General Mills, Inc. — Ethics Grade C-

General Mills, Inc. receives an overall ethics grade of C- (48/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Retail. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 52
• privacy: 90
• consumer: 58
• environment: 45
• humanRights: 41

Documented incidents (3)

• Water usage and pollution (medium, 2022) — Critics have highlighted the company's reliance on water-intensive crops in drought-stricken regions. The company's supply chain contributes significantly to nitrogen runoff in waterways.
• Child labor in cocoa supply chain (high, 2023) — Reports indicated that General Mills, through its various sourcing partners, could not fully guarantee its cocoa supply chain was free from child labor. This remains a systemic issue in West African sourcing.
• Plastic packaging waste (medium, 2021) — Environmental groups named General Mills as a significant contributor to plastic pollution, citing the prevalence of non-recyclable multi-layer pouches and wrappers in their snack portfolio.

Documented good deeds

• Regenerative agriculture commitment — General Mills committed to advancing regenerative agriculture practices on 1 million acres of farmland by 2030 to improve soil health.

Ethical alternatives

• Clif Bar & Company — Known for higher standards in organic sourcing and employee ownership models.