JBS names Jason Weller as Global Chief Sustainability Officer

USA- American food processing company, JBS has appointed Jason Weller to its executive leadership team as the company’s first global chief sustainability officer.

In this new role, Weller will oversee environmental, social, and governance matters (ESG) and sustainability strategies for JBS Global.

Weller will take charge of the business’s international sustainability initiatives in collaboration with regional teams all across the world.

This involves advancing the strategy for the business’s leading-in-the-industry net zero 2040 commitment.

For two years, Weller was vice president of Land O’Lakes’ sustainability division Truterra.

Prior to that, he spent three years as the senior director of sustainability for the butter company.

“Jason has established himself as a trusted voice and accomplished sustainability leader who produces real results,” said Gilberto Tomazoni, JBS global CEO.

“His expertise in agricultural carbon markets and his passion for rural vitality make Jason the ideal person to drive JBS forward as we focus on combatting climate change and achieving our ambitious sustainability targets.

The company is confident that Jason’s leadership will help accelerate its sustainability efforts, including increased transparency and industry-leading investments.

Weller noted that he is passionate about the sustainability of food and agriculture and the economic vitality of farm families around the world.

He noted that JBS provides a unique opportunity to make a difference at scale, partnering with the hardworking men and women responsible for ensuring we have food on our tables every day.

“As we face the challenges of climate change, food insecurity, deforestation and global population growth, I am excited to help JBS lead the effort to lessen the impacts of agriculture and strengthen our global food supply.”

The Brazilian meat giant announced that it had formed a new Global Executive Compliance Committee in June to “create a more uniform and consistent compliance program across all JBS entities, including Pilgrim’s.”

Sustainability isn’t the only area JBS is aiming to target with a new executive hire. Last month, the company tapped Michael Koenig, a Pilgrim’s Pride veteran, as its global chief ethics and compliance officer, as it aims to prevent future price-fixing lawsuits and antitrust investigations.

The Brazilian meat giant announced that it had formed a new Global Executive Compliance Committee in June to “create a more uniform and consistent compliance program across all JBS entities, including Pilgrim’s.”

Koenig’s appointment and the creation of the new compliance committee were announced in the midst of years’ worth of antitrust probes and settlements involving price-fixing in the meat business.

In early 2021, Pilgrim’s Pride paid a US$108 million punishment after admitting to scheming to set chicken prices and transfer costs to consumers.

In February this year, JBS agreed to settle a class action price-fixing lawsuit by paying US$52.5 million to retailers and wholesalers.

They were found not guilty last month after an unprecedented third trial from the government for illegally inflating prices and sharing pricing information with other manufacturers.

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