Kim Sundy of Kellogg Company: Living proof you can get paid to change the world

02/08/22 • 49 min

The Companies that Care podcast highlights companies and business leaders who are making a difference in the world, like Kim Sundy, senior director of sustainability at the Kellogg Company.

Driven by the legacy of its founder, W.K. Kellogg, the Kellogg Company is the world’s leading producer of cereal and snacks.

But did you know Kellogg’s vision is a good and just world, where people are not just fed but fulfilled? This cereal and snack company is serious about living out its mission and has set some ambitious goals. These are just a few examples:

Providing Better Days for 3 billion people by the end of 2030 through:

Nourishing 1 billion people by delivering nutrition foods that address common shortfall nutrients and addressing hidden hunger
Feeding 375 million people in need
Supporting 1 million farmers and workers while conserving natural resources
Engaging 1.5 billion people in the issue of global food security

Aspiring to achieve gender equity of 50/50 by the end of 2025
Working toward 100 percent reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging by the end of 2025
Honoring Black history every month as a call for food justice in Black communities
Committing to source 100% cage-free eggs by 2025, even though most of their products do not contain eggs
Supporting equity for women by identifying parts of their supply chain with the highest prevalence of women and assessing the risks and opportunities they face
Aiming to achieve over 50% renewable energy by the end of 2022
Supporting historically excluded employees through highly active employee networks, mentoring programs, and a Black Chef in Residency program
Expanding paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers to 12 weeks; increasing fertility benefits to $30K for assisted reproductive procedures; and increasing adoption benefits to $10K per eligible adoption.

Kim and I talked about having careers in sustainability and the importance of communications. She also shared her perspective as a Black woman executive and how Kellogg does a better job than many companies at nurturing equity & inclusion among its workforce.

I alternate the Companies That Care podcast with my original podcast, Finding Fertile Ground, which shares personal stories of grit and resilience. On both my podcasts I strive to highlight voices from historically excluded populations, people who don't always get a platform. Find out more on my website and social media.

The Companies That Care podcast is brought to you by Fertile Ground Communications. If you like what you hear or read, wander through my website to find out more about my work.

Can you use some help with your writing, editing, communications, or marketing? Contact me for a free 30-minute consultation.

With 30 years of experience in the environmental consulting industry, I am passionate about sustainability and corporate citizenship, equity & inclusion, businesses that use their power for good, and doing everything I can to create a kinder, more sustainable, and just world. We help organizations and people discover what makes them special and help them share that with the world.

As a podcaster for justice, I stand with my sisters from the Women of Color Podcasters Community. We are podcasters united to condemn the tragic murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and many others at the hands of police. This is a continuation of the systemic racism pervasive in our country since its inception and we are committed to standing against racism in all its forms.

The Companies that Care podcast highlights companies and business leaders who are making a difference in the world, like Kim Sundy, senior director of sustainability at the Kellogg Company.

Driven by the legacy of its founder, W.K. Kellogg, the Kellogg Company is the world’s leading producer of cereal and snacks.

Providing Better Days for 3 billion people by the end of 2030 through:

Nourishing 1 billion people by delivering nutrition foods that address common shortfall nutrients and addressing hidden hunger
Feeding 375 million people in need
Supporting 1 million farmers and workers while conserving natural resources
Engaging 1.5 billion people in the issue of global food security

Aspiring to achieve gender equity of 50/50 by the end of 2025
Working toward 100 percent reusable, recyclable, or compostable packaging by the end of 2025
Honoring Black history every month as a call for food justice in Black communities
Committing to source 100% cage-free eggs by 2025, even though most of their products do not contain eggs
Supporting equity for women by identifying parts of their supply chain with the highest prevalence of women and assessing the risks and opportunities they face
Aiming to achieve over 50% renewable energy by the end of 2022
Supporting historically excluded employees through highly active employee networks, mentoring programs, and a Black Chef in Residency program
Expanding paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers to 12 weeks; increasing fertility benefits to $30K for assisted reproductive procedures; and increasing adoption benefits to $10K per eligible adoption.

The Companies That Care podcast is brought to you by Fertile Ground Communications. If you like what you hear or read, wander through my website to find out more about my work.

Can you use some help with your writing, editing, communications, or marketing? Contact me for a free 30-minute consultation.

Previous Episode

Jon Roesser, Weavers Way Co-op: Growing the cooperative community in Philadelphia

The Companies that Care podcast highlights companies and business leaders who are making a difference in the world, like Jon Roesser, general manager of Weavers Way Cooperative Association.

Founded in the early 1970s, Weavers Way is a consumer-owned food co-op in Philadelphia with three stores, two farms, a non-profit, and community newspaper. They have more than 10,500 member households representing over 25,000 individual member-owners.

Weavers Way is a critical link in the Philadelphia food shed, connecting local food growers and producers with values-driven consumers. Working with more than 300 vendors in the Philadelphia area, the co-op emphasizes the need to strengthen local food systems.

