Podcasts about climate collaborative

In this episode of the Food Tech Junkies Podcast, host Sharon Cittone speaks with Julia Collins—founder of PlanetFWD and the visionary behind Moonshot Snacks and Zume Pizza—about how we can decarbonize the food industry through data, innovation, and transparency.Julia shares her journey from food entrepreneur to climate-tech trailblazer, revealing how small brands can drive big change. The conversation explores regenerative agriculture, greenwashing vs. green hushing, data and data-driven storytelling, and the power of community-led food systems. Learn how PlanetFWD is helping companies measure and reduce their environmental impact—and why the future of food must be rooted in truth, not trends.

Shloka Nath, Chief Executive Officer of the India Climate Collaborative (ICC), offers an in-depth look at the launch of the HCL ClimaForce Fund, a new initiative designed to bridge the critical gap between promising climate innovations and wide-scale adoption. The fund marks a notable evolution in Indian philanthropy, particularly in the climate mitigation space — an area that has historically received limited domestic funding. Until now, Indian philanthropic capital has largely been directed toward adaptation strategies, focusing on helping communities withstand the impacts of climate change. The HCL ClimaForce Fund, by contrast, shifts the focus to emissions reduction, enabling India to not only respond to climate change but lead on the development and deployment of climate solutions. At the heart of the initiative is a groundbreaking partnership between ICC and HCL, with visionary leadership from Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCL Technologies. The fund targets three high-impact sectors: sustainable buildings, cooling, and freight — all of which are major contributors to India's future emissions profile and simultaneously ripe for innovation. India's building stock, for instance, is expected to double by 2040, and nearly 70% of the buildings that will exist in 2050 have yet to be constructed. Cooling demand is also set to triple by mid-century, while freight continues to be a critical area of economic and environmental concern. These sectors present a rare window to influence the direction of India's development — and by extension, its climate trajectory. The fund is designed to address what is often referred to as the “valley of death” — the stage where early-stage innovations struggle to gain traction due to a lack of commercial viability, limited data on effectiveness, and high perceived risk. By supporting pilot projects, demonstration initiatives, and capacity-building efforts, the HCL ClimaForce Fund provides the early, high-risk capital that most private investors are unwilling to commit. In doing so, it lays the groundwork for private sector investment and accelerates the scaling of climate solutions that are both affordable and suited to India's socio-economic realities. What distinguishes this effort is not just its technical sophistication, but its collaborative ethos. The India Climate Collaborative brings together a wide network of stakeholders — from policymakers and research institutions to real estate developers, logistics companies, and civil society actors. Rather than operating in silos, the fund is embedded in a broader ecosystem that understands both the scientific imperatives of climate action and the structural and behavioral shifts needed to enable adoption. It also signals a new model of philanthropy in the Global South: one that is strategic, catalytic, and deeply rooted in local leadership and priorities. The fund's structure and strategic focus reflect years of development, trust-building, and alignment between ICC and HCL. According to Nath, success will be measured not only in terms of the specific innovations supported, but in the broader transformation of India's climate finance ecosystem. By de-risking innovation, creating proof points, and fostering cross-sector collaboration, the HCL ClimaForce Fund has the potential to drive system-level change — not just in India, but across the Global South, where similar barriers to climate innovation persist. As India races toward 2030, Nath emphasizes the need to integrate climate action into the country's core development agenda. The ClimaForce Fund is one part of that larger vision: a pathway to scale homegrown, climate-smart solutions that can help define a new model of sustainable development. In her view, leadership today is less about having all the answers and more about enabling others to act — through trust, humility, and a shared commitment to transformative change. Thank you for downloading this episode of the Do One Better Podcast. Visit our Knowledge Hub at Lidji.org for information on 300 case studies and interviews with remarkable leaders in philanthropy, sustainability and social entrepreneurship.    

Today's guest is Jessica Rolph, cofounder and CEO of Lovevery, a subscription brand that sells early-childhood development play kits and solutions. To date, Jessica has raised over $132 million for Lovevery from top-tier investors, including, TCG, Google Ventures, Collaborative Fund, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Lovevery has 350,000+ active subscribers. It has been named one of Fast Company's “World's Most Innovative Companies" and has been recognized on TIME's list of "Best Inventions". Prior to Lovevery, Jessica was the cofounder and COO of Happy Family, helping to launch, build and lead Happy Family to its position as a top organic baby and toddler brand in the US. Happy Family was acquired by Group Danone in 2013 for about $300 million. Jessica also co-founded the Climate Collaborative , a non-profit organization helping companies in the natural products industry take meaningful steps to reverse climate change. She is an Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow and was awarded the Park Leadership Fellowship.  In this episode, we dive into: Jessica opens up about how she never thought of herself as an idea person when it came to starting a business How she found purpose in life and how she discovered a market for Happy Family and Lovevery How to find product market fit Why ugly prototypes are the way to go Exiting to Danone and dreaming about Lovevery Her fundraising experience and how she deals with rejection Delegation versus what to control as a leader

When a parent walks into a toy store, they are looking for toys that will endure and keep their children engaged. And, yet how many times have we walked out with a light-up, siren-blaring hunk of plastic. If you're a  new parent, we bet you've heard of Lovevery, the child development company conceived by our guest today Jessica Rolph. With playkits and subscriptions that arrive at your door, it's the modern way to shop for toys - and as educators, we love most that it holds research as its north star. More on Jessica Rolph:Jessica Rolph is an American entrepreneur and businesswoman, passionate about the importance of early life . She is the CEO and co-founder of Lovevery, co-founder and former chief operating officer of Happy Family, and co-founder of the Climate Collaborative. In 2020, Jessica was listed as one of Entrepreneur magazine's 100 Powerful Women and she was also featured in 2021 as one of Inc.'s100 Female Founders.Resources:www.lovevery.comnosillyquestionspodcast.comhttps://www.instagram.com/nosillyquestionspodcast/

Pooja Tilvawala is an Indian-American climate justice advocate, opportunity curator, and youth engagement expert with five years of experience in the global climate movement. Since 2020, she has served as the founder and executive director of Youth Climate Collaborative (YCC), which is creating a more just, inclusive, and intergenerational climate movement that sustains youth and their initiatives for meaningful climate action. She is a current recipient of the Walking Softer Award for young climate leaders, and an Advisor to Rivet, which intends to create the world's largest micro-grant fund for youth-led action.Resources from this episode:Learn about the work of Youth Climate Collaborative. Listen to another interview with Pooja about how to make climate justice work accessible.Network with Pooja by following her on LinkedIn.Check out this climate comedy recommendation: Climate Town with Rollie WilliamsRelated episodes:How to network for a green job with purpose-driven LinkedIn expert Nick@NoonLearn how to build your climate experience with Terra.do founder Anshuman Bapna***

On this episode of On the Evidence, Don Berwick of the National Academy of Medicine's Climate Collaborative, Tom DiLiberto of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Aparna Keshaviah of Mathematica explore the risks that climate change and extreme heat pose to human health and how data can help inform solutions. Learn more about ClimaWATCH, an interactive online tool that can support communities seeking to understand and adapt to the local effects of heat waves on their residents' health: https://mathematica.org/publications/climawatch-tool Learn more about Mathematica's interdisciplinary climate change practice: https://mathematica.org/sp/climate-change/climate-action Learn more about the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's work over the past five years with more than 65 communities to map urban heat islands and use data-driven insights to mitigate the harmful and inequitable effects of extreme heat: https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaa-and-communities-to-map-heat-inequities-in-14-us-cities-and-counties Learn more about the National Academy of Medicine's Action Collaborative on Decarbonizing the U.S. Health Sector: https://nam.edu/programs/climate-change-and-human-health/action-collaborative-on-decarbonizing-the-u-s-health-sector/

