An important part of this movement is improving the quality of life of the communities where we operate. We implement projects that drive the local economy, improve eating habits and promote food safety. During 2016, we invested 2.6% of Consolidated Net Income in community development programs.
The Saber Nutrir® program, which focuses on improving nutrition in Mexico, reflects our experience with food and is present in 75% of the states where our plants and distribution centers are located. GRI IP-2
We introduce productive projects in communities in the Mazahua zone of the State of Mexico and in Tapachula, Chiapas to fight poverty-driven nutrition problems. We also offer training and continuous monitoring for the development and care of those projects to maintain their benefits.
We monitor the program’s success through a twice-yearly follow-up of the nutritional status of the children whose families have benefited. In the year, 71% remained stable, 19% improved and 10% worsened.
The Germplasm Bank, located in the Mazahua community, managed to collect an additional 145 regional seeds and plants, bringing the total to 200. This project develops new capacities in the community and protects the cultural and natural heritage of the Mazahua communities.
Under the Padrinos Saber Nutrir program, we provided food supplements to fifty children, achieving the recovery of twenty-nine children with malnutrition and nineteen children with anemia.
Compared to the first nutritional evaluation in 2014, the percentage of undernourished children fell from 18% to 11%, and those who were overweight or obese from 23% to 17%, while the percentage of adequately nourished children rose from 59% to 72%.
Early stimulation sessions and the treatment and monitoring of the nutritional status of children who were found to have some degree of malnutrition were provided at the early stimulation centers in Tapachula, Chiapas.
In addition, during the annual volunteer day, 283 hours of work were provided to install ten productive projects and plant a thousand trees, equivalent to one hectare of reforested land.
We were able to give one million more hours of food education to children, teachers and parents in 459 elementary schools in ten states around Mexico.
We invested 2.6% of
Consolidated Net Income
in community development
programs
Results 2016 Saber Nutrir®
In Communities
23 populations
395 families
1975 beneficiaries
219 projects built
50 children sponsored
34 children recovered from malnutrition
19 children recovered from anemia
3 early stimulation centers
1 Germplasm bank with 145 regional seeds and plants
In Schools
459 elementary
374,167 beneficiaries (children, parents and teachers)
1,003,086 hours of food education given
In support of the initiative to provide food education to children, in 2016 Saber Nutrir® visited the Papalote children’s museum with the Cocinemos juntos (Let’s cook together) exhibition, in which children and parents learn about the importance of healthy cooking and eating as a family. GRI IP-3
Herdez Fundation
Through the Herdez Foundation, we preserve Mexican cuisine and reexamine basic foods based on anthropological, social, historic and industrial research.
In 2016, the Foundation participated as a member of the Teletón Friends Club Museum Network for the care of people with disabilities, while in Milan, Italy, the book El Maiz, nuestro rostro, nuestro corazón (Maize, our face, our heart) was published.
During the year, the Herdez Foundation museum received more than 8,000 visitors, and the Interpretation Center was the venue for twelve academic events attended by 794 people.
We delivered 163,017 boxes of products to the Mexican Food Bank through the monthly food donation program. GRI IP-3
