Doing the work of sustainability is one thing, and telling the story is another.
Produce operators surveyed by The Packer in May said some of the ways they communicate about sustainability include publishing comprehensive annual or biennial sustainability reports, posting information on customer portals, sharing on social media, sending news releases to the trade press and more.
Electronic marketing, branding, participation in events and direct contact and communication are all methods used, said Gary Hilberg, chief sustainability officer for Hamilton, Mont.-based greenhouse producer Local Bounti.
Emeryville, Calif.-based SCS Global publishes sustainability audit reports, said Bonnie Holman, director of sustainable agriculture.
Marketing efforts to communicate sustainability include trade shows, web seminars and social media, said Scott Howarth, director of research and development at Sinclair International, Fresno, Calif.
Retail sustainability-reporting portals are one way that greenhouse marketer Houweling’s, Camarillo, Calif., communicates about its efforts, said David Bell, chief marketing officer.
“A few of our customers have sustainability portals that are updated on a regular basis to monitor the environmental status and initiatives in place,” said Steve Roosdahl, vice president of operations for Vancouver, British Columbia-based The Oppenheimer Group.
“Oppy updates our sustainability promise on our website,” he said.
“Oppy maintains close communication with all of our retail and industry partners on a daily basis and sustainability has become an increasingly large part of our conversations. We are committed to remaining transparent with our customers on our sustainability work so as to support their reporting efforts.”
Olga Borquez, sustainability manager for Amada, Ariz.-based Wholesum, said the company publishes its sustainability report annually on its website. The sustainability progress also is shared with clients and employees, she said.
“We publicly share information on our website and social media,” said Jennifer Doan, director of marketing for San Francisco-based Veritable Vegetable. “We also send e-mail communications to our network and train our account managers and buyers to speak on our sustainability efforts.”
Participating in various retail-assigned sustainability programs is one way information is shared, said Cherie France, marketing manager at Homegrown Organic Farms, Porterville, Calif.
Social media, direct media and beginning efforts with point-of-sale material are some of the ways that Santa Paula, Calif.-based Limoneira communicates about its sustainability efforts, said Alex Teague, senior vice president and chief operating officer.
Business-to-business and business-to-consumer communications, social media, blog posts, website information and a corporate sustainability report are several ways that Salinas, Calif.-based Taylor Farms communicates about sustainability, said Nicole Flewell, director of sustainability.
In 2015, Chiquita began publishing a biennial report covering the company’s “Behind the Blue Sticker” sustainability approach, said Carlos Lopez Flores, president of Chiquita Brands.
“Our all-encompassing strategic vision aims to ensure efficient and increasingly sustainable business processes throughout the entire supply chain and a healthy, motivated workforce,” he said. “Since its inception, we have developed the Behind the Blue Sticker program considerably, and today it is the backbone of our business. Built around three pillars, Farmer’s Code, Being a Good Neighbor and For the Greater Good, we believe creating shared value for the Chiquita brand, our customers, suppliers, associates and the entire community will help build a brighter future.
“We are currently working on a report that is entirely focused on our efforts to combat climate change, which will be released later this year,” he said.
Ryan Barton, owner of Fusionware, Heber City, Utah, said the company’s technology provides growers, packers and shippers with insights they are able to pass on to retail/foodservice buyers.
The Fibre Box Association advertises on behalf of the corrugated industry in a variety of trade industry publications and on social media, said Rachel Kenyon, senior vice for the group.
“We also release periodic updates, e.g., with the release of each life cycle assessment and annual recovery statistics.”
Stemilt Growers’ program for sustainability and social responsibility, called Responsible Choice, has been part of its business since 1989, said Brianna Shales, marketing director for the Wenatchee, Wash.-based company.
“We communicate our Responsible Choice program through traditional communication tactics like press releases, a magazine we have, LinkedIn and more,” Shales said.
“It’s also something we share when we meet with our customers frequently. On the consumer side, this is an area we bring into our storytelling via our website and social media channels. The stories behind sustainability and why we do it are meaningful to consumers and will continue to be into the future.”
Clients of Miago Produce Industry Services use a number of methods to address sustainability efforts, said Michael Agostini, owner.
“We prepare complete reports for them as well as one-pager environmental ‘sell sheets,’ Agostini said. “Most also enter their info into the Thesis platform. It’s very good and shares consistent measures across multiple buying partners. It also shares comparison data back to the growers by commodity groups and growing area.”
Sustainability progress for Sedro-Wooley, Wash.-based Viva Tierra is shared directly to its customers through the company’s website and trade publications, said Chris Ford, business development and marketing manager.
Grower Joe Caldwell said presentations, a company website and retail portals are used to communicate sustainability efforts.
Robert MacArthur, president of the climate remediation consumer reward shopping platform Soli, based in Cambridge, Mass., said the company uses consumer rewards to promote sustainable products.
The Packer’s Sustainability Coverage
Commitment steady but focus shifts for environmental sustainablility
