This week’s Shining Lights Company spotlights Tyson Foods (Symbol: TSN), headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas. Like any major corporation of its size and industry, Tyson Foods has not been without its share of controversies. However, as a whole, the company has remained true to its roots. Founded in the midst of the Great Depression by the current Chairman’s grandfather, the company has grown to become one of the world’s largest producers of poultry — approximately 40 million chickens each week. As of2018, Tyson employs around 113,000 team members at more than 400 facilities and offices around the globe in addition to 11,000+ independent family farmers.
Tyson strives to be a faith-friendly company, as evidenced by its chaplaincy program. Created in 2000 by Chairman John Tyson, the program now includes over 100 chaplains from various faiths around the world. Chaplains at Tyson serve various roles, including praying with an employee who is having marital struggles, health issues or trouble with their children. They also provide rides to work when an employee’s car is out of service. Chaplains even provide assistance during lunch breaks. An interesting, albeit extremely advantageous, feature of the program is that 43 percent of Chaplains employed by Tyson speak a second language, enabling and empowering them to help employees who could be immigrants or refugees.
Not only does Tyson’s Core Values statement reflect a desire to be good stewards of the people, communities, and resources entrusted to them, it concludes with, “We strive to honor God…” There are numerous examples of this commitment to good stewardship in the ways Tyson gives back to the community. Its Human Resources Department has a program in place to recruit and hire veterans, and corporate charitable giving has gone towards funding honor flights for WWII veterans, veterans’ cemeteries, and feeding veteran families through Operation Homefront. Volunteer employees recently served 64,000 hot meals to residents and relief workers in Oklahoma after the recent tornadoes from their “Meals That Matter” semi-trailer. As part of their national hunger relief campaign, “KNOW Hunger,” Tyson has donated more than 92 million pounds of protein in the United States over the past 13 years. In 2017 alone, Tyson donated 9.3 million pounds of chicken to hunger relief efforts. That’s a lot of chicken!
Tyson Foods has proven it values people over profits through their commitment to chaplaincy program designed to care for the needs of their employees. Their significant contribution to worthy causes through hunger and natural disaster relief further demonstrates a Love they Neighbor approach to business. While competency is vital, and Tyson has proven to be a world-class food producer, impacting people beyond the business world is what leaves a lasting legacy and earns them the distinction of being a Shining Light Company!
For more information on Tyson’s efforts and core values, check out these resources from the corporate website:
https://www.tysonfoods.com/who-we-are/our-story/purpose-values
https://www.tysonfoods.com/who-we-are/giving-back
DISCLOSURE: Shining Lights companies are those companies we have identified as exemplary companies living out the Golden Rule and exhibiting the virtues of Integrity, Humility, Diligence, Caring and Courage. This is intended for general information purposes concerning only the values, corporate culture and business practices of the companies being spotlighted. It DOES NOT incorporate any analysis of the companies’ investment merit based on intrinsic value, fundamental analysis, etc. This must not be construed as investment advice or a buy/sell recommendation. These companies may or may not be included in our LightPoint Portfolios at any given time.