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North America
 

Whole Foods Market, the world's largest natural and organic food retailer, has been recognized on the Ethisphere Institute's 2012 "World's Most Ethical Companies" list. This is the company's fourth time to make the list since 2007, and Whole Foods Market is one of only three U.S. companies named in the "Food Retail" category.

Ethisphere evaluates hundreds of companies, naming only those that surpass their industry peers to the "World's Most Ethical Companies" list. This is the sixth year Ethisphere has published the WME rankings. The 2012 list features companies in more than three dozen industries, including 40 companies headquartered outside the United States.

"Whole Foods Market is honored to be recognized as a company with a conscience," said John Mackey, co-CEO and co-founder of Whole Foods Market. "Our core values are at the center of the business philosophy that drives Whole Foods Market's unique culture, growth and success. That success comes from making sure all our stakeholders Team Members, customers, suppliers, shareholders, our communities and the environment are part of our vision."

The methodology for the WME ranking includes reviewing codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories, evaluating the investment in innovation and sustainable business practices, looking at activities designed to enhance corporate citizenship, and studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers.

The "World's Most Ethical Companies" list is published in the current issue of the quarterly magazine Ethisphere. The research-based Ethisphere Institute is an international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability.

Sustainability Summits
One assessment criteria to evaluate the sustainability / ethical performance of corporations will be covered in the North American edition of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, taking place in New York on 17-19th May. More details are on the website

Related Article: The Greening of the Cosmetic & Personal Care Industry

Dagoba Organic Chocolate has announced that their organic chocolate products are now made with cacao beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms.

According to the company, consumers will be able to purchase Dagoba Organic Chocolate products that bear the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal. The seal indicates that the cacao beans were grown on sustainably managed farms that protect forests, rivers, soils and wildlife, while being good community neighbors. Rainforest Alliance certification also ensures that workers have safe working conditions, just wages, dignified housing and access to education for their children.

"The Dagoba brand takes unparalleled measures to ensure cacao farms are following the highest quality standards to produce the best certified organic cacao in the world," said Ray Major, who leads the cacao development and sourcing for Dagoba Organic Chocolate. "Working with the Rainforest Alliance, whose certification has the strongest voice in the area of environmental stewardship, ensures that these efforts are sustainable over the long term."

Dagoba Organic Chocolate works closely with cacao-producing communities in Tanzania, Dominican Republic and Peru, to help individual farmers achieve Rainforest Alliance certification before purchasing the cacao to blend for the company's chocolate products.

Dagoba Organic Chocolate was established in 2001 in Ashland, Oregon with a mission to create the finest organic chocolate that is rooted in responsible practices. The Rainforest Alliance works with people whose livelihoods depend on the land, helping them transform the way they grow food, harvest wood and host travelers.

Organic Monitor Comment
Dagoba Organic Chocolate is another example of the growing number of food products with dual eco-labels. With consumers increasingly demanding more from organic products, Dagoba is giving a guarantee its cacao is ethically sourced. However, a wider question is about eco-labels...how many eco-labels make a truly sustainable food product? If a single sustainability eco-label is the way forward, what are the possibilities? Such discussions regularly take place at the Sustainable Foods Summit. The next edition of this executive summit takes place in Amsterdam on 7-8th June. More information is on the website

Source: Press Release / Organic Monitor
 

Healthy growth in the North American market for natural personal care products is occurring because of increasing distribution. Natural & organic brands are expanding into new channels as shelf-space in natural food shops reaches saturation. Organic Monitor research finds that natural personal care companies are focusing on distribution for growth openings.

As will be shown in the marketing session in the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit, the North American market for natural personal care products has reached US $5.4 billion in value. Most revenue increases are from outside the traditional channel of natural food shops. Burt’s Bees and Yes To brands have grown considerably in drugstores, whilst premium brands like Dr. Hauschka have become popular in beauty retailers. JR Watkins is focusing on multi-level marketing, whilst brands like Eminence Organic are targeting hair salons. Natural brands are also making inroads in mass market retailers, encouraging supermarkets to develop private label ranges.

Limited shelf-space for non-food products is restricting growth in natural food shops. Retailers are also becoming more selective with their natural personal care ranges. Chained outlets, such as Whole Foods Market and PCC Natural Market, are increasingly scrutinizing product formulations. PCC Natural Market will give details of its selection criteria for natural personal care products at the summit.

Apart from new distribution channels, natural & organic brands are also looking at export markets for business growth. The Asian market is attractive because of healthy market growth rates and high consumer preference for western brands. Aubrey Organics is one of the most successful American brands in the Japanese market, whilst Intelligent Nutrients is gaining popularity in Asian countries because of its certified organic range. With a consumer market of 1.2 billion, the Chinese market is deemed the most prospective in Asia. However, few western brands have made advances because of distribution and regulatory issues. A frontrunner is the Australian brand Jasmin Skincare with its range of organic skin care products. At the New York edition of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit (17-19 May), the company will state how it has overcome the ‘great wall of China’ to make Jasmin Skincare popular with Chinese consumers.

Also at the summit, CEOs of leading natural & organic personal care brands will discuss the marketing and distribution challenges they face in the North American market. The panel comprises CEOs from Aubrey Organics, Dr. Hauschka, Weleda, JR Watkins, Eminence Organic and Jasmin Skincare. Slowing market growth rates, rising competition and distribution channels will be debated by the CEO panel.

Organized by Organic Monitor, the aim of the Sustainable Cosmetics Summit is to encourage sustainability in the beauty industry by bringing together key stake-holders and debate major sustainability issues in a high-level forum. The North American edition will take place at InterContinental New York Barclay hotel on 17-19th May 2012. More information is available from the website

Related Report: #7001-60 The Global Market for Natural & Organic PC Products

Source: Press Release