Operationalizing Climate Action: Tracking the Natural Industry's Progress
This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s January 2023 industry newsletter.
By Steven Hoffman
Despite numerous barriers, such as limited resources, supply chain and transportation factors, labor shortages, inflation, lingering pandemic pressures, and more, a majority of natural products companies surveyed by the Climate Collaborative indicated they are integrating climate action into all aspects of operations and in their overall business strategy. In addition, 83% of companies have taken steps to reduce emissions throughout their entire operations, and 76% of respondents reported prioritizing emissions reductions over offsets, a strategy the Climate Collaborative encourages.
With a vision of “leveraging the power of the natural products industry to reverse climate change,” the nonprofit Climate Collaborative’s 2022 Tracking Progress Annual Report, published in December 2022, reflects the responses from 224 businesses in the natural channel. The survey asked questions to help establish a baseline of the ways in which companies are currently integrating their climate goals into their overall operations. At the time of publication, 761 companies have made more than 2,822 climate commitments through the Climate Collaborative, the organization reported.
Results of the 2022 survey showed that half of responding companies have trained more than 80% of their staff on climate commitments and nearly 70% have made opportunities available for staff members to learn and engage in the company’s climate work. Of those surveyed, 85% of respondents are taking climate into consideration when designing new products or offerings. Also, 90% of companies said they have informed their board or other stakeholders about their respective climate commitments, and 75% of reporting companies are engaged in climate advocacy.
The Climate Collaborative’s report also indicated that an increasing number of companies are making net-zero commitments – 28% of companies responding to the survey reported having set a net-zero target, a 3% increase over the previous year, and 37% of companies are considering it. The organization anticipates a continued increase in the number of companies making net-zero commitments and is developing programs to support businesses in fulfilling these commitments, it says.
“This movement towards setting a north star goal reflects a broader industry trend of companies publicly promoting their long-term goals in marketing and promotional copy. We encourage all companies with long-term net-zero targets to support their targets with shorter-term goals. It is heartening to see that concurrent to an increase in net-zero targets, there is an increase in companies disclosing emissions,” the Climate Collaborative said in a statement.
Highlights of the Climate Collaborative’s 2022 Tracking Progress Annual Report include:
- Almost 85% of responding companies said they are considering climate when they design new products
- 75% of responding companies said they are engaged in climate advocacy
- Almost half of responding companies have trained more than 80% of their staff on their climate commitments
- 76% of respondents reported that they are prioritizing emissions reductions over offsets
Externally, reports the Climate Collaborative, 38% of companies responding to the 2022 survey are actively working with suppliers to decrease Scope 3 emissions (emissions that are the result of activities from assets not owned or controlled by the reporting organization), which includes asking suppliers to transition to renewable energy (21%), asking to eliminate equipment that uses fossil fuels and transition to electric equipment where applicable (20%), asking to require or utilize low carbon farming practices (40%), and asking suppliers to reduce water use or set water reduction targets (32%).
With just over 10% of all reporting companies engaging more than 80% of their suppliers in making climate commitments such as setting net-zero targets, making a commitment with the Climate Collaborative, or setting science-based targets, “we see an opportunity to more intentionally engage suppliers in climate action to further build resilience throughout the supply chain,” the Climate Collaborative said.
Taking its place as a top potential solution to reversing climate change, regenerative agriculture had the largest increase of survey responses with 76% of companies overall reporting progress, up from 58% over 2021 results. Companies responding to the Climate Collaborative’s survey reported lack of financial resources, competing priorities, and reduced capacity to manage programs and producer relationships as barriers to greater implementation. Despite these challenges, however, the Collaborative reported that of the 76% of companies reporting progress, 36% of companies report they have taken robust steps to implement regenerative agriculture and are seeing results compared to 21% last year.
In 2022, 56% of companies with an energy efficiency commitment reported progress on their commitment, up 4% from 2021. Companies implementing a transportation commitment reported a 5% increase in progress this year compared to last year, despite ongoing supply chain issues, the Climate Collaborative reported. Specific to implementing strategies to reduce food waste, 35% reported taking robust steps and are seeing results compared to 28% last year. For companies with a forest commitment, 29% of companies have ensured their supply chains are free of deforestation and 41% of companies reported engaging in reforestation efforts in 2022.