Jessica Rolph is the co-founder and CEO of Lovevery, a company best known for its award-winning subscription play kits, designed by child development experts and distilled to their purest purpose to be exactly what children need at each stage of life. In this episode, she shares how to design, launch, and scale a high growth and high impact business that combines the best interest of its customers, the greatest potential for profit, and the deepest commitment to the planet and our future while also balancing a happy family life. Jessica Rolph Jessica Rolph is co-founder and CEO of Lovevery, a stage-based early learning program best known for its award-winning subscription Play Kits. Prior to Lovevery, Jessica was the Cofounder and COO of Happy Family, helping to launch, build and lead Happy Family to its position as a top organic baby and toddler brand in the U.S. Jessica also co-founded the Climate Collaborative, a non-profit organization helping companies in the natural products industry take meaningful steps to reverse climate change. Jessica and her husband, Decker, live in Boise, Idaho with their three children. Resources Learn more about Lovevery at https://lovevery.com Connect with Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-rolph-4b86ba Visit LeadWithWe.com to learn more about Simon's new book or search for "Lead With We" on Amazon, Google Books, or Barnes & Noble.

What does a Mom and environmental lawyer do after leading a statewide enviro-coalition into its second half-century and serving as a City of St. Louis Alderperson? This one, Heather Navarro, takes on directing climate action for the Midwest U.S.          The Midwest Climate Collaborative, based at Washington University in St. Louis, envisions a carbon neutral, climate resilient, interconnected Midwest Region. This is seeing big: if the Midwest US (a dozen states) were a country, we'd be the sixth largest Carbon emitter in the world. Heather Navarro is on it! Launched with an online summit in January, 2022, this partnership to date includes universities, cities, NGOs, companies and cultural institutions. Students are working in leadership roles: connecting formal research projects, educating educators, and asset mapping are activities so far, seeking options to work with the agriculture and industry sectors that powering Midwestern economics. Solutions, strategies and shared actions are the focus of this Earthworms conversation! THANKS to Andy Heaslet, Sierra Club national staff and Earthworms audio engineer - and to Jon Valley, KDHX production pro. Related Earthworms Conversations:  OneSTL: Implementing our Regional Sustainability Plan (Feb 2021) A World Without Us? Thoughts from Author Alan Weissman (Oct 2020) Diversifying Power: Jennie C. Stephens Advocates Energy Democracy (Sept 2020)

UW-Madison, together with more than 15 partners across the region, launched the Midwest Climate Collaborative at a virtual gathering on Jan. 28. The MCC is a network of organizations committed to accelerating climate action in the Midwest by leveraging science and research, shaping public understanding and policy, advancing climate solutions, and developing future leaders. Director Heather Navarro shares how agriculture and other key Midwestern industries are a part of that conversation.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode #43: This week on the podcast I am thrilled to share this conversation with Jessica Rolph. Jessica is the co-founder and CEO of Lovevery. Lovevery is a company that offers play kits to help create developmental experiences in the lives of new babies and families.  Prior to Lovevery, Jessica was the founding Partner and COO of Happy Family, helping to launch, build and lead Happy Family to its position as a top organic baby and toddler brand in the US. Happy Family was acquired by Group Danone in 2013. Jessica also co-founded the Climate Collaborative, a non-profit organization helping companies in the natural products industry take meaningful steps to reverse climate change. She is an Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow and was awarded the Park Leadership Fellowship, graduating from Cornell's Johnson School in 2004. Jessica also holds a BA from Cornell University. Jessica and her husband, Decker, live in Boise, Idaho, and are parents to three beautiful kids.  In this conversation, we talk about her journey to finding work that makes a positive impact, what she recommends for people who are looking to find a sense of purpose in their work, and how she handles running a company and time with family and friends.  Can't wait for you to listen! Connect with Jessica: Website Facebook Instagram Connect with Lupe: Website Instagram

  The India Climate Collaborative (ICC) is an India-led platform founded in 2018 by a group of philanthropies interested in continuing to accelerate India's development, while also exceeding its climate goals.  The Tata Trusts is one of India's leading philanthropic foundations and an instrumental actor in driving the ICC forward. In this episode, we learn of the fight against climate change within an Indian context and the collaboration between philanthropists and diverse stakeholders that is leading to innovative thinking and additional funding in this field. For a full transcript of this episode, visit The Do One Better Podcast website at Lidji.org  

David Bronner is Cosmic Engagement Officer (CEO) of Dr. Bronner's, the top-selling natural brand of soaps in North America and producer of a range of organic body care and food products. He is the grandson of company founder, Emanuel Bronner, a fifth-generation soap maker and a leader in the conscious consumerism movement.  Under David and his brother Michael's leadership, the brand has grown from $4 million in 1998 to over $190 million in annual revenue in 2020. Dr. Bronner's has positioned itself as a sustainable leader in the natural products industry by becoming one of the first body care brands to formulate with hemp seed oil and to certify its soaps, lotions, balms, and other personal care products under the USDA National Organic Program. Over the years, David and Dr. Bronner's have been key leaders in the battle for GMO labeling, organic hemp farming, high-bar organic and fair trade standards, drug policy reform, and a fair minimum wage. Today, David is leading the company to champion the Regenerative Organic Certified standard, an integrated and comprehensive program that addresses soil health, animal welfare, and fair labor practices to advance regenerative and ecological alternatives to industrial agriculture. Dr. Bronner's is also a founding partner in the Climate Collaborative, which leverages the power of the Natural Products Industry to compel action on climate change.  One of David's passions is the responsible integration of cannabis and psychedelic medicine into American and global culture and he is a board member of the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies. He is a dedicated vegan and enjoys surfing and dancing late into the night.   LEARN MORE ABOUT DAVID BRONNER AND DR. BRONNER'S here:    Dr. Bronner's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dr-bronner's/ Company Website: https://www.drbronner.com/ Company Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drbronner/ Brother Davids Cannabis Co: https://www.brotherdavids.com/ Brother Davids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brotherdavids/ Flow Kana Presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9F-znbe8oY Democracy Now on GMO's: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mW8hH8mxn-A Dr. Bronner Timeline: https://www.drbronner.com/about/ourselves/the-dr-bronners-story/ The Dr. Bronner's Story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6rVeSCFljI Heal Soul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6aVMQHq-h8 How Bronner's Soap is made: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ-S1AkswpE Visiting Australia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LVrOUP8uYU Fix the World, Make money: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXK9GxCSvEM Dr. Bronner's Magic Soapbox Sundance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQumvXzLOvg  Emanuel Bronner Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emanuel_Bronner   “Absolute cleanliness is Godliness! Balanced food for body-mind-soul-spirit is our medicine! Full-truth our God, half-truth our enemy, hard work our salvation, unity our goal, free speech our weapon, ” - Dr. Bronner's   TO SUGGEST A GUEST YOU CAN REACH US here: guest@ourepicocean.com or take the EPIC OCEAN CHALLENGE follow this link: https://www.ourepicocean.com/challengevid

