Better Health for All

Krispy Kreme's core products, such as the Original Glazed doughnut, contain 10 grams of sugar, 200 calories, and 12 grams of fat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) links poor diet, inactivity, and obesity to high mortality rates, indicating significant health-harming externalities. In 2007, Krispy Kreme eliminated trans fats from its doughnut recipe, which represents a partial remediation effort. The company provides ingredient lists, allergen information, and nutritional details for its products. While there have been active nutritional improvement efforts, such as the trans fat elimination and a plan to introduce a low-sugar doughnut, the company's products remain predominantly unhealthy.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

Krispy Kreme's CEO to median employee pay ratio was 867:1 in 2021.

, with the CEO receiving a pay package of $23.7 million that year.

Kind to Animals

Krispy Kreme achieved 75% cage-free egg sourcing across its global system by the end of 2021, with 100% of U.S. Branded Sweet Treat products also being cage-free by that time.

Specific regions like the UK, Ireland, Russia, South Africa, and Turkey use 100% cage-free eggs, while operations in the Middle East and India use 100% eggless doughnut formulations. The company has a goal to use 100% cage-free eggs globally by 2026. Krispy Kreme recycles waste doughnuts into animal feed and requires all new key suppliers to comply with its Supplier Code of Conduct, which includes expectations for sustainable agricultural and livestock production methods. A number of Krispy Kreme doughnuts are certified vegan by The Vegan Society. The company also worked with Lever Foundation on its cage-free commitment and supports the Maisa REDD+ Project in Brazil, which protects a large area of the Amazon home to over 450 animal and plant species.

No War, No Weapons

Krispy Kreme's core business is the retail of doughnuts and coffee. There is no evidence that the company derives revenue from arms or defense contracts, develops dual-use technology, or has exposure to controversial weapons. The company also has no mineral inputs in its products or services. The Reimann family, which owns the controlling stake in Krispy Kreme's parent company, JAB Holdings, established the Alfred Landecker Foundation with an annual budget of 25 million euros dedicated to fighting anti-Semitism, protecting minority groups, and strengthening democracies

. This represents approximately 7.59% of Krispy Kreme's 2011 revenue of $362 million . The Reimann family's predecessor company, Benckiser, had historical ties to the Nazi regime, including using forced labor and producing items for the German army during World War II . In response, the family also donated 5 million euros to an assistance fund for Holocaust survivors and pledged 10 million euros to institutions helping former forced laborers and their families .

Planet-Friendly Business

Krispy Kreme aims to incorporate recommendations from the Science Based Targets initiative into its strategy when setting reduction targets

, , but has not yet set validated targets. The company is working on a roadmap to net zero but has not specified a target year , and has not set targets on scoped emissions , . Krispy Kreme states it is aligned with the Task Force for Climate-related Disclosures (TCFD) , and continues to build its climate change strategy in alignment with TCFD recommendations , but plans to conduct a Climate Scenario Analysis to more fully align with the framework , indicating current partial alignment and a lack of scenario analysis. In FY2023, Krispy Kreme's total food waste diverted from landfills was 26% , a decrease from 36% in FY2022 , with a goal to divert at least 50% by 2025 , , , . For its UK & Ireland operations, 100% of food waste and manufacturing waste is diverted from landfill , , , . Krispy Kreme has a formal policy mandating deforestation-free palm oil and compliance with RSPO principles , with a goal for full compliance by the end of 2016 , . However, as of 2026, the company continues to source palm oil from IOI Group , which has been suspended twice from the RSPO for deforestation violations , and Krispy Kreme refuses to cut ties . In its UK & Ireland operations, 100% of palm oil used is stated to be from a deforestation-free supply chain , , , .

Respect for Cultures & Communities

Krispy Kreme has had two reported cultural appropriation incidents: one in 2015 related to a 'KKK' acronym in the UK

, and another in 2023 involving a racial slur in an advertising campaign in Australia. In response to these incidents, the company issued apologies and withdrew the problematic material. , The company facilitated $40 million globally for community groups through its fundraising program in 2022 , , which represents approximately 2.61% of its FY2022 revenue. There is no evidence of formal partnership agreements with indigenous or local community groups, and Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) processes are not applicable to its operations.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

In 2022, 65% of Krispy Kreme's packaging was recyclable.

The company has set company-wide targets to divert at least 50% of food waste from landfills and achieve 80% recyclable packaging by 2025. Multiple reports covering different periods consistently state that no waste disposal violations or compliance issues were mentioned.