When asked which platforms companies used to measure climate action, survey respondents indicated that B Lab is the top reporting platform among committed companies. Other platforms companies refer to include the SME Climate Hub, Climate Pledge, Planet FWD Carbon Neutral, Climate Neutral, Science Based Targets Initiative, Net Zero Standard, CDP, SFTA at OTA, NCG Coefficient, CCOF, NOP, Regenerative Organic Certification, Climate Registry, GRI, Fair for Life, and RePurpose Global - Plastic Neutral, RSPO, Aclymate, SASB, Fairtrade International, and more.
Download the report here.
Get involved in the Climate Collaborative here.
Steven Hoffman is Managing Director of Compass Natural, providing public relations, brand marketing, social media, and strategic business development services to natural, organic, sustainable and hemp/CBD products businesses. Compass Natural serves in PR and programming for NoCo Hemp Expo and Southern Hemp Expo, and Hoffman serves as Editor of the weekly Let’s Talk Hemp Newsletter, published by We are for Better Alternatives. Contact steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.
Giving Season: 23 Nonprofits to Support in 2023
Giving Season: 23 Nonprofits to Support in 2023
December 9, 2022
This article originally appeared in Presence Marketing’s December 2022 industry newsletter.
By Steven Hoffman
With a common mission of providing healthful, eco-friendly and socially responsible products to consumers, natural and organic products companies often have philanthropy engrained as part of their brand’s DNA. Given that, the industry is well positioned to play a lead role in helping society address many of the problems facing the world today.
The month of December, with its focus on family, community and giving, presents an opportunity to highlight some of the nonprofit organizations that work with leaders in the natural products sector to help solve some of the pressing issues of our time. There are many organizations doing great work — below find a list of 23 organizations this writer has interacted with in some capacity over the years and identified as potentially worthy of your awareness, consideration and support in the coming year.
This list is divided into four categories: Climate & Environment; Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Food & Agriculture; and Nutrition & Health. Perhaps one or more of these organizations will resonate with you this season of giving and throughout the year.
We know there are many nonprofit and related organizations doing important work that rely on contributions from individuals, businesses and foundations — please forgive us if we didn’t include your favorite nonprofit this time around. However, if you let us know, there’s a chance we can include it next year. We’d love to hear from you.
Happy holidays and all the best for the New Year.
Steven Hoffman is Managing Director of Compass Natural, providing public relations, brand marketing, social media and strategic business development services to natural, organic, sustainable and hemp/CBD products businesses. Compass Natural serves in PR and programming for NoCo Hemp Expo and Southern Hemp Expo, and Hoffman serves as Editor of the weekly Let’s Talk Hemp Newsletter, published by We are for Better Alternatives. Contact steve@compassnaturalmarketing.com.
CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT
1% for the Planet
1% for the Planet is a global network of individuals and businesses that, to date, has donated more than $350 million to support environmental nonprofits around the globe. A number of natural products companies have aligned with 1% for the Planet, and many express their support by placing the organization’s logo on their product packaging. This past year, the organization launched the 1% for the Planet Impact Fund at National Philanthropic Trust to drive climate impact. https://onepercentfortheplanet.org
Carbon Underground
Founded in 2013 by CPG and natural products veterans Tom Newmark and Larry Kopald, the Carbon Underground’s goals are to coalesce the emerging science on the soil’s relationship to climate change, and to tell the world about a possibility to not simply slow down the threat of climate change, but to reverse it. The organization advances ways to draw down legacy carbon from the atmosphere and promotes regenerative agriculture as a tool to mitigate climate change. https://thecarbonunderground.org
Climate Collaborative
A project of One Step Closer, the Climate Collaborative’s mission is dedicated to “leveraging the power of the natural products industry to reverse climate change.” The organization recently released a four-part webinar series, Climate Action Guidance for Business. Also, the Climate Collaborative’s annual Tracking Progress Update assesses how companies are progressing on their climate action commitments. https://www.climatecollaborative.com
Environmental Working Group
Working to protect consumers, the Environmental Working Group takes the lead in shining a “spotlight on outdated legislation, harmful agricultural practices and industry loopholes that pose a risk to our health and the health of our environment,” encouraging industries to adopt safer practices and educating consumers with actionable information. EWG recently released a report on forever chemicals in pet food bags and in baby textiles, plus a report on how “multitasking” preservatives might help make cosmetics safer, plus the organization works to keep cancer-causing chemicals out of everyday consumer products. https://www.ewg.org
Natural Capitalism Solutions