In the 1990s, when Lee Wallace told business schools she was interested in studying the intersection of mission and money, they steered her into public policy. It was a time before B-corps and one-for-one brands. “Purpose” wasn’t the business buzzword it is today. But even armed with that master’s degree in public policy, Wallace continued to believe in the power of doing good while doing well. Eventually she found her way to a for-profit company founded on a mission to help farmers. That was Peace Coffee, an early champion of the fair trade model to create a transparent and sustainable system that directly benefits farmers and their communities. “The thing that’s so amazing about being presented with the opportunity to run a business founded to do the right thing is authenticity,” says Wallace, who came on as CEO in 2002 and bought the business in 2018 from its founding nonprofit, the Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy. Today, Wallace is a recognized leader in social enterprise business, as well as fair trade enterprises and specialty coffee importers. She holds leadership roles in the Climate Collaborative and the B corps movement. And she doesn’t apologize for Peace Coffee’s success, because selling more coffee means purchasing more coffee beans at fair prices from farming cooperatives around the world. With a new eco-friendly Minneapolis manufacturing facility, Peace was well positioned at the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis to respond to the sudden spike in coffee bean sales for home brewing. In 2020, Peace Coffee doubled its store accounts with Target and added 70 more Whole Foods stores. Despite losing the 15 percent of sales that came from restaurants, theaters, and offices, Wallace says she expects to end the year up 17 percent. But the challenges persist. The Peace Coffee headquarters is just off East Lake Street, near the Minneapolis Police Third Precinct that was burned down in protests following George Floyd’s killing. She talks about what it will take to restore the multicultural neighborhood’s vibrancy. And although it had not yet been announced publicly at the time of this conversation, Wallace shared that Peace Coffee is getting out of the coffee shop business to focus on growing wholesale. But even in that, she found a way to make it count, by partnering with nonprofit Wildflyer Coffee, which provides jobs to homeless youth. After our conversation with Wallace, we go Back to the Classroom with the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business. Case Frid is an assistant professor in the department of entrepreneurship whose work focuses on how business relates to community. “A corporate purpose is about your core reason for being and the impact your organization wants to have on the world,” Frid says. “It’s got to be relational, not transactional.”

Lee Wallace is the owner and Queen Bean of Peace Coffee, a company on a mission to craft a delicious coffee experience with communities around the globe. A rare CEO whose area of expertise resides in, in her words, that intersection between mission and money, she is a sought-after writer and speaker as well as a recognized leader and expert in multiple fields: social enterprise businesses, fair trade enterprises, and specialty coffee importers. Lee sits on the Research Advisory Council for the Specialty Coffee Association, and holds active leadership roles in the Climate Collaborative, and the B Corps movement. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling to new places, puttering around in her garden, and hanging out with her dogs Ruby and Felix. Based in the heart of Minneapolis, Peace Coffee has been proudly roasting, pedaling, and brewing outstanding coffee since 1996. Under Lees leadership the company has garnered local, national, and international recognition from being named one of the 10 Most Sustainable Coffee Businesses in the U.S. by Civil Eats, to earning the Best Coffee Roaster title by Minnesota Monthly and Growler magazines, to being recognized as one of the top places to work by Minnesota Business Magazine. The company has also been honored with list placements on Best for the World, Community, B Corp, 2018, and 2019; Ten Most Sustainable U.S. Coffee Businesses; and Most Ethical Coffee Companies, Fair World Project. What you'll learn about in this episode: Lee's journey as a female leader in the coffee industry How Lee made the transition from consultant to entrepreneur The lesson's Lee learned as she navigated the uncharted territory of entrepreneurship How Lee funded her business and got it on its feet How to center yourself in your goals, stick to your vision, and execute What it takes to operate at the intersection of mission and money What the future holds for Peace Coffee in 2021 Where Lee finds inspiration Resources: Website: https://www.peacecoffee.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-wallace-78319a7/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/peace-coffee/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PeaceCoffeeMN/ Twitter: @peace_coffee Instagram: @peace_coffee The Queen Bean Lee Wallace is the owner and Queen Bean of Peace Coffee, a company on a mission to craft a delicious coffee experience with communities around the globe. She operates at the intersection of mission and money, bringing thought leadership and expertise to audiences in social enterprise businesses, fair trade enterprises, and specialty coffee importers. In this episode of the Intentional Greatness podcast, Lee joins us to share her journey as a female leader, and the story behind Peace Coffee. She explains how she navigated the uncharted territory of entrepreneurship and pursued her passion. Follow Your Passion Lee has always been interested in the concept of using entrepreneurial tools to solve problems in society and to fuel work that has a distinctive mission behind it. Initially, this manifested itself as a career in consulting. However, during her time as a consultant, she had the opportunity to work with a client that she immediately fell in love with. Lee found her passion and purpose in the coffee industry, joined her client's team, and eventually, she purchased the company from them in 2016. Believe it or not, she had never anticipated becoming an entrepreneur, but we can learn from her experience. Don't let your fears and limiting beliefs deter you from following the path that your passions lead to. There is so much to gain from listening to your intuition. Stick With Your Vision When Lee made the transition from consultant to entrepreneur, she had to be quick on her feet. If entrepreneurship is a path you're considering, the lessons Lee shares are of great value. It is easy to get stuck in your bubble while trying to get the business on its feet, but if you deviate from the mission and core values that drove you to pursue your dream in the first place, it will not be sustainable. As a business owner and leader, it is critical to center yourself in what your goal is and create a concrete plan to get there. Stick with your vision and execute it.

In this episode, host Bibek Bhattacharya talks to Shloka Nath of the India Climate Collaborative about the importance of the group effort, how the poorest are hit the hardest by both the pandemic and climate change, and how we can build resilience.   

The launch of the Santa Barbara County Regional Climate Collaborative seeks to establish a resource for local organizations to work together and develop while also addressing the region’s climate challenges. KCSB's Bryndon Madison spoke with Garrett Wong, a Climate Program Manager in the County of Santa Barbara, to find out more.

Consumer and environmental demands mean supplement and functional brands must address how their practices affect the environment. But the “how” of implementing these regenerative agriculture, processing and packaging procedures can intimate companies. Fear not, says Erin Callahan, director, Climate Collaborative; brands don’t have to save the entire world today, but they do need to take the first step.

The mission of the Climate Collaborative is to leverage the power of the natural product industry to positively impact climate change. Their goal is to bring the industry together in an effort to reverse climate change. In this interview, the organization's director, Erin Callahan, describes how they intend to achieve this lofty goal. She also describes practical ways to chip in to help control climate change.Natural Medicine Journal Podcast is brought to you by Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com/) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com).

Danielle talks with Erin Callahan, Director of the Climate Collaborative, about the commitments and actions the retail community is making to slow climate change. Powered and distributed by Simplecast

