
John R. Tyson
Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale announced Tuesday the appointment of John R. Tyson as chief sustainability officer, effectively immediately.
John R. Tyson, 29, is the only son of company Chairman John H. Tyson, who is the grandson of company founder John W. Tyson. As CSO, he’ll implement the publicly traded meat processor’s sustainability, animal welfare, environmental and social responsibility strategies. He’ll report directly to President and CEO Noel White, the company said.
The company said Justin Whitmore, who has been CSO since 2017, will turn his full attention to leading the Tyson’s alternative protein business. Earlier this year, the company announced the launch of an alternative proteins brand called Raised & Rooted.
“I am excited to play a role in leading our company’s sustainability efforts,” John R. Tyson said in a news release. “Taking care of our people and our planet is a priority for Tyson Foods. We are uniquely positioned to lead within the global food system, and therefore we must continue challenging ourselves to be stewards of our natural resources while striving to feed the world safely, affordably and with delicious food.”
John R. Tyson is a fourth generation Tyson family member who recently joined Tyson Foods. Before that, he spent five years has an observer at the company’s board of directors’ meetings.
He is currently a lecturer at the Sam M. Walton School of Business at the University of Arkansas. John R. Tyson has a bachelors’ degree in economics from Harvard University and a master of business administration from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He previously worked in investment banking for J.P. Morgan and as a private equity and venture capital investor, the company said.
“John has a passion for sustainability as well as the leadership skills to help continue the momentum we’ve built,” White said. “He cares deeply about the people of this company, understands the strategic growth opportunities in sustainable protein, and recognizes the importance of our enterprise-wide sustainability commitments.”
Among the company’s sustainability goals is to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent by 2030 and increase sustainable farming practices on more than 2 million acres of corn by 2020.