The Importance of Celebrating and Supporting Our Veterans

We have incredible respect for the brave men and women who serve, including those at Smucker whose selfless devotion to country we celebrate this Veteran’s Day.

That selfless devotion has been displayed by numerous employees, including our former CEO, Paul Smucker, who spent two years in the Navy, rising to the rank of lieutenant after being assigned to the U.S.S. Cassin Young in the South Pacific. Beyond helping to inspire a leadership vision that he brought to his oversight of the Company, this experience gave Paul a unique appreciation for how to handle challenges as well as the importance of teamwork and collaboration, values that helped shape our culture and continue to inspire us today.

These values call on us to do more than offer gratitude to our veterans, they remind us to support their unique needs and help celebrate their contributions in meaningful ways. Some examples of how this comes to life at Smucker, include:

Supporting employees who are currently enlisted by:

• Providing gap pay, which is the difference between the military rate and the weekly 40-hour rate our employees would earn for up to 12 months.
• Retaining benefits and accrual status of service-based benefits while serving.
• Sending care packages to employees who are currently deployed to remind them of the support they have back home.

Celebrating employees who proudly served by:

• Recognizing all Smucker veterans during a special virtual event, which features support from our leadership team.
• Honoring veterans with an exclusive Veteran’s Day performance by The Cleveland Orchestra, dedicated to those at Smucker who have served.
• Encouraging employee awareness through several internal stories that recognize and celebrate the contributions of veterans in our workforce.

Giving to organizations and initiatives that support veterans and their families, which include:

• The National Veterans Memorial and Museum in Columbus, OH. The museum preserves the details of those who served but also the personal memories that reflect the sacrifices our veterans have made.  
• Folds of Honor, a scholarship program for the families of fallen or disabled U.S. service members. Recognizing the importance of this program, we match our employees’ contributions to the organization (up to $2,500 per employee, per calendar year).
• Mission Breakfast, a community breakfast we coordinate to share our gratitude for enlisted men and women and their families at one armed services base per year.

This Veteran’s Day, we thank those who have courageously protected the rights of all citizens. Your unwavering commitment, sense of duty and unparalleled honor represent the very best of who we are as a nation.