The mission of the Climate Collaborative is to leverage the power of the natural product industry to positively impact climate change. Their goal is to bring the industry together in an effort to reverse climate change. In this interview, the organization's director, Erin Callahan, describes how they intend to achieve this lofty goal. Here's more NMJ coverage on how climate change will impact our food supply: Climate Change and Food Quality More Anticipated Damage to Food Quality from Global Warming About the Expert Erin Callahan is the director of the Climate Collaborative, responsible for management and execution of the Collaborative’s work, including all programming, communications, and outreach. Erin has a range of corporate campaigning and sustainability experience. She previously worked for CDP, managing corporate engagement for the We Mean Business coalition’s commitments campaign. In that role, Erin worked with hundreds of the world’s largest companies, industry groups, and investors, supporting them in making leadership commitments on climate change. She has also worked in public relations and international development and earned a master’s degree in international relations and economics from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. She is based in Oakland, CA. Transcript Karolyn Gazella: Hello. I'm Karolyn Gazella, the publisher of the Natural Medicine Journal. Today we are tackling the big topic of reversing climate change. My guest is Erin Callahan, who is the director of Climate Collaborative. Erin, thanks so much for joining me. Erin Callahan: Thanks for having me. Gazella: Well, first let's have you tell us a little bit about the history of the Climate Collaborative. Callahan: Yeah. I'd love to. Well, thank you again for having me, I'm really excited to talk about some of our work. So the first thing to note is that we're a relatively new organization. We launched about 2 and a half years ago, just over that, at Natural Products Expo West, which is the largest food show in the US. And we launched because it did become really clear that within the natural product space, which is the fastest growing part of the food and ag sector and full of innovative companies, who are really helping define their mission and work via social impact and issues related to it, there wasn't yet a convening space for companies to come together on climate change. And we in fact did this study that showed that around 97% of the companies we surveyed really understood the urgency to be doing something on climate change, but almost 80% of them didn't know how to translate that understanding into action. There was a big gap between knowing that they wanted to do something and having the capacity to tackle it within their businesses. And so we launched to kind of address that gap. We really wanted to create a community of companies within the industry who could learn from each other, move forward together and get the rest of the industry really excited about climate change. And so that's what we've been trying to do for the past 2 and a half years. And I can certainly talk about the ways in which we do that, if that would be useful. Gazella: Yeah. Let's start with what you've been focusing on since 2017 when you started. So what's been the focus over the last couple of years? Callahan: Yeah. Well, you know, when Jessica Roth, the founder of Happy Family Organics the baby food company, and Lara Dickinson, the founder of OSC2, they were the cofounders of the Climate Collaborative and they really wanted to launch it as an industry collaboration. So we're a project of 2 organizations, SFTA and OSC2, and have collaboration deeply built into our model. And so over the past year we've really been working to try and extend that, kind of, baseline of collaboration and understanding that to tackle a problem as big as climate change, we can't act alone. No one in the industry can think that they're going to solve it on their own in a silo, so we've really been trying to build robust industry collaboration. And we've done that by creating this roadmap of nine commitment areas that represent the key emissions drivers for most companies in the sector. So it's packaging, food waste, agricultural practices, transportation, policy engagement, and we ask companies to make commitments, public commitments, in one or all of those areas. And that sends a message out to the industry that, "Hey. We are taking this seriously, we're setting public goals, and we are working as part of a bigger movement within the industry to do this." And so we asked companies to make commitments and then we help them on the implementation side. So we host webinars, we connect companies to partners and solutions providers, we try to connect companies to case studies and representations of what best practice looks like within the industry and work really closely with a really wide range of partners. And, crucially, we do this all for free. We're a nonprofit, so it's really important to us to not have cost, or any other issue, be a barrier to entry for companies. We work mostly with small and medium-sized companies who otherwise might not have the resources to start tackling this stuff. And so we really want to enable companies, regardless of where they're getting started, to be able to get on a pathway to action. And to do so as part of a really whole of industry movement. So we have everything from farmers and producers, to distributors and food retailers and brands, all working together collectively across the supply chain. Recognizing you need every link to really make change. And so that's been the baseline for the past 2 and a half years has really been building a strong base of companies who are committed to action. Kind of building this movement within the industry, and then starting to go down the road of providing really robust programming that can help them on the implementation side. You know, our theory of change is commit, act, impact, and we're kind of trying, you know, over the course of years of being around, to move companies from making these public commitments toward acting on them and then ultimately seeing real impact in the industry. And that's been the journey so far. Gazella: Yeah. I think it's brilliant. I mean, that's really why I was drawn to your organization, because you have this holistic collaborative from start to finish and you're getting commitments from organizations. So how many organizations have made this commitment that you're talking about? You know, you have 9 commitment areas, and they need to commit to 1 or all, how many organizations have done so? Callahan: Yeah. It's really incredible. We've got over 400. We've got nearly 450 companies signed up. We're at about 440 companies who've made over 1,600 commitments. And that's, I think, over 2 a day. I did the math recently, since we launched, commitments coming in. And, in fact, our busiest single month ever was this past August 2 and a half years in. And so I think what that shows is that the energy and momentum and sense of importance and value of what we're doing is only picking up as companies see climate change impacting their supply chains more and more and hear their customers talking about it and inherit it becoming a policy issue ahead of the 2020 elections. It's only becoming more important and central to what companies are doing, and that is incredibly heartening to see. We are so happy to see that progress. And so, yeah, we've got about 440 companies committed. They've made... You know, those represent General Mills and Dannon, really large food companies that everyone here has heard of and probably have their products in the pantry, but also really small startups and everything in between. So we're really happy to work with kind of a really wide range of companies who are at every stage of the sustainability journey and kind of going really deeply on things. Like packaging, in some cases, and, in some cases, trying to tackle everything. And, you know, so we really do have the full spread represented. Gazella: That's great. Well, congratulations on that progress so far. Now, obviously, your organization feels climate change is a big problem and we here at The Natural Medicine Journal are trying to cover this as well, so how concerned should we be about climate change? You know, what damage can and will occur with climate change if we don't act together, as you're talking about? Callahan: Yeah. Well, a lot is the short answer. And I think... I feel like everyone, this year especially, something's changed and we're all kind of scared of looking around and seeing... You know, this August, for example, all of us were watching sort of helplessly as the Amazon burned, and Hurricane Dorian just hovered as this slow-moving, giant storm over The Bahamas, and just these great tragedies affecting millions of lives and livelihoods and communities and just not being able to do anything. And, you know, that's a trend that's only worsening. I'm from the Mississippi/Gulf Coast and grew up watching hurricanes get worse throughout my childhood. And Katrina destroyed my hometown. And so these are very visceral things that I think we're starting to see and not be able to not connect... We can no longer avoid connecting it to climate change, and so I think everyone's sort of feeling it very viscerally. And then, you know, on the data side, we've got a huge amount of evidence to back up the fact that climate change is happening. It's getting worse. We're already seeing the impacts, and if we don't act quickly and at scale, the problems are going to be tremendous. You know, when we look at UNFCCC Reports, and even an EPA report that came out in November 2018, that showed that absent action, this could slash 1/10 of the US economy by 2100. You know, the UN has showed us that we have about 10 years to act to avoid catastrophic damage. We're on a road to exceed 1.5 degree increase in global temperatures, and we have to stop that. We have to take action to reverse it. And, you know, I moved to California year ago and within a couple of months was wearing a mask to avoid the smoke and fires, and saw my friends have to pull their kids out of school, and so I... It's a very emotional thing and it's a very practical thing that we have a lot of evidence backing up the risk of inaction. And getting into the health a little bit, it's very clear that climate change is absolutely a public health issue, in addition to an environmental issue and so many other types of issues. And so I think part of the conversation is how do we break this scary complex issue out of a silo of just being isolated to kind of environmentalism? And really focus on how is this having an impact on generations? How is it impacting the lives and livelihoods of the poorest people who are the most vulnerable to climate impacts? The youngest people who are going to bear the brunt of the problems that we see now? So, you know, I think that that's all becoming increasingly clear and hard to ignore, which is, you know, both heartening and terrifying. It's been really great to see the type of action that happened last week at the climate strikes in New York, right? I think they had to shut down Battery Park because there were so many people gathered. And this is all because of 16-year-old climate activists, Greta Thundberg, who, I think, is just been one person who has created this giant, global movement that gives me real hope. But it also just shows the energy and strength behind how many young people are recognizing the threat to their future that they see. Gazella: Yeah. I would agree. Well said. And before we get into the practical information, you know in the description of this an interview, I called your goal to reverse climate change lofty. I was actually surprised when I read on your website that the goal was to reverse climate change. What do you think? Is this a pretty lofty goal? And, even more important, is that a realistic goal? Callahan: Well, yes, it is a very lofty goal. And I think we absolutely can't do it single-handedly, so I don't have any illusions. As much as it would be wonderful if I could work with these 450 companies to single-handedly reverse climate change, I don't think that's possible. I think what we're trying to do at the Climate Collaborative is highly ambitious, and, essentially, what we're trying to do is create a new model of doing business within the natural product space that is replicable and scalable. And that shows that there is a way that companies can take advantage of the tremendous opportunity that responding to climate change represents. Be first movers on creating new systems and ways of doing business that are an inevitability, I really believe. In terms of new ways of doing agriculture that helps restore carbon in the soil, new types of packaging, reductions in food waste. The shift toward these types of practices is inevitable, and why not have this innovative industry be at the helm of creating those shifts? And so, you know, that is really... We want to create a model that then cascades across the food sector. And I think... So when you ask, are we looking to really reverse climate change? I think that when you look at the fact that the food and agricultural system accounts for about 23% of global emissions, it's going to be absolutely key to solving climate change and have this huge kind of double-edged sword of being a huge potential opportunity as a solution, through carbon soil sequestration and other mechanisms, but also is a tremendous risk factor if we don't take action. And so I really look towards the types and group of companies that we work with as leaders in creating those new systems. And so maybe not reversing all of the climate change, but maybe reversing how the food sector responds to climate change. And any company with an agricultural supply chain, how they can shift their practices to really create a new model for the food system. And so I hope we can do at least that much. I still believe that is an incredibly lofty goal, in that there are a lot of structural barriers to getting there. When you look at certain policies that disincentivize the types of practices that our companies are looking to start making or already making, and then the absence of things like a price on carbon and absence of policy and incentives rather than