(Justmeans.com / CSR News) - September 2, 2010

For most companies, "reap what you sow" is a cautionary metaphor.

But the Campbell Canada Cause Team, dedicated to "Helping Canadians Choose and Prepare Better-for-Them Meals," have taken the phrase literally. They've launched a community garden just outside the main entrance to Campbell's Canadian headquarters in Toronto.

Led by Campbell Canada's Corporate Chef Bob Villeneuve, the new endeavor is a labor of love with some tasty results.

"It happened so quickly," Bob recalled. "In early spring the garden was merely an idea. But we made it a reality after the smoking area in the manufacturing plant's front courtyard was removed [as part of another project].

"Before we knew it, we held an employee planting day."

Bob credits the expertise of Product Development Project Leader Leanne Blommaert and the dedication of nearly a dozen volunteers with conquering the project's steep learning curve. Leanne, an avid vegetable gardener, instructed many of the volunteers on the proper care and harvesting of the carrots, beets, beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and herbs that were planted.

"Next year we'll have a more formal schedule of people working in the garden on a weekly basis," Bob said. "But you can't really schedule a garden. When we check the plot and see that beans are ready to pick, it's time to pick beans."

Bob also wants to spread the news about the varieties of vegetables harvested and how they're used.

Though government regulations bar the crop from being incorporated into soup production, the veggies are showcased in employee meals.

"The volunteers have begun delivering cucumbers, spinach and lettuce to the cafeteria," Bob said. "And presto, there's fresh produce grown a few meters away featured on the salad bar that day. We're excited to let employees know when to expect the freshly harvested vegetables."

The chef also has plans for using the garden's bounty in the corporate kitchen now under construction, which will have a window overlooking the plot. And he's already scouting out the headquarters buildings for the best window sills where seeds can germinate next spring before being planted in the garden.

"That way, the entire marketing department might have the job of watering and nurturing the seeds," Bob predicted, "or no salad for them!"

About Campbell Soup Company

Campbell Soup Company is a global manufacturer and marketer of high-quality foods and simple meals, including soup and sauces, baked snacks and healthy beverages. Founded in 1869, the company has a portfolio of market-leading brands, including "Campbell's," "Pepperidge Farm," "Arnott's" and "V8." Through its corporate social responsibility program, the company strives to make a positive impact in the workplace, in the marketplace and in the communities in which it operates. Campbell is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 and the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes.