General Mills Named to FORTUNE’s 2009 List of 100 Best Companies

2009 Marks the Seventh Year General Mills is Honored by FORTUNE

General Mills was named to FORTUNE’s 12th annual list of “100 Best Companies to Work For.” The company’s health and wellness benefits were among the many criteria that earned General Mills a place on FORTUNE’s list for a seventh year. Ranking 99th this year, General Mills also was honored in 2008, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2000, and 1998.

General Mills employees agree with FORTUNE’s assessment. The company’s most recent employee climate survey reports that nine out of 10 employees recommend General Mills as a great place to work.
What makes General Mills such a great employer? According to FORTUNE, “Employees benefit from award-winning wellness programs, including fitness centers, on-site medical clinics and health risk assessments.”

“We are thrilled to be recognized by FORTUNE as one of America’s best places to work,” said Mike Davis, senior vice president of Global Human Resources, General Mills. “Keeping employees healthy is a priority at General Mills. Employees consistently tell us that our comprehensive health and wellness programs help them meet their health goals, achieve better work/life balance and improve the productivity of their work life.”

General Mills employee Pamela Matovich has lost 75 pounds with help from the company’s wellness programs, which she was able to fit into her workday. “General Mills does a wonderful job of offering a variety of convenient programs that appeal to people with different health goals. I couldn’t have improved my health, and my life, without the support and convenience provided by General Mills.”

In addition to the programs cited by FORTUNE, General Mills offers an ongoing stream of education, activities and resources to help employees engage in their own wellness. For example, General Mills headquarters employees will have the opportunity to cross-country ski during lunch tomorrow as part of the company’s Fun Fitness Friday series.

General Mills also provides a wide range of other on-site resources and flexibility options to help employees balance busy work and family lives. On-site perks include a grocery store, infant care center, full-service credit union, dry-cleaning, and a hair and nail salon.

General Mills is one of two Minnesota companies to make this year’s list; The Mayo Clinic was also honored by FORTUNE. The full list and related stories appear in the Feb. 2 issue of FORTUNE, available on newsstands on Jan. 26 and now at Fortune.com.

To pick the “100 Best Companies to Work For,” FORTUNE works with Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz of the Great Place to Work® Institute—a global research and consulting firm with offices in 30 countries—to conduct the most extensive employee survey in corporate America.

One of the world’s leading food companies, General Mills operates in over 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Häagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Progresso, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen, and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A., General Mills had fiscal 2008 global net sales of US$14.9 billion, including the company’s $1.2 billion proportionate share of joint venture net sales. Visit www.generalmills.com.