disincentives for farmers to be changing their practices to help restore carbon in the soil and all of that. So that's why policy is such a crucial piece of what we do as one of our 9 commitment areas. And it's potentially the most important, because every company in our network could get to net zero emissions and it would be the drop in the bucket, when you look at global emissions. So policy has to go alongside whatever action that companies take, and my hope is you can then create a virtuous circle where you have companies acting and proving policy mechanisms can support these actions at scale, and then wider set of businesses taking up these policies and then you kind of create that virtuous circle. So, that's my hope. But I completely agree, it is still really lofty. But I think we don't have really any other choice but to be ambitious and lofty in our goal setting these days. So, I am hopeful. Gazella: Well, I agree. And I was going to ask you, "Why the natural health industry?" But you bring up such a good point, if you can create this new model that can then be replicated, you could have that ripple effect and have that, as you mentioned, cascade into the food sector. So to me that makes sense, so now I'm feeling better about my term lofty. Because I think- Callahan: Oh. Good. Gazella: Yeah. That makes total sense to me now. So let's get to the heart of the matter. So exactly how is your organization going to reverse climate change? Or, you know, if we put this into more digestible pieces, how is your organization going to create this new model of doing business that can then be replicated? Callahan: Yeah. Well, the first thing is getting companies to make public events. And I think that... You know, I mentioned before, and kind of getting to your point around why the natural health and products industry, and I think that is because it's almost a quarter of global emissions when you look at the food and land system. There was just a Land Use Report that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change put out that just showed how critical the sector is in responding to climate change, and that kind of double-edged sword of it being a solution and a problem. So that's why these companies. And, you know, I think that within the food sector, our companies already have a status of first movers. When you look at issues like organic and non-GMO, fair trade, the natural products space, they've been first movers on those. And then have then become standards that we all know, we all shop and look for those labels, and we're all kind of very aware and it's cascaded across the food sectors. So we have model of what it could be and how that scale could work and look, and now we need to make climate that issue. And that's part of the type of model we've tried to adopt here at the Climate Collaborative. In terms of how we do that on climate, it is predominantly through our commitment areas. So we have these 9 commitment areas. They're focused around carbon farming and regenerative agricultural practices. So it's changing on-farm practices so that you're pulling carbon into the soil and keeping it there, and that things like compost applications and cover crops. Intensive rotational grazing, when you're looking at pastures with animals. So changing your on-farm practices to really help draw down carbon, and that's a huge opportunity. If, you know, you're familiar with Paul Hawken's Project Drawdown, which is this giant list of climate solutions, that's number 11 on the list. Another one that we work on, number 3 of his solutions, is food waste. And that is, you know, about a third of food is wasted and so we're trying to help at least the corporate part of that, so companies and their supply chains, to reduce food waste. And at source. So not just looking at waste diversion and donations, but really looking at how can we reduce the waste that's produced in the first place and make a more efficient supply chain from producers to grocers selling it to consumers? So we had a big project this year where we did intensive consultations with retailers in the US on reducing their food waste in store. Packaging is another really big issue that we look at. It's the single biggest challenge for companies, you know? Everyone, I think, has paid attention to the plastic straw bans, and plastic in the oceans, and been very aware... It's a very visceral thing because you hold it in your hands and you see it, and then you throw it in the trash or the recycling and... It was just a very visceral way to be aware of your footprint, I think. And so that has been the single biggest issue and challenge area for the companies we work with and we do a lot to try and help them reduce their packaging impact. And, you know, there's policy, energy efficiency, switching to renewable energy, so we're looking at very concrete practical solutions that are very action-focused. You know, I would say that for companies it's also really important to take a look at your footprint and say, you know, "Where are my emissions concentrated?" Start measuring and setting goals, and so we do encourage that. And, above all, we want companies to just say, "Okay. Let's start taking action. Let's start doing something and be part of, kind of, a larger community of companies within the industry doing that." So we do that through working groups. We have one on regenerative ag, we have on consumer engagement, one just for retailers and we really try to just kind of get companies able to talk to each other a little bit more about their efforts. So that's a little bit. I'm happy to go into more detail, but those are a few of our projects. Gazella: No. I think that's great because what we're going to do is we're going to put a link to the Climate Collaborative website, and I know that you list these 9 commitments. And you have a ton of information on your website, videos and such, so I highly recommend that any manufacturers who are listening, you know, or anybody really, click over to the Climate Collaborative to learn more. Now, technically our journal is a part of the integrative health community and not necessarily the natural health community, per se, with a lot of retailers and manufacturers and such, but I'm wondering how our readers, are individual doctors, can help with this effort. So what advice do you have for the individual? And, in particular, I mean, our doctors are seeing patients and they're influential, you know? So what advice do you have for them to make an impact in this area of climate change? Callahan: Yeah. Well, a couple of things come to mind there. Firstly, we host one day of the year called Climate Day, which is my favorite day of the year. It's where we bring the whole industry together and get a set of thought leadership speakers, and everyone in the room just talking about the biggest issues that we need to tackle on climate change over the next year. And last year one of our keynotes with Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, which, I think, if there's a company who's doing just fantastic work on climate change and making their whole mission focused around reversing, it's Patagonia. They've just been real leaders. And he was interviewed by Dr. Zach Bush who some of your listeners might be familiar with. I actually wasn't too familiar with him, but it might be an interesting conversation to reference in this because his whole talk was really around the relationship between the microbiome in all of us and climate, our biome. And what are those connecting, and how does one impact the other, and how does how we manage the climate then filter down to the nutrition and the food that we eat? And, overall, the microbiome and health of our bodies? And so I just want to reference that, because I think that there's a lot of interesting stuff happening. A lot of interesting research happening there right now that I'm fascinated by and there's a lot to mine there. So, that is one thing. The other thing is, I think when it comes to doctors, or really anyone as an educated, active citizen, 1) voting and advocacy matters. And then, 2) being a really conscious consumer. And asking the businesses that you're purchasing from and working with what their practices are, and asking them questions about their packaging, asking them questions about their footprint. And business is new because of stakeholder action and requests and consumers are such a crucial stakeholder. It's why we're launching this consumer aspect of the product this year. But I think creating an aware base of people who are talking to these companies, and working with them, in some cases, and shopping for... You know, with their products. Make smart choices but with your dollars. We have a group of fantastic companies that are really piloting new work and it's really important that we acknowledge that through engagement with those companies, through dialoguing. By pushing them farther and getting engaged in their mission, but also just generally when shopping by making really informed choices about the company that you're looking at. And that's a very hard thing to do. I mean, I'm a consumer and it's really hard to hold the fact that I need something in a certain price point, I need it to be really good, I need it to be exactly for what I'm doing, I need to get it pretty conveniently. And then also, on top of that, I need to care about what's its footprint? Where did they source the ingredients? You know? And then also is it fair trade? Is it... You know, are they using renewable energy? What's the packaging? It's a lot to hold, but I think the more you can be okay and accept that complexity and really try to make informed purchasing decisions, the farther where we're going to go. And, luckily, we're already seeing real movement. You know, I think 70% of Americans are looking to see more from the companies they're doing from a study that came out last year. I mean, you look at the younger demographics, those numbers get even higher and they really are making their purchasing decisions based on the footprint and choices of the companies they purchase from. So I think the more we can all lean into that, the better. Gazella: Yeah. I would agree. And I think that's great advice. So, in closing, why don't you go ahead and describe some of your short-term goals moving forward. Say, within the next year or 2, what is your organization want to accomplish in the near term? Callahan: Yeah. Well, firstly, on the outreach side, we've got an incredible base of companies committed. We're at about 440, like I mentioned, I want us to get to 500 by March of 2020. That is my goal. It really matters to keep that energy and momentum up, and so I'm looking to bring on new companies. We're really looking to actually move in to a lot of health and nutrition companies and we're going to be at a conference in a couple of weeks talking to them. And, you know, that's kind of a subsector of the industry that we really want more actively engaged, so that's the one thing. And then on the programming side and the work of it side, we're just over a year away from the 2020 elections. Giving our companies pathways toward active engagement on policy issues ahead of that election and getting them informed on what they can be seeking out on and supporting, is a real, real priority of mine. We're working with a great set of policy partners on that front to do that and that's something that we're going to really try to be doing a lot of over the next year. Outside of that, I mentioned consumer engagement. We are launching a consumer engagement part of the project over the next year, where we're trying to actually create a common set of messages that companies are using to engage in dialogues with consumers. And also to raise awareness on specific issues. Like soil health, like food waste, packaging, and really try to create dynamic, fun, engaging conversations with consumers that are action-focused as well. So we're hoping to really get that off the ground in the next year as well. And then our rooted community, the regenerative agriculture community that we have, we meet 4 to 6 times a year right now and going to be doing our first on-farm site visit over the next year as well. And I really hope we can be doing more of that, and constantly just trying to roadmap the business case for action. I think a lot of companies understand the altruistic and moral reasons to act, but when you back that up with saying that there are real business cases to be doing certain things like this, especially when you're working upstream in your supply chain with farmers who have very small margins and also really know... They know how best to manage their farms, and so when you have these conversations, what are the incentives we can provide and what data do we have to back that up? So we're constantly looking to increase the amount of data that we have on that and to connect your companies to it to really help promote these practices within the industry. So, those are a few key priorities. I think, overall, we're also just trying to keep the energy and momentum up in the industry. Climate is a really complex issue with a lot of nuances and not a lot of clear black and white solutions that we can just easily adopt, and so the more we can get companies excited and motivated and willing to work together, which I think they increasingly are, the more opportunity we have to really see transformative change in how the industry at scale is really attacking some of these issues. So that's my biggest hope. Is that we just keep the energy up, from as wide a group of stakeholders as possible, around focusing on climate and moving forward with real action. Gazella: Well, those sound like some great goals and it sounds like you're going to be very busy in the coming couple of years. Callahan: I think so. Yeah. Gazella: Yeah. Well, I just want to congratulate you on creating the... Well, your founders creating he Climate Collaborative and your work as the director. I really applaud you. I think it's great work. It is lofty and it's huge, but it's so important. So thank you so much for joining me today and telling us about your work. And I encourage our listeners to go and check out the Climate Collaborative, and thank you, Erin, for joining me today. Callahan: Thank you so much. Gazella: Have a great day. Callahan: You too.

