When we launched our three-year global safety strategy in 2023, our goal was bigger than just improving metrics — it was about strengthening and elevating the culture of safety that already existed across our organization. Now, more than two years in, I’m proud of the significant progress we’ve made, and even more proud of the people who’ve made it possible. Because at the heart of it all, it’s important to us that everyone returns home safely to their families each and every day.
At Darling Ingredients, safety is a mindset. It’s embedded in how we operate — across our 260 locations and through the daily actions of our nearly 16,000 employees worldwide. It’s something we take seriously, for ourselves, our contractors, our customers and the communities we serve.
In 2024, that mindset translated into real, measurable safety progress within our workforce, including:
- 45% improvement in our Lost Time Incident Rate (LTIR), compared to 2023;
- 29% year-over-year reduction in Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR); and
- 100% workforce coverage under a recognized health and safety management system.
These results laid a solid foundation for long-term impact. To build on that momentum, we also took key steps to enhance our safety infrastructure:
- Updated our safety policies and accountability guidelines;
- Implemented a centralized safety management software system; and
- Established a structure that supports safety at every level — with corporate, regional and site teams working together to uphold rigorous standards.
Everyone, Every Day: A shared responsibility
In 2024, we introduced our “Everyone, Every Day” tagline — a reminder that safety isn’t just a leadership directive, it’s a shared responsibility. This campaign encourages every employee, in every role, to make safety a daily habit.
Under this renewed commitment we’ve:
- Launched peer-nominated safety awards;
- Rolled out new safety training programs; and
- Empowered employees to speak up and stop work if something doesn’t feel right.