STATEMENT: Domino’s Pizza Supports Humane Pork Production
Media Contacts:
Andrea Ranger, aranger@greencentury.com, 781-349-2813
Pam Podger, ppodger@greencentury.com, 802-299-9495
Boston, April 23, 2024 – Following the submission of a Green Century° shareholder proposal, Domino’s Pizza* announced its opposition to the confinement of breeding pigs in gestation crates and supports housing them in open groups instead.
“The Company supports the humane treatment of animals and will continue to exert the influence we have with the U.S. pork industry to maximize the time that pregnant sows spend in group housing, away from gestation crates,” said Domino’s in its new statement. “The Company commends efforts to eliminate gestation crate usage in the restaurant industry.”
The use of gestation crates, which confine pregnant sows for weeks or months at a time, is controversial because they harm animals and can damage the reputations of companies with their customers.
As an example, McDonald’s* failure to fully implement its gestation crate-free pork pledge prompted a challenge to the company’s board in 2022. Green Century Funds President Leslie Samuelrich ran for the board in a campaign that elevated the issue through media attention including in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg.
“There has been increasing investor concern about poor animal welfare practices in corporate supply chains,” said Samuelrich. “While we’re glad to see that Domino’s now supports group sow housing and has taken some measures to increase use within its supply chain, we encourage it to set measurable targets for achieving that goal.”
Domino’s competitor Yum! Brands, owner of Pizza Hut, recently announced it will be “working to establish measurable targets for moving to group housing and begin to externally report our findings on sow housing.”
“Confinement cages present both ethical and reputational concerns for companies involved in their use,” said Green Century Shareholder Advocate Andrea Ranger. “We hope that Domino’s and other competitors, like Papa John’s, will follow Pizza Hut’s lead in working to establish targets for shifting pork procurement away from gestation crates.”
A sustainable investment strategy that incorporates environmental, social and governance criteria may result in lower or higher returns than an investment strategy that does not include such criteria.
About Green Century
°Green Century Capital Management, Inc. (Green Century) is the investment advisor to the Green Century Funds (The Funds). The Green Century Funds are one of the first families of fossil fuel-free, environmentally responsible mutual funds. Green Century hosts an award-winning and in-house shareholder advocacy program and is the only mutual fund company in the U.S. wholly owned by environmental and public health nonprofit organizations.
*As of 3.31.2024, Domino’s Pizza, Inc. comprised 0.00%, 0.07% and 0.00% and McDonald’s Corporation comprised 0.00%, 0.86%, and 0.00% of Green Century Balanced Fund, the Green Century Equity Fund, and the Green Century International Index Fund, respectively. As of the same date, other securities mentioned were not held in the portfolios of any of the Green Century Funds. References to specific securities, which will change due to ongoing management of the Funds, should not be construed as a recommendation by the Funds, their administrator, or their distributor.
You should carefully consider the Fund’s investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before investing. To obtain a Prospectus that contains this and other information about the Funds please visit www.greencentury.com, email info@greencentury.com, or call 1-800-934-7336. Please read the Prospectus carefully before investing.
Stocks will fluctuate in response to factors that may affect a single company, industry, sector, country, region or the market as a whole and may perform worse than the market. Foreign securities are subject to additional risks such as currency fluctuations, regional economic and political conditions, differences in accounting methods, and other unique risks compared to investing in securities of U.S. issuers. Bonds are subject to a variety of risks including interest rate, credit, and inflation risk.
This information has been prepared from sources believed reliable. The views expressed are as the date of this writing and are those of the Advisor to the Funds.
The Green Century Funds are distributed by UMB Distribution Services, LLC. 235 W Galena Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212. UMB Distribution Services, LLC is not an affiliate of Green Century or any of its affiliates. April 2024.