“Our shareholders aren’t the only ones we’re responsible to,” noted Stacey Gillespie, director of product Strategy, Gaia Herbs Inc. “The environment is our stakeholder,” she said, and that is why the herbal supplement brand dedicates itself to improving the sustainability of packaging among other initiatives to ensure the company follows earthy-friendly practices. Gaia Herbs is part of the Climate Collaborative, a natural products industry organization where businesses join forces to reverse climate change. Gaia helps in this way by using cartons made from 100% recycled paperboard sourced from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified forests. In 2018, Gaia saved over 742,000 gallons of water; 511,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of Power and 347 cubic yards of landfill space by using ecofriendly packaging. In this podcast, Gillespie is joined by Alison Czeczuga, sustainability and social impact manager, Gaia Herbs, to discuss the company’s commitment to sustainable packaging with Sandy Almendarez, editor in chief, INSIDER.

On today’s Shine podcast, Carley Hauck is joined by Sheryl O’Loughlin, the CEO (aka Chief Love Officer) of REBBL, the first plant-based, super herb adaptogen beverage company. At REBBL, Sheryl leads the development of a new beverage that uses ancient wisdom confirmed by science to help modern-day, busy people adapt to stress. In partnership with Not for Sale, a non-profit dedicated to co-creating a world without human trafficking, REBBL works to create regenerative and just supply chains.   In this interview, Sheryl speaks about her love of purpose and how fired up she is about supporting companies to partner together towards committed actions and collaboration for a sustainable world.   Key Takeaways: [:04] Carley Hauck introduces herself as the founder of Living Well Awake, the new Shine podcast, and her upcoming new book — Shine- Ignite your inner game to lead consciously at work and in the world, available March 2020. [2:02] Carley introduces Sheryl O’Loughlin, 3-time leader and CEO and co-founder of REBBL. [5:25] Sheryl’s secret to the perfect work life balance came from the advice of her mother-in-law. [10:03] Practicing gratitude, meditating and spending time in nature keeps Sheryl grounded. [14:27] Leading the REBBL team with authenticity starts with modeling love and courage. [21:40] Sheryl’s list of daily love practices. [26:39] Takeaways from Sheryl’s experiences at Expo West. [34:56] A look at trends for the future the industry, and why the world needs to support regenerative business. [39:09] The Climate Collaborative — all that they stand for, support, and are working to change. [50:06] REBBL’s commitment to reducing plastic and promoting sustainability. [56:43] Sheryl’s one piece of wisdom for a new entrepreneur. [59:04] A question to consider — When life gets difficult, what is your recipe for resilience?   Resources: Living Well Awake Website Shine- Ignite your inner game at work and in the world by Carley Hauck www.livingwellawake.com/developing-people Carley Hauck on Instagram Carley Hauck on LinkedIn REBBL Killing It: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Keeping Your Head Without Losing Your Heart by Sheryl O’Loughlin Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappe Natural Products Expo West The Climate Collaborative

