Ferrellgas Century Project

In 1939, A.C. Ferrell started this company, but running a small business was not the only thing he did. He also served the city of Atchison, Kansas, as both mayor and a volunteer policeman. Ever since, Ferrellgas has been a company devoted to the communities we serve – by providing easy propane service, by giving back, and by doing the right thing.

The Ferrellgas Century Project is all about continuing this tradition. It’s about doing important things in social, environmental, and governance arenas to serve our youth, our communities, and our world over the next two decades.

The goal? In 2039, Ferrellgas will reach the milestone of being a one-hundred-year-old company. The employee-owners of Ferrellgas want to do their part in making this world an even better place.

Here’s how.
 

Social

The social values of this company can easily be seen in how Ferrellgas gives back.
 
A key charitable partner is Operation Warm. Warmth is what Ferrellgas delivers, and so does this national nonprofit that manufactures brand-new, high-quality coats and shoes for children in need.
 

 
Over the last 23 years, Operation Warm and its partners have used brand-new coats as a bridge for families in need to access critical resources.  Their tagline ‘more than a coat’ means they focus on the whole child, providing not just physical warmth but also emotional warmth, the confidence to socialize and succeed, and hope of a brighter future. When you work with Ferrellgas you know that your support extends to providing brand-new coats to underserved children in your community. Learn more about Operation Warm here.
 
Another key charitable partner is Operation BBQ Relief. Armed with a caravan of cooks, mobile pits, kitchens, and volunteers, Operation BBQ Relief delivers the healing power of BBQ in times of need, feeding first responders and communities affected by natural disasters, along with year-round efforts to fight hunger.
 

Our partnership is such a natural one: our propane, often delivered by our team in the immediate aftermath of storms, fires, and other disasters, fuels the vast majority of OBR’s cooking efforts across the nation. Ferrellgas is the official propane of OBR and Blue Rhino is the official propane exchange. Learn more about Operation BBQ Relief here.

And these are just our corporate partners. Local offices and employees support many, many other causes, like local schools, fire departments, veteran organizations and more, on an ongoing basis.
 
Education and growth are important to us too. Ferrellgas offers a Management Development Program for recent college graduates. It was formed in 2020 created in response to increased demand from employees seeking pathways to positions of leadership, and since then has graduated dozens of employees who are helping to lead the future of this company.
 
Then there’s the Ferrellgas scholarship program for children of employees. Since 1992, the program has awarded 225 scholarships worth over $600k. This investment has gone a long way to supporting the Ferrellgas family with continued education.
 

 

Environment

There is no question that this company cares about the environment, for its care is at the center of our business.
 
It starts, of course, with propane, the fuel that both Ferrellgas and Blue Rhino delivers. It is a clean, affordable, and reliable energy source positioned to lead our world to a low-carbon future.
 
At Ferrellgas, we make it possible for homes, farms, and organizations to put this versatile fuel to work, by delivering it in bulk form to thousands of residences, farms, and businesses nationwide.
 
The idea of green resonates with Blue Rhino too. Not only does Blue Rhino deliver propane to thousands of retail stores in the form of portable grill tanks – making it convenient for fueling propane appliances like grills, firepits, and patio heaters in America’s backyards – Blue Rhino also recycles millions of used propane tanks every year, keeping them out of landfills.
 
It doesn’t stop there. We even support the endangered rhino. The International Rhino Foundation and the American Association of Zoo Keepers are also important charitable partners, which of course links to our popular Blue Rhino brand. These charities are focused on the conservation of the five species of rhinoceros: the White Rhino and Black Rhino in Africa, and the Indian Rhino, Javan Rhino, and Sumatran Rhino in Asia. However, by protecting rhinos in the wild, these organizations also provide habitat management and support the people who live close to rhinos. A partnership with these organizations is truly one of sustainability.

Governance

Ferrellgas is a professionally managed business, in every sense of the word.
 
It starts with a diverse leadership team that reflects our market and our nation.
 
We also believe in focused recruitment of veterans. Literally hundreds of veterans and active military service members work in every functional area across our company. They bring unmatched skills and work ethic to this company, which translates into the leading services we provide.

And most of all, this company has a culture inspired by the founder of our company. In 1939, Ferrellgas opened its doors in the small Kansas town of Atchison. A.C. Ferrell and his wife Mabel’s family-owned business was founded on the idea of great service and hard work. Twenty-six years later, A.C. and Mabel’s son James started transforming this small-town business into one of the nation’s leading propane suppliers. But those small town values live on today in this company, through our ongoing ESG efforts, and more.