Better Health for All

Tyson Foods faced a significant food safety issue in 2021, recalling 8.5 million pounds of frozen chicken products due to possible listeria contamination.

The company's change in antibiotics policy, now using certain antibiotics to prevent poultry diseases, raises concerns over antibiotic resistance with significant implications for public health. For mental health, Tyson Foods invested over $20 million in improved parental leave and mental health support and launched a comprehensive well-being platform for 120,000 U.S. employees, offering personalized resources for emotional, physical, financial, and work well-being.

Fair Pay & Worker Respect

Tyson Foods' CEO to median employee pay ratio was 525 to 1, based on CEO Donnie King's compensation and the median income of U.S. employees ($43,417) among 119,901 U.S. employees.

In the past three years (2022-2024), the company has faced seven substantiated labor-law or human-rights violations. These include a $115.5 million settlement in 2024 for accusations of conspiring to suppress workers' wages, , a 2023 Labor Department finding that over 100 children were illegally employed by a contractor at Tyson plants, two workplace safety or health violations in 2023 ($60,000 and $50,000), two workplace safety or health violations in 2022 ($52,568 and $34,375), and one employment discrimination violation in 2022 ($60,000).

Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

The provided articles detail allegations and investigations regarding child labor at Tyson Foods' processing plants in May 2025

and September 2023 . Additionally, the articles mention a $115.5 million settlement in December 2024 for wage suppression allegations , a $1.6 million settlement in October 2016 for systemic hiring discrimination , and an OSHA citation in December 2013 for safety violations . The ethical value 'Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing' explicitly excludes 'worker wages inside a company’s own sites' and related internal labor practices from its scope. Consequently, no specific, concrete data points are provided that directly map to the quantitative thresholds of the defined KPIs for this value.

Honest & Fair Business

Tyson Foods incurred fines exceeding $100,000 from OSHA in December 2023 for failing to meet worker safety standards at several facilities.

In September 2024, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) filed a lawsuit against Tyson Foods, accusing the company of misleading branding regarding "climate-friendly" environmental goals and a lack of meaningful action toward achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. A U.S. Senator launched an investigation into Tyson Foods in May 2025 following allegations of child labor at one of its processing plants. In February 2023, the U.S. Department of Labor uncovered over 100 children working illegally for a third-party sanitation service, Packers Sanitation Services Inc., including at Tyson Foods facilities. A federal judge ordered Tyson Foods in January 2023 to devise a cleanup plan for the Illinois River watershed in Oklahoma after being found responsible for environmental pollution. Tyson's "climate-friendly" label for its Brazen Beef product has been criticized for low standards and lacking transparency. Environmental groups, including EWG and the Center for Biological Diversity, filed Freedom of Information Act requests to the USDA for data supporting Tyson's label application but received heavily redacted responses. Tyson does not publish the data supporting its claimed 10% greenhouse gas reduction. While Tyson uses third-party verification for its climate claims, the transparency of these processes has been questioned, with the third-party auditor, Where Food Comes From, not responding to inquiries and difficulty in obtaining baseline information.

Kind to Animals

Tyson Foods states it provides a comprehensive animal welfare statement aligned with the Five Freedoms

and is transitioning to the Five Domains framework, which promotes positive mental states and behavioral opportunities . The company maintains a global animal welfare training program and outlines consequences for policy breaches . It operates a Broiler Welfare Research Farm to test environmental enrichments, lighting, and stocking density . Cattle are housed in open pens facilitating natural movement , and 100% of market hogs are raised in open pen or group housing systems . However, more than 20% of the total pork supply is derived from sows housed in open pen systems , with plans to provide open environments for sows by eliminating gestation crates . The company commits to humane slaughter methods, using controlled atmosphere stunning (CAS) systems in turkey, beef, and pork supply chains . In July 2023, Tyson Foods resumed using certain antibiotics in chicken production, reversing its 2017 'no antibiotics ever' policy . In August 2023, reports questioned the accuracy of 'free-range' and 'humanely raised' labels on Tyson's chicken products . Tyson Foods invested in Memphis Meats, a company producing cultured meat, joining other investors . Tyson Ventures manages a $150 million R&D fund that invests in cultivated meat and plant-based protein start-ups . In fiscal year 2023, the company partnered with Protix, focusing on insect-based protein . Tyson Foods engages with organizations such as the International Consortium on Antimicrobial Stewardship in Agriculture, the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, and the US Roundtable for Sustainable Beef on responsible antibiotic usage and animal welfare . The company also discloses its memberships with trade associations, alliances, and coalitions .

No War, No Weapons

Tyson Foods does not manufacture weapons or engage in military contracts.

The company has been a leading supplier of food to the U.S. Defense Commissary Agency for over 50 years, which is considered a minor defense-adjacent service. Given its core business, the company has no exposure to controversial weapons, no defense-related assets to divest, and no weapons-related ethical red lines are applicable.

Respect for Cultures & Communities

Tyson Foods received awards for its leadership in community wellness and diversity efforts, including fighting hunger and supporting community pantry partners.

The company supported indigenous communities by donating 160,000 pounds of protein to tribal citizens near its poultry facilities. Tyson Foods also awarded a $25,000 community grant to the Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese, supporting programs that enhance quality of life and cultural commitment. Additionally, the company committed to conducting a racial equity audit to evaluate the impact of its policies on communities of color, which will include stakeholder consultations and public disclosure of findings.

Safe & Smart Tech

Tyson Foods has established a Technology Committee (approved March 17, 2025)

and Board oversight for information security, data privacy, and cybersecurity, utilizing NIST-CSF Version 2.0. The company states compliance with privacy laws across Canada, the EU, UK, Thailand, US states, and the Philippines. Tyson Foods limits access to personal data to those with a legitimate business need and ensures collected data is adequate, relevant, not excessive, and processed for limited purposes. Users are provided with comprehensive rights to access, correct, update, delete, object to, restrict, and port their personal data, and withdraw consent. The company demonstrates a commitment to responsible AI, using an AI-powered index to quantify the human impact of digital content on minorities for media strategy and ensuring "responsible AI" for its generative AI search. Tyson Foods experienced two cybersecurity incidents: a 2021 Kronos hack resulting in a $4.8 million settlement for payroll discrepancies, and a November 2023 Snatch ransomware attack claiming access to senior executive personal information and confidential future plans.

Zero Waste & Sustainable Products

Tyson Foods achieved Zero Waste to Landfill Gold validation at six plants, diverting 95%-99% of waste from landfills

. The company introduced new flow wrap packaging for ground beef, which uses 50% less plastic . Tyson Ventures also hosts an annual Demo Day focused on finding upcycling innovations to support sustainability goals, demonstrating active waste reduction initiatives .