Community Involvement
To stay closely in touch with customers and end consumers, and better serve their needs, Cargill continually expands its own network of salespeople and conducts surveys to evaluate the performance of its products and identify new opportunities. The company also acts as a partner in the development of distinctive solutions that meet specific demands, such as those related to finding healthier ingredients. An example of participation in actions taken by customers was project End to End. Sustainability Across Boundaries, proposed by Wal-Mart (further details on this can be found in the Environmental Management section of thisd report).
Respect for customers is also translated by maintaining various communication channels, such as the Internet portal, the Revista Cargill, marketing campaigns, and publications such as the Annual Report. End consumers may contact the company via Customer Service or e-mail and are also invited to participate in surveys. One example of how the company values the opinion of this public was the transformation of “Liza Receita Caseira” (Liza home-made) mayonnaise into a permanent product (originally a limited edition) after 98% of respondents approved of the product. Marketing activities and promotions are other ways of involving consumers with the company and its brands. Examples of this are the campaigns “Liza and you, Your life more than Special” and “Spice up your life with Maria”, in which consumers competed for prizes. In 2009, an outreach activity was promoted at the Rio Verde plant (state of Goiás), in which wives of key customers in the agribusiness sector attended a presentation on the work done by the company in Brazil and overseas and had contact with the manufacturing process of some products such as Liza oil.
Participation in events is also a means for disseminating the company’s actions and strengthening ties with customers and consumers. In 2009, Cargill was present at Empresa 2.0 – Communication in real-time by the consumer, at the National Dairy Congress, at Sugar Dinner, at the International Pulp & Paper Congress and Exhibition, and at the Management Congress of the São Paulo State Supermarket Association (APAS).
