Campbell Soup CEO temporarily bumps employee pay in response to pandemic

Campbell Soup will bump up hourly employee pay $2 an hour while others will get an extra $100 per week for reporting to work amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Company CEO Mark Clouse made the announcement in a Tuesday note to employees thanking them for their dedication to the company.

“I can’t emphasize enough the importance of the heroic efforts of our teams at our manufacturing plants, distribution centers and in-store field-based sales, as they work to ensure our neighbors have food during this critical time,” the note stated. “As we ask our people to step up to the challenge of meeting the increased demand for food, it’s only right that we reward and recognize the critical role they are playing in maintaining the North American food supply.

Hourly employees at all Campbell production facilities and distribution centers will receive the $2 per-hour premium payment, while front-line supervisors, certain site staff and depot managers “who are reporting to work as essential infrastructure workers” will get a $100 per-week premium, Clouse wrote. The incentive includes those who oversee the company’s sales execution teams in stores and working with customers and independent distributors to ensure that store shelves are stocked, the note stated.

The temporary benefits will go to about 11,000 team members and will be in place for at least five weeks starting Sunday, Clouse wrote.

“These actions are in addition to a number of steps Campbell has already taken to ensure the well-being and safety of our teams, including protocols for identifying potential employee exposure, quarantines, enhanced cleaning procedures, and health screenings across our manufacturing network,” he wrote. “Campbell has also implemented policies to help manufacturing and distribution employees who may be out of work due to caregiving or health-related issues related to the coronavirus, including mitigation plans to bridge income if necessary.”