In addition to implementing sustainable measures throughout their business, Weavers Way is also taking steps to diversify the racial makeup of its vendors. The co-op also has a partnership with WB Saul Agricultural High School, with a farm on the site of the school where students can use the farmland as their classroom.

Do you remember after Trump was elected and many people said they were going to move to Canada? Next week on the Finding Fertile Ground podcast, I interview Mahlena-Rae Johnson, a Black woman and mom who really did it: she moved her family to Canada to pursue better opportunities there.

The Companies That Care podcast is brought to you by Fertile Ground Communications. I alternate the Companies That Care podcast with my original podcast, Finding Fertile Ground, which shares personal stories of grit and resilience. On both my podcasts I strive to highlight voices from historically excluded populations, people who don't always get a platform.

Marie Gettel-Gilmartin, founder and principal of Fertile Ground Communications LLC, is a writer and marketing communications consultant who loves to take the pain and stress out of writing for her clients. She specializes in making the complex clear, using dynamic, accessible language to explain and communicate important issues. She positions her clients as experts in their fields and helps them communicate about pressing issues. Writing communications that boost employee engagement and thought leadership, she also coaches leaders and executives on how to strengthen communications and leadership. She loves to connect people and resources or solve seemingly impossible problems.

Fertile Ground Communications LLC is a certified women-owned business enterprise, disadvantaged business enterprise, and emerging small business.

Next Episode

Tal Zlotnitsky and Tonya Coppin-Fox, Our.Love: A new app empowering people to love more and love better

Watch on Youtube
Imagine how much better the world would be with just 1% more love. That’s what the co-founders of Our.Love envision for the world. More and better love, delivered in a FUN way! Who wouldn’t want to take advantage of that opportunity?

The Companies that Care podcast highlights business leaders who are making a difference in the world, like Tal Zlotnitsky and Tonya Coppin-Fox, co-founders of Our.Love Company. Our.Love is a love and relationship wellness technology company dedicated to helping couples find, maintain, and nurture their best love. Our.Love just launched a brand new app on Valentine’s Day!

Tal is a master at starting up and investing in new companies. He immigrated to the United States at age 12 from Israel and is a passionate activist.

“I become very interested in the topic of love because of my own failings in this space...love is perhaps the last thing that is indivisible. Everyone wants to be loved more and better.”

Tonya is a passionate, purpose-driven entrepreneur and business coach who is committed to empowering ALL people to live fulfilling lives. An immigrant from Barbados, she is an advocate for strong relationships and families, living their lives courageously, kindly, and purposefully.

Tonya knew to pay attention to Tal because he’s a visionary.

“We were in the midst of COVID, just had the insurrection...this is an opportunity for us to make a difference. If we do it right, we can impact generations to come all across the world. So I jumped on early.”

I joined the Our.Love team as a writer and strategic communications consultant, because I believe in Tonya and Tal’s incredible team and mission. I’ve been married 32 years this June, and I know we can all benefit from learning how to love better. The app’s features, based by science, are designed for people in relationships who want to make their relationship even better.

One of the things that attracted me to Our.Love was its firm commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“As immigrants, Tonya and I share a strong passion for people...We have a greater appreciation for what makes America great...In my experience, it's the goodness of its people, the goodness of its purpose. And that's best represented by a very diverse group,” said Tal. “So if you look at our organization top down it's incredibly diverse...It's more than 50% people of color, more than 50% women, and our senior leadership and board are more than 50% women and people of color. And I take enormous pride in that.”

Part of what got Tonya excited about Our.Love is that Black and brown folks are less likely to seek out therapy to improve their relationships.

“In the black and brown community...we're not knocking on a therapist’s door saying, ‘Hey, I need help in our relationship.’ So that was one of the key factors why I decided to go into this journey: to bring a product to the public that my community could actually benefit from and could help a lot of the relationships in our community.”

When you download the app, you’ll find yourself in the CoupleverseTM, a virtual home with fun, brief, and instructive videos, podcasts, articles, quizzes, and games. The app is guided by Our.Love’s seven Love SkillsTM and five Love Journeys.TM

Watch my interview with Tonya and Tal on YouTube or listen to the podcast to hear more about Our.Love and find out how to download it here.

Next week on the Finding Fertile Ground podcast, I interview Gresh Harkless Jr., founder of CBNation and Blue 16 Media. He’ll talk about his experience as a Black man in the corporate world and how he built on obstacles like getting laid off multiple times to build a successful media company.

Companies That Care - Kim Sundy of Kellogg Company: Living proof you can get paid to change the world

Transcript

Marie

Hello Kim, thank you so much for joining me on the Companies that Care podcast.

Kim

Hi Marie, thanks for having me. I'm delighted to be here.

Marie

I'm really excited for our conversation. And before we started recording our podcast, I read your LinkedIn and I love the way you open your LinkedIn, which is, “I'm living proof that you can get paid to change the world.” That's such a great descriptor and so first of all, why don't you tell our listeners wha