100 natural products companies make climate commitments in 6 months

When we formally launched the Climate Collaborative at Climate Day at Natural Products Expo West back in March, we set ourselves an ambitious goal: to reach 100 natural products companies committing to climate action within one year.

Six months have passed, and as Expo East kicks off in Baltimore, I’m thrilled to share that we have shattered that goal in half the time! Companies in the natural products industry have spoken—loudly—that they are ready and eager to come together to tackle climate change.

Seventh Generation, the Vermont-based leading natural products company, is the 100th company to make a climate action commitment. The company announced today it is building on its ambitious climate portfolio by committing to packaging, renewable energy, policy engagement and energy efficiency through the Climate Collaborative, joining a growing list of companies including Annie’s, Dr. Bronner’s, Happy Family, National Co+op Grocers, Organic Valley and many more (You can see a full list of committed companies here).

“Seventh Generation has always believed that business can serve as a powerful force for change,” said Ashley Orgain, director of mission advocacy at Seventh Generation. “We’re proud to join Climate Collaborative in ensuring our planet is protected for future generations. In an era when the federal government is moving in the wrong direction, we pledge to continue to do our part to ensure a just and speedy transition to a low carbon economy, supporting progressive policies that put a price on carbon pollution.”

Related:9 ways the natural products industry can combat climate change

Seventh Generation has been prioritizing climate action for decades and has a company-wide goal of sourcing all energy from non-fossil fuel sources by 2020. On top of its direct mitigation efforts, the company also uses an internal carbon tax, which generates revenue for energy efficiency projects within its operations.

Companies in the industry have made over 400 commitments to climate action to date—to integrate carbon farming into their supply chains, switch to renewable power, reduce the climate impacts of their packaging, remove deforestation from their supply chains, engage on climate policy and more. These commitments send a powerful message that the natural products industry is stepping up to the climate challenge.

Robynn Shrader, CEO of National Co+op Grocers, stated, “Through the Climate Collaborative, our industry is once again demonstrating that when we come together on an issue, we work quickly towards success. The fact that 100 companies have already stepped up in just six months shows that our industry not only recognizes the urgency for action, but is also willing to invest the time, energy and money needed to make meaningful progress on the climate challenge, the most consequential issue we’ve tackled yet."

In the coming months, the Climate Collaborative will be expanding its programming to assist companies taking action with new initiatives like our carbon farming action group. Our goal is to give companies the on-ramps and practical solutions they need to accelerate their efforts to tackle climate change, minimize the risk it poses for their businesses and take advantage of the benefits that early action offers.

If you have not already done so, I encourage you to consider having your company make a commitment to climate action. You can visit www.climatecollaborative.com/take_action to learn more and join the growing wave of natural products companies in tackling the climate challenge head on.