Founded by renowned environmentalist and author Hunter Lovins, Natural Capitalism Solutions is dedicated to building an economy in service to life through education, innovative solutions, and youth empowerment. The organization works with companies, communities and countries to help offset and reduce carbon emissions and to implement more regenerative practices profitably. https://natcapsolutions.org
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute
With Akiing — an Indigenous organization dedicated to restoring sacred landscapes, community wealth and resilience — serving as its fiscal sponsor, the nonprofit Anishinaabe Agriculture Institute was founded by Native American leader, water protector, and former candidate for Vice President of the United States Winona LaDuke. The organization’s work includes educating youth about Indigenous, sustainable, and regenerative agriculture practices, restoring agro-biodiversity and food sovereignty, advancing traditional methodologies, and supporting research into hemp fiber production to benefit local economies. http://anishinaabeagriculture.org
Her Many Voices Foundation
Through environmental, cultural and community projects, Her Many Voices brings a diverse group of artists, humanitarian leaders and businesses together to help solve problems for the betterment of women, children and “our Mother Earth.” Her Many Voices was founded by Native American leader Alicia Fall, a former TEDx presenter and recipient of the New York State Assembly Citation Award. Through Alicia and her team’s work in education, inclusivity and collaboration, the organization is also dedicated to supporting farmers and is currently planning events for Earth Day 2023. https://www.hermanyvoices.org
J.E.D.I. Collaborative
Launched in April 2020, the mission of the J.E.D.I. Collaborative is to help create a natural products industry “that centers at its core justice, equity, diversity and inclusion” with systems-level solutions. According to a Natural and Organic Industry Benchmarking Survey conducted in late 2019 by the J.E.D.I Collaborative and New Hope Network, “only 2% of leadership positions within our industry companies and on company boards are occupied by black professionals. The situation isn’t better for Latinx professionals, who hold 2% of company board positions and 6% of company leadership roles within the U.S. natural products industry.” Women also represent only 23% of board seats for companies with more than 50 employees, according to the J.E.D.I. Collaborative, a project of One Step Closer. https://jedicollaborative.com
Naturally Network
Inspired by Naturally Boulder, a public-private partnership founded in 2005 to promote entrepreneurship in natural, organic, and sustainable products in Colorado, the Naturally Network has grown to become a national organization with nine independent chapters, including Naturally Austin, Naturally Bay Area, Naturally Boulder, Naturally Chicago, Naturally Los Angeles, Naturally Minnesota, Naturally New York, Naturally North Bay and Naturally San Diego. Linking emerging businesses and brands with seasoned veterans and mentors in natural and organic products, Naturally Network offers business education, resources for entrepreneurs, mentorship and diversity programs, and ongoing regional and national networking and event opportunities. As former Chair and Board Member of Naturally Boulder, this writer can’t recommend enough to individuals in the natural channel to get involved in the Naturally Network or one of the above mentioned regional chapters. https://www.naturallynetwork.org
Project Potluck
Breaking into the natural and organic products industry isn’t easy for anyone, and it’s especially challenging for Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) to attract investors, find the right co-packers, refine recipes, and garner placement on retail shelves. Enter Project Potluck, established by Ibraheem Bashir, CPG veteran and founder and CEO of A Dozen Cousins, a leading Black-owned natural food brand, to provide the support that minority entrepreneurs in the natural products space need to succeed. In March 2022, Project Potluck won New Hope Network’s inaugural Justice Award for its efforts promoting justice, equity, diversity and inclusion in the natural and organic products industry, and the organization was recently featured in Forbes Magazine. https://www.potluckcpg.org
Wild Animal Sanctuary
Including animal welfare on this list, one of this writer’s personal favorites is the Wild Animal Sanctuary. Based an hour east of Denver in Keenesburg, CO, on nearly 700 acres, the organization rescues and provides a home to more than 350 large animals including lions, tigers, bears and wolves, many of which were rescued from abusive environments. Want to know where all those animals from the TV show Tiger King ended up? The Wild Animal Sanctuary saved more than 100 of them, providing sanctuary at its large, open-space environment where visitors can view the animals from elevated walkways and decks overlooking this fenced-in “Serengeti of the West.” The organization also recently saved the lives of 11 African lions that were located in an active war zone in Ukraine. The sanctuary welcomes visitors and your support. https://www.wildanimalsanctuary.org
FOOD & AGRICULTURE
Kiss the Ground
