USA – Smithfield Foods has announced that it will provide a US$100 million Responsibility Bonus to all its hourly production and distribution center team members amidst the Covid-19 pandemic which has seen the company halt production at some of its facilities.

The US$100 million Responsibility Bonus, named for Smithfield’s preeminent guiding principle, is on top of a previous US$20 million commitment by the company.

The meat processor, which employs about 40,000 workers, said that employees who miss work due to COVID-19 exposure or diagnosis will receive the Responsibility Bonus as part of #ThankAFoodWorker Initiative

“Our nation’s food workers are fighting COVID-19 by embracing their responsibility to safeguard America’s food supply during these unprecedented times,” said Kenneth M. Sullivan, president and chief executive officer, for Smithfield.

“As a company and a nation, we should reward those who accept responsibility. To the tens of thousands of heroes in our Smithfield Family, thank you for fighting COVID-19 by putting food on tables across America.”

The Responsibility Bonus is part of Smithfield’s #ThankAFoodWorker initiative and is being paid to recognize the selfless sacrifices employees are making to maintain the continuity of our nation’s food supply amid COVID-19.

The company has also invited members of the public to join in expressing gratitude for food workers by posting a social media message using the hashtag #ThankAFoodWorker.

Smithfield Foods has also spelt out measures to minimize the risk of its employees from contracting COVID-19 in the workplace as well as initiatives to support the affected communities.

The company has provided additional preventive control measures and expanded its employee health benefits to protect its employees. It recently closed its pork processing facility in Sioux Falls, South Dakota which employs 3,700 people, following the contunies surge of Covid-19 confirmed cases.

Smithfield Foods is also donating over 10 million pounds of protein, equivalent to 40 million servings of protein to food banks nationwide as part of covid-19 response.

Valued at more than US$30 million, these donations are the largest in company’s history and come at a time when food banks across the country need it the most.

The donation joins the more than US$3 million in cash and in-kind contribution that the company has also provided as part of Smithfield’s COVID-19 response through the company’s signature hunger-relief initiative Helping Hungry Homes.