are so small that they can easily penetrate cell walls and slip into organs, including the brain, with infants and children particularly susceptible.

Source: As You Sow (2013)

47.9% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017

This company received a score of 47.9/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor.

Source: Newsweek (2017)

CEO Pay Ratio of 214:1

In 2022 the median pay for a worker at this company was US$62,075. The CEO was paid 214 times this amount. Exorbitant CEO pay is a major contributor to rising inequality. CEOs are getting more because of their power to set pay, not because they are increasing productivity or possess specific, high-demand skills. The economy would suffer no harm if CEOs were paid less (or taxed more). In contrast, the CEO-to-typical-worker compensation ratio was 20-to-1 in 1965 and 58-to-1 in 1989.

Source: AFL-CIO (2023)

Climate action commitments

As listed on the We Mean Business website, this company has committed to the following climate action initiatives: adopt a science-based emissions reduction target; responsible corporate engagement in climate policy; commit to 100% renewable power.

Source: We Mean Business (2021)

Sustainable Agriculture Initiative member

This company is a member of the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform, the main food industry initiative supporting the development of sustainable agriculture worldwide. Created by Nestle, Unilever and Danone in 2002, the SAI Platform is a non-profit organization to facilitate sharing, at precompetitive level, of knowledge and initiatives to support the development and implementation of sustainable agriculture practices involving the different stakeholders of the food chain.

Source: SAI Platform (2023)

Corporate responsibility claims

This company has been issuing Corporate Responsibility Reports since 2008. Click link below to view report, or to see Kellogg's other corporate responsibility claims.

Source: company website (2020)

How2Recycle member

This company is a member of How2Recycle. The How2Recycle Label is a voluntary, standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public. It involves a coalition of forward thinking brands who want their packaging to be recycled and are empowering consumers through smart packaging labels. Companies must be a member of the program to use the How2Recycle Label.

Source: How2Recycle (2023)

Plastics Commitment signatory

This company is a signatory to the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment, whose goal is to eliminate plastic pollution at its source.

Source: New Plastics Economy (2022)

Climate change commitment

In May 2014 Oxfam singled out Kellogg and General Mills as two of the worst food companies on climate and called on them to lead the sector towards more responsible policies and practices. In August 2014, following public pressure, Oxfam welcomed Kellogg's climate action commitment to take industry-leading steps to cut greenhouse gas emissions in its agricultural supply chains in line with climate science.

Source: Oxfam (2014)

CDP Forests score of C

In 2023, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests score of C.

Source: CDP (2023)

C- grade in Plastic Promises Scorecard

As You Sow's 2024 Plastic Promises Scorecard measures the corporate ambition and action of 225 large companies across six industries on six core pillars of plastic packaging pollution prevention: 1) Recyclability, 2) Reduction, 3) Recycled Content, 4) Recovery, 5) Reuse, and 6) Producer Responsibility. This company received a grade of C-.

Source: As You Sow (2024)

Modern Slavery statement

California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement.

Source: company website (2015)

20.5% in Gender Benchmark

The 2023 Gender Benchmark ranks 112 companies from the apparel and food and agriculture sectors on their efforts to drive gender equality and women's empowerment across their entire value chain. Companies are assessed on governance and strategy, representation, compensation and benefits, health and well-being, violence and harassment, and marketplace and community. This company ranked #59/112, with a total score of 20.5%. The average score was 23% and the highest score was 55%.

Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2023)

OpenSecrets.org profile

OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more.

Source: Open Secrets (2020)

JUST Capital ranking

JUST Capital polls Americans every year to identify the issues that matter most in defining just business behaviour. For their 2024 rankings the public identified 20 issues, which are organised under the headings Workers, Communities, Customers, Shareholders and Environment. JUST Capital then define metrics that map to those issues and track and analyse the largest, publicly traded U.S. companies. This analysis powers their rankings, in which this company ranked 262nd of 937 companies, and 9th of 32 Food, Beverage & Tobacco companies.

Source: JUST Capital (2024)

28% in Nature Benchmark

The Nature Benchmark ranks 816 companies across 20 industries on their efforts to protect our environment and its biodiversity. Companies were assessed in three phases between 2022 and 2024 using three measurement areas: governance and strategy; social inclusion and community impact; and ecosystems and biodiversity. This company was assessed in 2023 and is ranked #105/816, with a total score of 28/100.

Source: World Benchmarking Alliance (2023)