Legal team size: 55

Major legal advisers: Hogan Lovells, Sidley Austin, Morrison Forrester, Baker McKenzie, Alston & Bird

What are the most significant cases and transactions that your legal team has recently been involved in?

Our legal, business integrity and government affairs team has been deeply involved in the development and activation of a new corporate growth strategy, including an enabling global reorganization of the company. We have also been involved in advancing or resolving significant commercial and administrative litigation on a global basis, including significant construction and asbestos litigation in the US, regulatory and environmental actions in the US and APAC, antitrust clearance in South America and Europe, and cross border and other tax litigation. Our team has also been involved in bolt-on M&A and corporate venture capital. We have built a global government affairs team and addressed significant US-Mexico trade issues. Our ethics and compliance team led the way in being recognised for the tenth time in eleven years as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies.

Which recent political, economic or regulatory changes have impacted your work the most in the past year?

As a global manufacturer and distributor, with a significant and diverse US footprint, we have been impacted by diverse regulatory matters generally (for example, the pace of new and broader regulation, complexity of existing regulation, and uncertainty as to the future of US regulation with the fall of the Chevron doctrine, for example), and specifically by developments in areas such as climate impact disclosure (US, CA, EU), labor and employment, cyber and all matters data, AI use and governance, and food regulation. Political instability and even volatility have impacted our ability to confidently plan ahead and have impacted our work in the areas of inclusion and belonging. With respect to the economic environment, consumer confidence and literally consumption habits impact our customers directly and our company indirectly, although our portfolio is broad enough to offer benefits in all economic circumstances and food trends.

How does your legal team collaborate with other departments within the company?

We developed a vision and mission statement that we are one global team, working together to be recognised for adding value by driving outcomes that advance the strategy and protect the company. Our team works in a matrix of locally embedded commercial attorneys and global or corporate specialty practice groups. We work extensively with other enabling functions and across all business segments. We strive to be proactive and engage early and often with our business partners.