“We’re systematically destroying the life in soil and bringing our crops to harvest with more and more chemical inputs and treating soil like dead dirt instead of the life-giving resource that it is.“David BronnerEat local. Buy organic. Avoid GMO. Give back. Be of service. These are all great practices. Good for your health. Good for humanity. And good for the planet.But it's not enough.The health and environmental problems we currently face are global epidemics of unprecedented scope and scale.We simply cannot solve these issues with the mindset that created them.What we need, now more than ever, is a revolution of consciousness.There are few people more well suited for this conversation than David Bronner. By far the most unique ‘CEO' I have ever met, this week's guest is the Cosmic Engagement Officer of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, the top-selling brand of natural soaps in North America and producer of a range of organic body care and food products.The Dr. Bronner story, which is amazing, begins in 1948 with Emanuel Bronner — a German immigrant, third-generation master soapmaker, master consciousness and generally far out dude — who used his ecological soaps to proselytize his “All One” philosophy, labeling product bottles with the key tenets of his teachings on self-realization and unity across religious and ethnic divides. Embraced by 1960's counterculture for its ecological properties and spiritual sensibility, the brand soon found it's way into most natural foods markets across the United States.David and his brother Michael eventually took stewardship of the family business, shepherding their grandfather's brand from counterculture cult status to mainstream embrace by growing revenues from $4 million in 1998 to over $111 million in 2017.Along the way, David went to great lengths to respect, protect and ultimately deepen Emanuel's vision, cultivating a thriving and truly conscious capitalistic enterprise making socially & environmentally responsible products while successfully pursuing its broader mission to create a better world for ourselves and future generations.Environmental activist. Psychonaut. Visionary.These are but a few of the words that describe David, a man who very much shares his grandfather's ‘cosmic hippie’ DNA but matches it with entrepreneurial flair, a degree from Harvard and the business savvy necessary to grow and sustain an ongoing concern at scale.Under David's stewardship, Dr. Bronner's has championed a number of causes, many of which provide the foundation for today's conversation — a free range exchange that explores David's involvement in advancing animal rights, drug policy reform, GMO regulation, regenerative organic agricultural practices, fair trade projects and practices, medicinal applications for cannabis and psychedelics, as well as wage equality, including self-imposed caps on executive pay.Backing up its mission statement, roughly a third of Dr. Bronner's profits are dedicated to charitable giving and activist causes annually. Furthermore, the company is a founding partner in the Climate Collaborative, which leverages the power of the Natural Products Industry to compel action on climate change.This is David's story. And it's sure to blow your mind.Disclaimer #1: David expounds upon his personal experience with with psychedelics and cannabis in the context of spiritual growth. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This School Nurse is Committed to Addressing Climate Change Hannah Noel-Bouchard, RN, BSN is a Public Health Nurse and Climate Reality Leader in Charleston, South Carolina. She is currently a School Nurse at both Allegro Charter School of Music and for the Charleston County School District, as well as an RN Employee Health Coach for […]

This School Nurse is Committed to Addressing Climate Change Hannah Noel-Bouchard, RN, BSN is a Public Health Nurse and Climate Reality Leader in Charleston, South Carolina. She is currently a School Nurse at both Allegro Charter School of Music and for the Charleston County School District, as well as an RN Employee Health Coach for […]

This episode's FREE downloadable guide Real shopper loyalty is earned not found on plastic cards. Your brand’s real strength is its ability to convert casual customers into brand ambassadors. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE STRATEGIC GUIDE: Merchandising Checklist To Grow Sales and Shopper Loyalty Most healthy brands first appear on natural retailer shelves. They are experts in providing tremendous value, customer service and product education to shoppers. Natural retailers who collaborate with brands gain a significant competitive advantage. On this podcast, we spend a lot of time talking about brands, brand strategy as well as how brands can leverage their unique mission to drive sales on retailer sales and to get their product in the hands of more shoppers. Today, we're going to talk about the one thing that all brands have in common, whether it's online or in a traditional brick and mortar store. The retailers when customers usually find products for the first time and it's how a brand makes its first impression and where it begins to build their loyal community. There are a lot of different retailers that brands can choose to launch their products in. None are perhaps more important than the independent natural retailer. This is because natural retailers are where brands typically get their start. It's the independent retailer that is responsible for launching many other brands that you know and like today. It's the independent retailer that gave that brand a start that first gave it life. It's for this reason that I say that the natural independent retailers are the heart and soul of natural. Let's face it. It's a lot harder to get distribution at a large retailer where you have no track record, you have no proven success story. I'm not saying that it's impossible. Let's be honest though. It's a lot harder to build distribution in a large retailer unless you have a lot of money to buy the shop space. Brands know that the best opportunity that they have to grow sales is to start with where their customers are shopping, natural retailers and especially independent natural retailers are where customers go to learn about nutrients to find healthy, better for you products that they can't find in larger stores. The success of an independent retailer is tied directly to their relationship with the brands on their shelves. On today's podcast, we talk about different ways that brands can help independent retailers succeed and grow. Remember, this podcast is about you and for you. The strategies, tips and tricksthat we share are designed specifically to help you help the retailer grow sales by leveraging your brand, which of course in turn, helps you grow sales and helps you develop a loyal community. Stay tuned in the end for today's freebie. If you like this podcast, please subscribe, share with a friend and leave a review on iTunes. Now, let's roll up our sleeves and get started. Here is Corinne Shindelar of INFRA (Independent Natural Food Retailers Association) / The Climate Collaborative. Here's Corinne Shindelar of INFRA (Independent Natural Food Retailers Association) and The Climate Collaborative Download the show notes:  brandsecretsandstrategies.com/session61

It’s easier to begin with a mission in mind. The strength of small brands is their ability to to be agile and adaptive. Mission driven brands are changing the way we shop and the choices we make. Natural brands are influencing the choices big brands make

This episode's FREE downloadable guide Brokers are an extension of your sales team. Help them succeed through accountability to maximize sales, increase distribution & accelerate growth. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE STRATEGIC GUIDE: Simple Solutions To Maximize Broker Effectiveness Do you know what a vision quest is? It’s a search for a higher meaning and purpose. Learn how an iconic brand was born out of purpose and mission and is now leading an important movement and changing countless lives in the process. If you’ve been tuning in much, you’ve heard me say repeatedly I love talking to entrepreneurial leaders. I love hearing their stories, how their brand got started. Typically, their story begins with a solution that they were trying to fill for their own needs or for someone that they know, cared about, and love. Today’s story is really unique. You’re going to love it. Today’s story is about someone who took a vision quest to China, to a foreign country. She and her partner took the time to learn how the farmers are producing their product, the crop, the rice. They took the time to get to know the farmers, to understand how they produce the rice, why it was unique, and what is important about it, and then find a way to improve upon it. They seek to understand before they seek to be understood as Stephen Covey would say. As a result, they uncovered a new passion. They didn’t go to China to learn how to grow rice, to start a rice business. They went to China on a vision quest to find a purpose that was bigger than them, something that they could get behind. What they found was a love and a passion for new products, something that had been somewhat undiscovered. They instantly saw a niche, an opportunity to help the local community, the farmers, and to help provide a new sustainable source of income. They also identified a better way for them to produce their crops, and then take their crops to market. What I want to share here is what makes natural natural. What inspires natural are people that look beyond themselves, people that focus on solving a real problem, people that come up with a creative and innovative, and inspirational idea, build a solid selling story around, and add rocket fuel to it as a result. Today’s story is about Lotus Foods, their products, and how they continue to inspire and change the industry for good including their work with a Climate Collaborative, OSC2 and beyond, they’re taking a leadership role in the way that rice is produced, leveraging their strategy of one crop per drop. Here's Caryl Levine of Lotus Foods OSC2 The Climate Collaborative Download the show notes:  brandsecretsandstrategies.com/session56

