Global food company Rich Products (Rich’s)—which provides solutions for bakery, foodservice, and other sectors—has announced the release of its inaugural Responsible Business Report, highlighting how the company embeds social and environmental commitments into the way it operates, innovates and grows. The company says the report (grounded in Rich’s values as a family-owned business) brings together decades of purpose-driven actions and initiatives into a clear framework to drive accountability, transparency and long-term value for its associates, customers and communities.

Rich’s 2025 Responsible Business Report highlights the progress the company is making against its responsible business strategy—Generations of Good—which guides how the company sets priorities, measures progress and integrates purpose into business decision-making. Generations of Good focuses on three key areas:

• Renewing Planet: advancing efforts to reduce environmental impact and protect critical resources
• Nourishing Plates: innovating with purpose to deliver the quality, transparency, and trust consumers expect
• Prioritizing People: putting people first to help Rich’s associates, customers and communities grow

“As a family-owned food company, we believe a responsible business is a resilient business,” says Jennifer VanDewater, vice president, Enterprise Sustainability, Health & Authenticity, Rich Products. “This may be our first formal report, but the foundation of Generations of Good has guided our operations for more than 80 years. Grounded in our values and brought to life by our people, it’s about making decisions today that strengthen our business tomorrow, creating lasting value for generations of associates, customers and communities.”

Highlights from the 2025 report, according to Rich’s:

Planet:

• Rich’s is committed to reducing its carbon footprint and taking meaningful action to address climate change across its operations
• Since 2016, Rich’s has reduced 61,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) from the atmosphere, which is like taking more than 10,000 gasoline-powered cars off the road for a year (source: EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator)
• Rich’s set a goal to reduce emissions intensity from its operations by 25% by 2025, compared to a 2016 baseline. The company is exceeding that goal, with a 34% reduction achieved through 2024, and is actively developing its science-aligned target for 2026
• These reductions reflect improvements in operational efficiency, while Rich’s continues to evaluate opportunities to further reduce its carbon footprint and take meaningful action to address climate change across its operations

Plates

Rich’s continues to evolve its product portfolio to meet changing consumer expectations. Today, the company offers more than 1,000 clean label product solutions and is actively expanding its portfolio and scope, prioritizing transparency, authenticity and reduction of sensitive ingredients

People

In 2025, Rich’s reported strong engagement across its global workforce of more than 13,000 associates in 110 countries. In the company’s most recent global engagement survey:

• 90% of associates said they are proud to work at Rich’s
• 85% of associates would recommend Rich’s as a great place to work
• 83% of associates feel like they belong at Rich’s
• 87% of associates believe their personal values align with Rich’s values

Community impact remains a longstanding priority for Rich’s. A few recent examples of community partnerships include:  

• A $1 million grant from the Rich Family Foundation to FeedMore Western New York to support workforce training in food service and production.
• A $30,000 grant to Giving Kitchen, providing financial assistance to foodservice workers experiencing hardship
• More than $115,000 awarded to over 35 students through the Robert E. Rich Aspiring Entrepreneurs Scholarship program, in partnership with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF), supporting the next generation of culinary and foodservice leaders

“We know there is still more work ahead,” shares VanDewater. “This report reflects meaningful progress, but it also reinforces our commitment to keep learning, improving, and working alongside partners across our value chain to reduce our environmental impact over time, while continuing to strengthen our business by supporting people and delivering safe, high quality food our customers and consumers trust.”

The full 2025 Responsible Business Report is available on the company site. The document reportedly draws on recognized industry frameworks and methodologies to support consistent, credible reporting and reinforce Rich’s commitment to accountability and continuous improvement.

Related: Rich's launches Filled Donut Bites