BATTLE CREEK, MICH. — Kellogg Co. is well on its way to meeting its goal of delivering a billion servings of cereal and snacks to children and families in need by 2016 as part of its “Breakfast for Better Days” initiative, the company said. Progress on the initiative was detailed in Kellogg’s 2013 Corporate Responsibility Report issued April 22.

“As a breakfast leader, we know how important it is to start the day right,” said Kris Charles, vice-president of global communications and philanthropy at Kellogg. “Through our ‘Breakfast for Better Days’ program, including our mobile disaster relief center in the U.S. and support of breakfast programs globally, we provide access to critical nutrition for children and families in need around the world in a variety of ways.”

As part of the program, Kellogg said it is expanding breakfast programs around the world, maximizing product donations and advocating for the important role breakfast plays in the diet. In 2013, the first year of the “Breakfast for Better Days” initiative, Kellogg said it donated more than 400 million servings of products, of which 230 million servings were breakfast foods.

In 2013, Kellogg provided funding for 98 breakfast projects in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, the U.K. and Venezuela to provide nearly 540,000 breakfasts by the end of 2014.

Also in 2013, Kellogg said it established a mobile relief center that may be deployed in the United States to deliver Kellogg foods to areas struck by disasters.

“When disaster strikes, one of the first things a community needs is nutritious, ready-to-eat foods,” Kellogg noted in the report. “Our shelf-stable products — especially cereals — can provide sustenance to people whose lives have been upended by tornadoes, earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters. We’re quick to respond when disaster hits to help bring nourishment and hope to those who need it most. In 2013, we sent food to communities hit by a devastating tornado in Moore, Okla., in May, to flooded neighborhoods in Colorado in September, and to parts of the U.S. Midwest following more than 60 tornadoes in November.”

In addition to a review of the company’s “Breakfast for Better Days” initiative, the responsibility report features information on the company’s efforts to produce safe, high-quality foods.

In 2013, Kellogg conducted 604 supplier audits and 83 packaging supplier audits, which compared with 917 supplier audits and 134 packaging supplier audits in 2012.

“Auditing is a critical part of our food safety systems,” Kellogg said in the report. “In 2013, we evolved to a risk-based approach to how frequently we audit each supplier. Key suppliers for higher risk items, such as nuts, seeds, vegetables, chocolate, dairy products and packaging materials that surround our foods, may be audited annually. Lower risk materials and proven, high-performing suppliers may be audited on an 18- to 36-month cycle.”