This episode's FREE download Your brand's selling story is the cornerstone of all effective business building strategies. Learn How To Get Your Brand On The Shelf and What Retailers REALLY Want.  This Is Your Roadmap To Success.  CLICK HERE TO GAIN INSTANT ACCESS TO MY FREE TURNKEY SALES STORY STRATEGIES COURSE Behind every mission is a champion working tirelessly fighting the good fight on behalf of us all. A true champion unites us in a common goal. Healthy food, clean air and water are the pillars of a quality life. Natural brands work to amplify the message. Today’s story’s is about someone who made a lasting change, someone that’s been working her entire life to make a difference, a real difference. Unfortunately, I think too many people take for granted the air we breathe, the water we drink, the planet that we live on. One of the things that makes natural natural are the committed brands, retailers and shoppers who go out of their way to support a community, to give back, to do more, and to be more. Today’s story is about a champion who united us on so many important fronts, who gave us a strong united voice, who is instrumental in developing the platforms that we now stand behind. Like the Organic Trade Association, the Sustainable Food Trade Association, Climate Collaborative, and many other important initiatives. Here's Katherine DiMatteo of Sustainable Food Trade Association Climate Collaborative Organic Trade Association Download the show notes:  brandsecretsandstrategies.com/session55

This episode's FREE download Your brand's selling story is the cornerstone of all effective business building strategies. Learn How To Get Your Brand On The Shelf and What Retailers REALLY Want.  This Is Your Roadmap To Success.  CLICK HERE TO GAIN INSTANT ACCESS TO MY FREE TURNKEY SALES STORY STRATEGIES COURSE One person can make a lasting and dramatic impact on the way we celebrate food and how it unites our community. Authentic humility and purpose is what drives mission-focused brands to do more and be more helping shoppers feel good about their purchases. I’ve worked in this industry for a long time now, and throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of meeting and getting to know and working with several amazing thought leaders and industry pioneers. You’ve heard several on this podcast over the past 50 episodes, and you’ll continue to hear more. Today’s story is truly inspirational, about an unsung hero, a quiet and very humble change maker, who focused on his talents and his gifts, saw a problem, and made a change, a change that had a tremendous impact and inspired other thought leaders in the industry to join forces to create a lasting impact, something that affects us all. When we stop and think about our heroes, we think of people like Steve Jobs, or Elan Musk, our heroes that have disrupted the way we think about life. I was equally humbled to talk to Ahmed today to learn about all the important causes that he’s involved in. Simply put, Ahmed saw a problem, and he solved it. He saw another problem, he solved it. More importantly, he was able to build a community of industry leaders to help him solve some of the biggest challenges that we’re faced with, like climate change, the need for sustainable packaging, the need for fresh, clean drinking water, fair wages, and safe working conditions for farmers, giving people a reason to belong to the community through art and education, eliminating food deserts. I could go on and on. But the reality is, I could not begin to tell the story as well as Ahmed does. Here's Ahmed Rahim of Numi Organic Tea and OSC2 Download the show notes:  brandsecretsandstrategies.com/session51  

This episode's FREE downloadable guide This short guide levels the playing field between small brands and their more sophisticated competitors. It highlights the advanced strategies the big brands use called Category Management - what retailers want.  CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE STRATEGIC GUIDE: Strategic Solutions To Grow Your Brand Natural is the incubator of the ideas, strategies, and products that are changing the way consumers think about the products they buy & the causes they support. Regenerative business is the next emerging trend championed by disruptive brands & retailers. If you've been listening to this podcast for a while, you hear me talk about what makes natural natural, all the components about natural, why it's important, and how we as a community work together to support one another, how we think beyond the four corners of a package, and how we unite to do more than just sell products, to benefit the planet, to improve our healthy way of life, and much, much more. A couple of episodes ago, you heard me talking with Gary Hirshberg about the importance of regenerative agriculture. That's the starting place for our conversation today, where I'm talking with Neil about regenerative business practices. What I love about the conversation that we're about to share with you is how Neil was able to capitalize on these strategies, and use them, and make them a part of everything he did from when he started and ran a natural food store, all the way up to being a CEO of some of the most prominent and iconic brands in the natural channel.  Neil shares with us his passion for regenerative business practices and how he incorporated those strategies at the Climate Collaborative and OSC2, in addition to the many other groups that he works with. Here's Neil Blomquist of Sustainable Solutions Download the show notes:  brandsecretsandstrategies.com/session47

This episode's FREE downloadable guide Real shopper loyalty is earned not found on plastic cards. Your brand’s real strength is its ability to convert casual customers into brand ambassadors. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE STRATEGIC GUIDE: Merchandising Checklist To Grow Sales and Shopper Loyalty Natural products are champions for the environment. Shoppers want to feel good about their purchases including how their choices positively impact the environment, climate and the health of our planet. Learn how a grass roots movement is leading the way. As you listen to this podcast, you'll routinely hear me talk about how important it is for these brands to be tied to a cause bigger themselves, tied to causes that are focused on giving back, on local, healthier, food solutions that are more nutritious for us. And one of my favorite focus areas is giving back to the world. Helping to make our world a better place, by reducing carbon footprint, by reducing the amount of pollution we create, with a focus on sustainable packaging. This has already been the focus of a few podcasts, and it will be the focus of future topics. In fact, I'm so passionate about this, I'm going to use this as one of the lessons in my future courses. Here's why it matters. If you're going to merchandise your product on a shelf and drive customers into a store, you need to have packaging that fits the shelf, that helps your product stand out in a crowded shelf, and more importantly, gives consumers an opportunity to feel good about your purchase, not because of what's in the package, but the package itself.  Today I have the honor of speaking with Lara Dickinson, who is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of OSC2, an organization focused on the important things that we're talking about on this podcast, and especially in this intro. I had the privilege of meeting with Lara at a breakfast they hosted at Expo West.  It was inspirational. The different speakers shared their thoughts and beliefs on what's going on in the world, along with their commitment to do good.  In addition to that, during this breakfast, I also had a chance to listen to and learn a little bit more about the Climate Collaborative, which is closely tied to OSC2. I will include links to both OSC2 and the Climate Collaborative in the show notes, and on this podcast webpage. Here's Lara Dickinson at OSC2 Download the show notes at: brandsecretsandstrategies.com/session37

Rachel Adams, managing editor, and Lara Dickinson, executive director at OSC2, cofounder at Climate Collaborative and partner at Pluot Consulting, discuss the challenges related to development and adoption of sustainable, flexible packaging and the industry’s first compostable flexible packaging at Natural Products Expo West 2018 in Anaheim, California, March 7-11.

Nancy Hirschberg is a woman who doesn't just talk the talk about reversing climate change, she walks the walk, and has been for years. Nancy's career has embodied this belief that businesses should be forefront in fixing this particular problem. She now dedicates all her time with the Climate Collaborative to bringing like-minded businesses together to reverse climate change. She says, "I truly believe that we are at a tipping point of awareness and action."