| FORM 990, PART III, LINE 1 |
IN CALIFORNIA, 1 IN 5 HOUSEHOLDS ARE FOOD INSECURE. AT THE SAME TIME, 35 PERCENT OF THE FOOD PRODUCED IN THE U.S. IS UNSOLD OR UNEATEN EACH YEAR. AS WASTED FOOD DECOMPOSES IN LANDFILLS, IT PRODUCES METHANE, DAMAGING THE ENVIRONMENT AND CONTRIBUTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE. JUST ONE THIRD OF THE FOOD WE THROW AWAY COULD FEED EVERY FOOD INSECURE PERSON IN THE COUNTRY. THIS IS AN UNIMAGINABLE DISPARITY THAT WE CAN EASILY ADDRESS WITH FOOD RECOVERY AND FOOD WASTE PREVENTION. THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PANDEMIC HAS HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON DAILY LIFE IN THE U.S., INCLUDING IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS CAUSED A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN FOOD INSECURITY AND MAJOR DISRUPTIONS TO THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN. IT ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE EXISTING SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES IN ACCESS TO FRESH, HEALTHY FOOD AND THE HIGH RATES OF ONGOING FOOD INSECURITY. INCREASED PUBLIC ATTENTION TO THE NEED TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY PUT FOOD FORWARD IN A UNIQUE POSITION TO RESPOND TO THE CRISIS. AS A RESULT, IN 2020 FOOD FORWARD EXPANDED ITS OPERATIONS TO RECOVER AND DISTRIBUTE MORE PRODUCE THAN EVER IN ITS HISTORY. FOOD FORWARD EXPANDED ITS WORKFORCE AND SCALE OF OPERATIONS TO AGAIN INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF RECOVERED PRODUCE DISTRIBUTED TO COMMUNITIES. FOOD FORWARD DISTRIBUTED 67 MILLION POUNDS OF FRESH PRODUCE IN 2021 ALONE NEARLY TWO AND A HALF TIMES MORE THAN THE ORGANIZATION DELIVERED TO HUNDREDS OF FOOD INSECURE COMMUNITIES IN 2019. AS OF 2022, FOOD FORWARD NOW DISTRIBUTES AN AVERAGE OF 250,000 POUNDS OF FOOD EACH DAY ENOUGH PRODUCE TO SUPPLY OVER 150,000 INDIVIDUALS WITH THEIR FIVE DAILY SERVINGS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B |
THE FORM 990 IS REVIEWED BY THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING, THE CEO, COO, CDO, AND AUDIT COMMITTEE. A COPY IS SHARED WITH BOARD MEMBERS FOR REVIEW BEFORE FILING. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C |
IT IS THE POLICY OF FOOD FORWARD THAT ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, KEY EMPLOYEES, AND DESIGNATED COMMITTEE MEMBERS PROMPTLY AND FULLY DISCLOSE ANY ACTUAL, APPARENT, OR POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST, THAT NO SENIOR LEADERS VOTE ON OR OTHERWISE ATTEMPT TO UNDULY INFLUENCE ANY DECISION BY FOOD FORWARD IN ANY MATTERS IN WHICH THEY HAVE A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, THAT FOOD FORWARD FOLLOW A DISCIPLINED, DOCUMENTED PROCESS IN MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT SUCH MATTERS, AND THAT FOOD FORWARD COMPLY WITH ALL APPLICABLE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO SUCH MATTERS. WITH REGARD TO AN EMPLOYEE, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER WILL DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE BY FOOD FORWARD IN LINE WITH THE PRINCIPLES SET OUT IN THIS POLICY, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, REVIEW BY THE BOARD. WITH REGARD TO A DIRECTOR OR OFFICER, A DESIGNATED COMMITTEE MEMBER, OR ON EMPLOYEE MATTERS REFERRED TO IT BY THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, THE BOARD WILL DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE BY FOOD FORWARD IN LIGHT OF THE NATURE OF THE CONFLICT. IN ALL SITUATIONS CALLING FOR DISCLOSURE, THE INTERESTED SENIOR LEADER SHALL ABSTAIN FROM VOTING OR OTHERWISE UNDULY INFLUENCING THE DECISION OTHER THAN BY MAKING THE REQUIRED DISCLOSURE AND PROVIDING ANY OTHER INFORMATION REQUESTED BY THE DECISION-MAKERS. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 |
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS DETERMINED THE CEO'S COMPENSATION BASED UPON A SALARY SURVEY CONDUCTED BY AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT THAT CONTAINED COMPARABILITY DATA, WHICH WAS REVIEWED BY THE BOARD BEFORE VOTING TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION AT A REGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD. THE CEO WAS EXCLUDED FROM DELIBERATIONS AND VOTING ON THIS MATTER ACCORDING TO APPLICABLE POLICY. COMPENSATION REVIEW FOR SENIOR EXECUTIVES, OFFICERS AND KEY EMPLOYEES IS OUTLINED IN FOOD FORWARD'S COMPENSATION REVIEW POLICY. PER THE POLICY, THE BOARD'S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SHALL GATHER RESEARCH AND INFORMATION FROM RELIABLE SOURCES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, FOOD FORWARD'S HUMAN RESOURCES EXECUTIVE, CONSULTANTS, AND FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS. DATA RELIED UPON MAY INCLUDE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO: A. SALARY AND BENEFIT SURVEYS BY INDEPENDENT SOURCES, B. WRITTEN JOB OFFERS FOR POSITIONS AT SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS, C. DOCUMENTED TELEPHONE CALLS ABOUT SIMILAR POSITIONS AT BOTH NONPROFIT AND FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, AND D. INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THE IRS FORM 990 FILINGS OF SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 |
GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. |
| PART VI, LINE 13 |
THE ORGANIZATION ADOPTED A WHISTLEBOWER POLICY IN 2022. THE IMPLEMENTED POLICY SETS OUT THE PRINCIPLES AND PROCESSES FOR EMPLOYEES AND DIRECTORS TO REPORT ACTIVITIES BELIEVED TO BE ILLEGAL, DISHONEST, UNETHICAL OR OTHERWISE IMPROPER. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, LINE 13 |
THE ORGANIZATION ADOPTED A WHISTLEBLOWER POLICY DURING FISCAL YEAR 12/31/22. EVERY ASSOCIATE IS ENCOURAGED TO REPORT UNDER THIS POLICY ANY CONCERNS ABOUT ANY FOOD FORWARD ACTIVITIES THAT HE OR SHE BELIEVES, IN GOOD FAITH, TO BE ILLEGAL, UNETHICAL, QUESTIONABLE, OR CONTRARY TO FOOD FORWARD POLICIES. |
| FORM 990, PART XII, LINE 2C |
THE ORGANIZATION HAS AN AUDIT COMMITTEE THAT ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR OVERSIGHT OF THE AUDIT OF ITS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. |
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.