With a passionate, committed and growing community inspired by Kiss the Ground: the Movie, a full-length documentary narrated by Woody Harrelson that sheds light on a “new, old approach” to farming called regenerative agriculture, Kiss the Ground was founded in 2013 to educate about and advance a system of agriculture and food production that rebuilds our soils and water resources, sequesters carbon from the atmosphere and feeds the world. Kiss the Ground’s mission is to awaken people to the possibilities of regeneration and inspire participation through storytelling, education, and advocacy. https://kisstheground.com
Regenerative Organic Alliance
The Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA) comprises a group of experts in farming, ranching, soil health, animal welfare and farmer and worker fairness. Founded by the Rodale Institute, Dr. Bronner’s and Patagonia, other members of the alliance include Compassion in World Farming, Fair World Project, and the Textile Exchange. The ROA was established to continuously review and update the Regenerative Organic Certified® framework, a recently introduced certification program for food, fiber, and personal care ingredients that represents the “highest standard” for organic agriculture in the world, with stringent requirements for soil health, animal welfare and social fairness. https://regenorganic.org
Regeneration International
With a vision to collaborate with consumers, educators, business leaders and policy makers, Regeneration International’s mission is to work with multiple stakeholders in key regions around the world to promote, facilitate and accelerate the global transition to regenerative food, farming and land management for the purpose of cooling the planet, restoring climate stability, ending world hunger and rebuilding deteriorated social, ecological and economic systems. Regeneration International, which offers a number of resources for those interested in regenerative organic agriculture and climate change, is a project of the Organic Consumers Association. https://regenerationinternational.org
Regenerative Rising
With events including Women Leading Regeneration and the Regenerative Earth Summit, plus an ongoing podcast series, Regenerative Rising is dedicated to elevating and forwarding regenerative principles that expand a living systems worldview. The organization engages leaders in agriculture, business, and finance to elevate stories of regeneration and innovation to activate urgent and necessary change in business strategy, public policy and personal decision-making that serves the long term health and betterment of people and the Earth. https://regenerativerising.org
The Rodale Institute
Celebrating 75 years of organic leadership, the “OG” of organic agriculture and research, The Rodale Institute remains on the vanguard of science and best practices in advancing organic and regenerative agriculture. The Rodale Institute’s main office is located on a 386-acre organic research and education farm in eastern Pennsylvania that investigates a number of organic crops and rotations, including hemp, and also the value of animal husbandry in regenerative agriculture. In September 2022, General Mills announced it would donate the Cascadian Farm home farm in Skagit County, WA, to the institute, bringing the total number of Rodale Institute research campuses to 12. The organization also recently partnered with Colorado-based nonprofit Mad Agriculture to help farmers transition to organic and regenerative organic farming methods. The Rodale Institute was originally founded in 1947 as the Soil and Health Foundation by Rodale Press founder J.I. Rodale. https://rodaleinstitute.org
NUTRITION & HEALTH
American Botanical Council
Founded in 1986 and based in Austin, TX, the mission of the American Botanical Council (ABC) is to help people live healthier lives through the responsible use of herbal medicine. ABC is an independent, nonprofit research and education organization dedicated to providing science-based, accurate and reliable information for consumers, healthcare practitioners, researchers, educators, industry, and the media about the safe and effective use of herbs and medicinal plants. Through monographs, a comprehensive library, its newsletter, HerbalGram, and more, the American Botanical Council is a vital resource for advocates and makers of herbal-based products, from tinctures and topicals to functional foods and personal care products. https://www.herbalgram.org
Chef Ann Foundation
The Chef Ann Foundation is dedicated to promoting whole ingredient, scratch cooking in schools. Scratch cooking enables schools to serve the healthiest, tastiest meals so that kids are well nourished and ready to learn. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the foundation works with both public and private schools in all 50 states. Founded in 2009 by “the Renegade Lunch Lady,” Chef Ann Cooper — an internationally recognized author, chef, educator, public speaker, and advocate of healthy food for all children — the foundation reports it has helped more than 13,500 schools and 3.3 million kids eat healthier, fresher school meals. https://www.chefannfoundation.org
Conscious Alliance
With the slogan “Art that Feeds,” Conscious Alliance partners with food makers, musicians, artists, and music lovers to empower youth and end hunger in underserved communities. Working with top recording artists and bands, concert-goers, food donors and supporters, many of which are natural food brands, the alliance organizes major food drives at concerts and music festivals nationwide to deliver food directly to economically isolated communities in need, including Native American reservations and rural areas, such as the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. https://consciousalliance.org
Feeding America
