Investing In Positive Social Change

Throughout the global pandemic, our team members and our communities have looked to us for reassurance that we can—and will—get through this pandemic. Toward that end, JBS USA and Pilgrim’s are excited to provide meaningful investments in projects that will have positive impacts for generations to come. Click here to read more about our Hometown Strong initiative.

As part of our Hometown Strong initiative, JBS USA and Pilgrim’s U.S. are building the largest free college tuition program in rural America—Better Futures. Through this program, our team members and their child dependents have the opportunity to pursue their higher education dreams for associate degrees and trade certificates at community and technical colleges—tuition free.

We recognize and believe in the transformative power of higher education and the opportunities that come from education, coursework and technical skill training.

Better Futures removes a major financial barrier to college attendance and stands to become the largest free college tuition program in rural America. JBS USA and Pilgrim’s advisors will also help team members—many from first-generation American families—navigate the application process, which can be a deterrence to people applying to college for the first time.

The Better Futures program provides meaningful investments in the futures of our team members, their families and our communities.

Click here to learn more about the Better Futures initiative.

In light of the recent bushfires that burned across Australia, JBS Australia donated $1 million to the Australian Volunteer Trust, established by the Business Council of Australia in partnership with Equity Trustees. The Trust will be a permanent and ongoing fund to support the children of volunteers who have died in fighting the fires and any future major disasters. The Trust represents a vehicle to support these families and especially the children of these volunteers through their education.

The impact of the fires has been significant, and devastated communities across mainland eastern states. We have a direct contact and long-term relationships with many livestock producers and communities in these affected areas and our support for them will continue.

JBS Australia CEO Brent Eastwood said, “As the CEO of a business employing over 12,000 people across five Australian states, we understand the importance of a safe working environment and making sure our people go home to their families in the same way they arrived to work. Unfortunately, we have seen with these fires and other recent natural disasters such as floods, there are times when volunteer lives are lost in the line of duty and families are forever impacted. The Trust represents a vehicle to support these families and especially the children of these volunteers through their education.”

Along with this donation, JBS Australia will continue to work with and support affected communities and our livestock producers through regular business and food donations.

JBS Australia is a member of the Business Council of Australia.