As a leading national network of food banks, Feeding America is seeing a spike in demand among its member network of food banks and food pantries amid rising food prices. According to Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, an estimated 53 million or more people in the U.S. are currently food insecure. The organization also is seeing a decrease in donated food and a decrease in federal commodities, meaning member food banks are having to buy more food at a time when food costs are high. “…if I could break down whom it is that comes to us in need of help, as a rule, we’re talking about children. A huge portion of those who are counting on us and the work that we do would be kids, the elderly, people with disabilities,” said Babineaux-Fontenot in an interview with NPR. https://www.feedingamerica.org
The Organic Center
The Organic Center, based in Washington, D.C., is an independent non-profit educational and research organization operating under the administrative auspices of the Organic Trade Association. Founded in 2002 with a mission to conduct, convene and disseminate credible, evidence-based science on the environmental and health effects of organic food and farming, and to communicate those findings to the public, The Organic Center collaborates with academic and governmental institutions to advance research. The Organic Center is the organic products industry’s leading research and education organization advocating for the nutritional, health, environmental and climate mitigating benefits of organic food production. https://www.organic-center.org
Vitamin Angels
Founded in 1994 by natural products industry veteran Howard Schiffer, Vitamin Angels is a public health nonprofit organization working to improve nutrition and health outcomes in low-resource settings worldwide. The organization helps to strengthen, extend, and amplify the impact of partner organizations working to reach the most nutritionally vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, infants, and children who are underserved by existing systems with evidence-based nutrition interventions and health services. Vitamin Angels works with more than 1,200 local organizations, including governments, to reach more than 70 million women and children in 65 countries annually. https://www.vitaminangels.org
Whole Planet Foundation
Founded in 2005, Whole Planet Foundation is a Whole Foods Market foundation that funds poverty alleviation worldwide where the company sources products. The nonprofit’s mission is to empower the world’s poorest people with micro-credit and the chance to create or expand a home-based or small business to help lift themselves and their families out of poverty. As of June 2022, Whole Planet Foundation is helping to alleviate poverty through micro-finance partners in the U.S. and 79 other countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. To date, the nonprofit reports it has disbursed $101 million through micro-lending partners worldwide, funding 6 million micro-loans and 30 million opportunities for a better life for micro-entrepreneurs and their family members. https://wholeplanetfoundation.org
Bonus! To support racially and ethnically underrepresented business entrepreneurs, check out the products created by Naturally Network's M/O Fellows.
Can Unilever Stop Massive Plastic Pollution of Our Oceans?
Originally Appeared in Presence Marketing News, August 2019
By Steven Hoffman
An estimated 1 million ocean animals are killed each year as a result of plastic pollution. Now, one of the world’s biggest plastic polluters – Unilever – has made it a top priority to reduce plastic pollution. According to CNBC, on any given day, 2.5 billion people use Unilever products that comprise 400 household brands, yet the company knows its $158-billion market cap has come as the expense of the environment. According to Unilever, the company invests more than $1 billion annually on research and development, of which new plastics innovation is a component. In 2018, Unilever’s brands most committed to sustainability, including such “sustainable living” brands as Ben and Jerry’s, Seventh Generation and Pukka Herbs, grew 46% faster than the rest of its business and delivered 70% of its turnover growth.
“All of Unilever's brands are on a journey towards reducing their environmental footprint and increasing their positive social impact. Sustainable living brands are those that are furthest ahead on the journey to achieving the company’s ambitious sustainability goals,” Unilever said in a statement. As a result of its initiatives, the consumer giant says it has cut down on plastic use by 15% and is beginning to use bioplastics and refillable metal bottles for bodycare and other items. Since the company signed on in 1017 to an Ellen MacArthur Foundation initiative called The New Plastics Economy, Unilever committ3ed to making all of its plastic packaging either reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. Addressing the issue of packaging is a great way to start changing the way plastic is used, Shelie Miller, a University of Michigan professor who studies packaging and sustainability, told CNBC. “Packaging is produced to become waste,” she says. “That makes it unique among manufactured goods.” Natural products manufacturers can find a wealth of sustainable packaging resources at OSC2’s Climate Collaborative: https://www.climatecollaborative.com/packaging_resources, and at New Hope Network: https://www.newhope.com/manufacturing-and-supply-business-resources/what-can-my-brand-do-help-solve-our-plastics-problem.